birding-aus

Red-legged Crake at Whim Creek, WA

To: "Mike Carter" <>
Subject: Red-legged Crake at Whim Creek, WA
From: David Stowe <>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 22:02:17 +1000
Great photos thank you Mike. Gorgeous bird.
According to the field guides i have this is the first record since 1958. Is this correct or has there been any others before this one at Whim Creek?
Any ideas about how it came over?

Cheers
Dave

On 04/06/2007, at 6:01 PM, Mike Carter wrote:


Although ostensibly one of the more cryptic, this must be one of the easiest birds I've ever twitched! Lack of suitable habitat nearby means that it is confined to a small area of watered lawn and garden beds at the Whim Creek Hotel now mainly used as a mining camp! Mind you when Frank O'Connor, Richard Baxter & I arrived at 13.35 on Friday (I left home at 03.45) Morgan O'Connell, the whistle blower, told us he hadn't seen it all day but that the cleaner had at 06.00. Nevertheless, it took Greg Harewood (like Morgan, an Environmental Management Consultant) less than 5 minutes to find it hiding at the base of one of the small garden shrubs which he knew it favoured. It then ran under a donga and stayed partially hidden under one hut or another for the next two hours. At around 16.00 it started to venture forth several times only to retreat again. By 16.30, as the sun sank lower and its competitors, 3 Magpielarks moved off, it became very bold and almost indifferent to people moving around or showing interest in it. It still preferred shade to sunlight while it foraged around the lawn and garden. The cleaner says it has been there three weeks. No one has yet raised any objection to birders entering the camp area but it is important to remain quiet and not knock on huts to avoid disturbing sleeping shift workers. No cats have been seen there but a possible Northern Quoll could be threat.
I've sent two pictures to Tom Tarrant to put on ABID. A stunning bird!

Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza  VIC 3930
Tel  (03) 9787 7136

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