Hi all
At last ? 3 and a half years and 47 visits and finally one of the birds
I?ve always believed were there and have looked high and low for at Minnippi
Parklands, Brisbane south ? Spotless Crake.
For those with an interest ? off to one side (west I think, at least on
the river side) of the pond there is a roughly semi circular boardwalk through
a marshy, tree covered low spot. I have always snuck in as quietly as my boots
and the boards allowed in the belief that something secretive may inhabit this
spot! Today I marched in fairly casually at around 7.15 ? later than I am
usually there ? and was greeted by a sharp ?tecking? sound. Peering down into
the watery tree roots and reeds I spotted a hurried movement as a little (they
really are small, aren?t they!) black bird flitted around from pool to pool. I
watched it for about 3 or 4 minutes in it?s hurried, indignant search for food
and was surprised at the speed at which it moved. I didn?t/couldn?t use my bins
as it was so close. Flicking it?s tail, it?s red eye gleaming in the shadows it
scurried around calling almost continuously ? finally disappearing into the
longer reeds and grass in the background - a very special experience.
For those of you down south this is probably not an uncommon sight, but
this is only my second Spotless Crake (first was in November 03) and I was rapt!
Next expected find? Lewin?s Rail ? has been previously seen at
Minnippi, but not by yours truly.
Haveagoodone.
--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
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