Trotter Reserve & Murarrie, Southside Brisbane, Qld

["Daniel Mantle" <>]

Hi

I decided to follow up Colins sightings at Edgell Ponds this morning. When I got up to the sound of heavy rainfall at 4.30 this morning I was very tempted to stay in bed. I'm glad I didn't. I got out to Hamment train station as early as the trains allowed and it is only a short walk from here to the Edgell Ponds, which were easy to find with Colins directions and map. One of the first birds to be seen was an Oriental Cuckoo. It gave excellent views sitting out in the open on several fence posts for about two minutes before it took off over the nearby trees. I arrived at the ponds that Colin had described and started scanning the few waders present. A half-dozen Marsh Sandpiper, 3 Red-kneed Dotterel, one Black-fronted Dotterel and several Stilt were feeding despite the persistent downpour. After waiting at this site for half an hour I picked up two waders flying in - a Ruff and a Reeve. The female landed briefly before taking off again and flying back in a northerly direction, where it had come from. The Ruff stayed feeding for five minutes along the southern margin of the pond before moving briefly to the railway end of the pond. It then flew the short distance over the railway and highway, and landed out of sight a short distance away.

Having only moved to Australia 8 months ago from Europe I was actually far more interested in searching for the Spotless Crake. Ruff are fairly common birds in Britain in Ireland. I stayed for another hour and just as I about to leave, the Crake decided to show itself. It stayed out in the open for a full ten minutes and gave stunning views. It was in exactly the same spot that Colin had marked on his sketch map. If only I had a camera. For any digiscopers around Brisbane this bird could probably be photographed easily, even if a bit of patience is required.

All this and I still managed to get into Uni by 9:30am. A day of study suddenly doesn't seem so bad. As long as Colin doesn't mind, I think it is probably best if people contact him about directions to the site as he knows the set up better than me.

Cheers, Dan Mantle

>Hi All

>Saturday morning - female or juv male Musk Duck at MC Trotter reserve,

>south side Brisbane - looked like the same (?) bird present as at this

>time last year. The bird is not on the main lake itself - I suspect it is

>too deep at present as there are very few birds out on the main body of

>water.

>

>Sunday morning - Spotless Crake (very brief view) and excellent views of

>a Reeve at the Edgell Ponds, Murarrie, also Brisbane south side. This

>place is difficult to access - pls contact me off list if directions

>desired.

>Also Red-necked Avocets (5) among a range of other commoner waterfowl &

>waders.

>--

>   Colin Reid

>  

>So many birds, so little time......

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