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Crakes and Rails at Mount Isa

To: "Messages Birding-aus" <>
Subject: Crakes and Rails at Mount Isa
From: "Bob Forsyth" <>
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2001 13:05:18 +1000
g'day all,
Its all happening at the Isa !
 
Last week, I saw a dark Crake at the Clear Water Lagoon, which I realise now, I did not fully identify. (During repeated visits I've only seen several Baillon's sometimes feeding within 4m of me.)
But two days later, fellow Birdo Darlene Kneen, advised me she had seen a  Spotless Crake at our Sewage Ponds.
On two subsequent visits to the Ponds I've now also seen the Spotless.
 
The bank at the SW corner of the ponds is quite high and gives a grandstand view into the reeds growing in the back water of the overflow from the ponds. The overflow runs into Depot Creek, which feeds into the Leichhardt River.
 
This vantage point provides a view of a open area about 4m X 3m in the middle of the reeds.
 
Late yesterday I maintained watch on this area and got good views of a Baillon's, a Australian Spotted and the Spotless...all within 5 mins. I got repeat views over the next 30 minutes.
Afterwards, about 25m to the South, I saw 2  Australian Spotted  feeding out in the open on a the muddy edge of the outflow in company with a Baillon's. At the southern edge of the SE pond were the now resident Black-tailed Native-hens (B-t N-h)
 
2 days ago, Darlene and I saw a Spotted where Depot Creek flows under the access road and later on a Buff-banded with the B-t N-h on the grass at the edge of the SE Pond.
 
Why am I excited ?
.. I believe our sightings of the Spotless are the first for this area !
.. These are my first local observation of both Spotted and Spotless (tick)
.. It is several years since I saw a few B-t N-h at Lake Moondarra
.. The Baillon's seem to breeding in the area now ( They are seen every day walking on the Lily's at the Clear Water Lagoon)
.. The Buff-banded is only sighted several times each year.
 
The first Atlas (p126, 131,132) did not have any records in NW Qld for Buff-banded or Spotted or Spotless 
Hanzab (V2), Buff-banded Rail p495-506 and Spotless Crake p559-566 do not have any records in NW Qld
 
The more recent field guides (P&K, S&D' Mor) show territorial limits to the east of Mount Isa.
It is interesting that the Field Guide authors have territory information not included in Hanzab.
 
Regards, Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW Qld.
 
ps
We must thank Mr Crapper for designing the toilet bowl and the people who developed open Sewage Pond water purification systems.
Is there a Saint of Sewage Ponds ?
 
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