Wild Bird Wednesday 610 - On Crake Pond

Last week I ventured yet again to Werribee Sewage Works - and I knew that the specific combination of time of the day, weather, and time of year would mean that the early morning light on 'The Crake Pond' would be good.

If you are amongst the band of merry birders that I have taken around Werribee, the Crake Pond is often the first place we stop - and it's justifiably famous for its crake sightings.  And while none of the less abundant crakes showed up, the pond did not let me down.

As I arrived I could see at least one Australia Spotted Crake / Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) feeding on the mud.  So, I backed the car away from the pond, got my camera and flask of tea ready, and then drove back to a vantage spot.   As is often the case, I stayed in the car - using it as a hide / blind - and supported my camera and lens on a bean bag filled with barley seeds.  It's a simple but very stable method.

These are some of the birds I saw:

Australia Spotted Crake / Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) 

Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus)

Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops)

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)

and the Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis).

Not my usual single species posts - but there you go.

To join in with WBW click the link below.  And to be shown around Werribee, come visit Australia!

Cheers,  SM.

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