Testing pays off

 I have finally bitten the bullet and got a new iPhone.  I now have an iPhone 17 Pro, acquired through MYMAC on Flinders St, who were as always very helpful in setting the device up.

A large part of the reason for choosing this model was because of its excellent camera.  The device has many other other good features - one can even make phone calls with it!  So I decided to go to Albert Park Lake to test the camera.  The first few images are of birds within about 50 metres.  I am very pleased with their quality.



The photos were taken at the SE Conservation Ponds.
When I got to the top pond I saw a tiny Crake with tawny upper side and grey breast etc.  Clearly a Baillon's Crake.  I didn't have the phone in my hand and by the time I had got it out the bird had disappeared into the reeds.  I hung about for about 20 minutes, and saw a crake-shape in tunnels in the reeds but no snappable sightings
The species has been reported to eBird 5 times in the past in 2018 (1 sighting here; and 3, on different days, at the generic site) and 2023 (3 records of the same bird by different observers at the NE ponds.  Apart from the sighting at the NE ponds in November  all the sightings have been in February or March, so possibly post-breeding dispersion?

The area is completely hopeless due to the construction for the Grand Prix.  I would love to know how many people objected to the extended closure of the Park but the State Government will do nothing to upset the moneybags of the Formula 1 crowd.  Here is the lawn behind the ponds.





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