Spotless Crake

Spotless Crake (Image ID 50656)
Photographed byMichael Hamel-Green on Thu 3rd Mar, 2022 and uploaded on Sat 5th Mar, 2022 .
Resolution1800x1096
Viewed376
ID50656
CommentAccording to John Gould the Spotless Crake is “very reclusive in its habits and seldom to be seen”( Vol.6), so I was probably lucky to see my first one close to the Little River Bird Hide at WTP. They are famously shy birds, who dart back into the reeds as soon as they notice anything untoward. They are not so strikingly colourful or banded as their Spotted Crake and Buff-banded Rail cousins, whom I have both occasionally seen at the same spot, but their bright red eyes certainly stand out dramatically against their slate-grey breast plumage and dark brown upper parts. The fine white bars in the tail feathers of an adult bird can just be seen in the photo. This one is obviously not afraid to get its feet and legs a little muddy, particularly since wetland banks and shallows are its favourite feeding haunt, but it was certainly not going to wait around and make itself more presentable for me to secure a more elegant portrait, such as Gould seeks to portray in his beautiful drawing of a pair amongst reeds and in his naming the species, Porzana immaculata. By way of contrast, pace John, here we have a less-than-immaculate individual but one who is very much at home in mucking around in mud, mud, glorious mud.
EquipmentNikon Z7, Nikon 500mm PF f5.6 TC1.4
700mm
ISO 1000
1/1000th f11
LocationLittle River, Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria
Keywordsadult
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