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G'day Folks,
I can't recall the last time i saw all three
southern crakes - Spotted, Baillon's and Spotless - in the one day.
Today was such a day.
As predicted, the Wonga Wetlands (Albury
NSW) are starting to really hot up! I've just left there (because
it got dark) after a 2 hour walk and sit-n'-watch with Dylan
O'Donnell. We had 2 Spotless Crake and 1 Baillon's, so after getting
Spotted there on Sunday (2/1/05) i now know all three are currently present.
The most accessible crake hole is only
about 200 metres from the education centre (on the Riverina Hwy where the
big 'Wonga Wetlands' gates are). From the buildings cross the billabong (don't
go through the Aborignal dwellings display), go past the Murray High School
sign, then go right at the junction, then take the next left and the
billabong on your left is the spot. The best area is the end furthest from the
buildings where you can sit on the track and look at the edge that has
Giant Rushes (Juncus ingens), Water Couch and mud. At other spots
we saw 4 or 5 Latham's Snipe, 3 or 4 Azure Kingfishers and many of the others i
reported a few days ago, as well as Mistletoebird, Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo,
Grey Shrike-thrush, Striated Thornbill and Straw-necked Ibis.
This morning Michael Ramsey and i had
a couple of hours to the north of Albury at a privately owned irrigation
storage dam. We easily found 3 Spotted and 1 Baillon's Crake, together
with 1 Blue-billed Duck, 1 Great
Crested Grebe, 2 Musk Duck and various other waterbirds. The
crakes were on a muddy edge with dense Water Couch and
small Cumbungi thickets, very nice in the morning sun.
A great crake day! Regards, Matt Herring, Albury
NSW.
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