birding-aus Snipe, Rail & Crakes

[Bob Sothman <>]

OLD NOARLUNGA WETLANDS on the Southern outskirts of Adelaide turned
up some ripper birds yesterday.  In less than one hour we recorded
52 species.   The early morning was overcast, mild with no wind. 
Overcast days seem to bring the crakes & rails etc out into the open
and we managed great views of all of the following:-
· Painted Snipe (1 pair) -  rare in the Adelaide
area in our experience, appears to be only recorded  every 5 -10 years
· Buff-banded Rail (4) - not all that uncommon but still
a good bird  for SA
· Baillon?s Crake  (7) - common in the right habitat
in SA;  sometimes not that easy to see but common
· Australian Spotted Crake (7) - common in the right
habitat in SA
· Spotless Crake (1 or 2)  - we saw one bird 
& flushed another  in the same area 30 minutes latter; Spotless 
are much more difficult to find than  Spotted in SA
· Latham?s Snipe (1) - relatively common in Summer in
the right habitat, which is relatively  restricted in SA; always a
good bird to find
?.. along with the usual Black-fronted Dotterel, Red-kneed Dotterel,
Red-capped Plover, Black -tailed Native-hen, Black-winged Stilt (with very
young young), Common Sandpiper, Masked Lapwing, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 
etc.

Onkaparinga Council (the council that covers a large portion of  the Southern Adelaide suburbs and adjacent rural areas) is to be complimented on their approach to conversation  with the establishment of wetlands at Old Noarlunga  & Willunga.  (There has been 4 -5 Blue-billed Duck resident on the Willunga Ponds for most of this year along with increasing numbers of crakes, as the wetlands become more established.)
 

Rolly Lloyd & Bob Sothman