Elkeith.com > Elkeith Photography > Galleries > Birds > Marsh Crake
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Marsh Crake
This Marsh Crake was photographed in a raupo bed on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.
It was mid morning and I was shooting from a kayak after giving up on my hide for the day. He seemed unphased, he was out fishing. Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/500, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak. -
"Reclusive Rail"
Finalist in the Otago Wildlife Photography Competition 2008!
Click on the image to view the full story. Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/640, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak. -
Marsh Crake
This Marsh Crake was photographed while fishing in a raupo bed on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.
Mostly marsh crake feed on insects on the surface of the water, but occasionally they manage to catch small fish. This one was a bit bigger than normal. Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/400, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak. -
Marsh Crake
This Marsh Crake was photographed in a raupo bed on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.
After catching a fish marsh crake always seem to give them a good shake before they eat them, I managed to catch this one mid shake. Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/320, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak. -
Marsh Crake
This Marsh Crake was photographed while attempting to board my kayak on the edge Lake Alexandrina.
Marsh crake have extremely large feet so they can walk out on the floating mat of vegetation on the edge of the lake and between the reeds. In this case, he was only centimeters from the nose of my kayak! Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/640, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak. -
Marsh Crake
This Marsh Crake was photographed on the edge of a raupo bed on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.
The underside of marsh crake are a slate grey at the front, but if you get a glimpse of them from behind when they put their tail up you see the impressive barring under their tail. Details: Canon 400d, Sigma 500mm f/4.5 APO HSM, 1/640, f/4.5, 400 ISO, hand held from kayak.
Marsh Crake (Porzana pusilla)
Koitareke
Size: 18 cm, 40 gm.
Description: A tiny rail, like a mini Banded Rail or super tiny Weka. Lower parts blue-grey, upper parts light brown streaked black and white. Bill and legs greenish grey.
Habitat: Fresh and salt water wetland areas supporting dense reeds and rushes. Feed on invertebrates, aquatic plant seeds and tiny fish.
Status: Protected native. Common in specific areas, but their secretive nature prohibits accurate counts.
Breeding: October - January. 5-7 eggs. Nest a shallow platform 30cm above the water, overhung by dead sedge leaves for protection. Both sexes incubate.
Where and how to photograph: Good opportunities on the edges of beds of reeds and rushes, best from a kayak or floating hide to achieve eye-level photographs.
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