birding-aus

Baillon's Crake at Altona

To: "John Tongue" <>, "Birding Aus" <>
Subject: Baillon's Crake at Altona
From: Peter Shute <>
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:36:55 +1000
That is a well known spot, to some people anyway, but as far as I know the 
water levels have been too high for a while.  I'll have a look Saturday morning 
if it doesn't rain before then.

I had to really think to work out where you meant - it's a netball/basketball 
centre, not netball/baseball.  The Victorian Baseball and Softball Centre is 
about 1km upstream from there, near Truganina Swamp, and I assumed you must 
mean that.

It's Melway reference 208 K2 in case anyone is trying to work out where it is, 
on the road in to Federation Steps (Andrew Park Drive).

Peter Shute


-----Original Message-----
From:    on behalf of John Tongue
Sent:   Thu 18/09/2008 8:10 PM
To:     Birding Aus
Cc:     
Subject:        Baillon's Crake at Altona

Hi All,
People may already be aware of this, and/or not that amazed - but for
us who have been chasing this species for some time, we were quite
surprised!

Two Baillon's Crake (and a Spotted) were showing well on the ponds at
'Truganina Reserve', Altona, yesterday (17.9.08).

When you come down the lane beside the Netball/Baseball Centre, you
come to a little bridge over a connecting 'trickle' between lagoons.
Then there are two main ponds to the East, before the 'creek' joined
Laverton Creek.

The Spotted Crake was in the westernmost of the two (the larger pond)
working in and out of the reeds on the southern side of the pond.  The
two Baillon's Crakes were in the smaller, more easterly pond, again,
working the reeds on the southern side.  We stood quietly on the north
side, and got cracking views of all three birds as they wandered in
and out of the reeds.  The first Baillon's was observed at 1030, near
the very narrow outlet to the pond, just down below one of the little
eucalypts planted in the native garden.  The second was further back
to the West a little later, and the Spotted Crake was almost back to
the little road bridge.

Happy birding to any who want to look for these birds.

John Tongue
Ulverstone, Tas (Leastwise, we will be tomorrow!)
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