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odd call which made me turn around, and a Virginia Rail flew up fro
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I was so hoping that you and Julie would be successful in i.d.-ing that =
bird, Pat. I heard it again yesterday morning (June 25), in the same =
general location, on the NE side of the railbed, and on the town side of =
the viewing platform, but still haven't made a sighting. I have seen =
Sora there 4 times this season, once when one flew along about a foot =
above the water (the first time I had seen a Sora in flight).
Yesterday I also saw one rail chick (perhaps two; wasn't sure if I were =
seeing two separate chicks or the same one twice) in the little 'pond' =
on the SW side of the rail bed, across from the viewing platform, =
probably the one(s) Sydney Penner had seen. However, I wasn't sure what =
kind of a rail it was -- I know, from my resources, that Sora & Virginia =
Rail chicks are black, but the one I saw had dark brown down with some =
lighter brown on it lower parts, with some beige tail feathers growing =
in. Does the down of rail chicks change color as they grow??
I'm so happy you were impressed with the marsh, Pat. I'll have to keep =
my eyes peeled for the Chimney Swifts. I probably have seen them, but =
didn't distinguish them from the swallows. I'm still in learning mode. =
Lois Jenkins
http://annapolisnaturewalker.blogspot.com
----- Original Message -----=20
From: P.L. Chalmers=20
To: NatureNS=20
Cc: NS-RBA=20
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 11:44 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Virginia Rail, French Basin Trail, Annapolis Royal
On Monday 21 June, Julie Palmer and I visited the French Basin =
Trail in Annapolis Royal, in hopes of identifying a mystery bird first =
reported by Lois Jenkins. We heard a single call in the place which she =
described, but did not see the bird which was making it. We tried using =
a sequence of rail recordings to lure it out, but that was unsuccessful, =
perhaps because the sound couldn't be projected very loudly. (Although =
Julie was the first to spot a Sora, which was great to see!) We =
listened to my birdsong recordings afterwards, and agreed that what we =
heard most closely matched a Virginia Rail, although we wished that we =
could have heard it again.
On Wednesday 23 June, after having read Sydney Penner's report =
of a VIRA family in the marsh, I revisited the trail. It was late =
afternoon and raining, so I donned my rubber boots and umbrella and went =
"birding in the rain". What a wonderful place the marsh is! There was =
a Snipe winnowing, and Pied-billed Grebes and Sora calling, and a Swamp =
Sparrow was singing, and a number of swallows and 2 Chimney Swifts were =
swooping low over the water. I looked carefully for the place which =
Sydney Penner described, and rechecked the first location as well. =
While moving between the two, I heard an odd call which made me turn =
around, and a Virginia Rail flew up from the south side of the trail as =
Mr. Penner described, and flew northeast towards the big marsh! Wow, =
I've never had a natural sighting of a VIRA in Nova Scotia before, that =
is to say, without someone using playback. I looked hard among the =
cattails in the place from which the bird flew, but was unable to see =
any other rails.
Thanks to Lois Jenkins for her original report, and to Sydney =
Penner for his full description.
Patricia L. Chalmers
Halifax
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [ =
mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of L Jenkins
Sent: June-06-10 4:34 PM
To: NatureNS
Subject: [NatureNS] Need birdsong ID
=20
I am a regular walker around the French Basin Trail at the Annapolis =
Royal Marsh. Recently I've been hearing, in the same spot among the =
reeds, a song that sounds like a rusty hinge moving. Low pitched, =
fairly loud. I haven't sighted anything, but know there's something =
there . . . Any suggestions??
=20
Lois Jenkins
Annapolis Royal
<snip>
"Here's where I heard the sounds: when you walk onto the old railbed =
from the parking lot, continue on the railbed past the French Basin =
Trail entrance, until you come to a power transformer enclosed with =
chain link fencing, on your left. The sounds came from the =
reeds/cattails behind or to either side of the enclosure. =20
=20
> To: NS-RBA@yahoogroups.com
> From: Sydney F Penner <sfp26@cornell.edu>
> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:05:01 -0300
> Subject: [NS-RBA] more on the Virginia Rails
>=20
> Several people have expressed interest in the Virginia Rails that I=20
> reported yesterday, so let me say a bit more about them. I saw them =
at=20
> the Annapolis Royal Marsh---NOT at Belleisle. If you walk in from =
the=20
> parking lot and keep going straight instead of turning left to go =
around=20
> the main pool, the rails were in the pool/swampy area that's mostly=20
> filled with cattails and so on to the right of the path. In other =
words,=20
> it's on the south side of the Marsh and on the opposite side of the =
path=20
> from the main pool.
>=20
> I was expecting to see Sora and I thought the chicks were probably =
Sora=20
> chicks when I first saw them. I haven't seen Sora chicks before (I =
have=20
> seen Virginia Rail chicks before in New York) but remembered reading =
> that they have black down all over and these definitely were black. =
Of=20
> course, that's also true of Virginia Rail chicks, but I figured =
Soras=20
> were more likely. But after watching a couple of the chicks for a =
while,=20
> I checked a field guide and realized that Sora chicks are supposed =
to=20
> have light legs rather than the dark legs that Virginia Rail chicks=20
> have. The ones I was looking at definitely had uniformly dark legs. =
That=20
> was when I started thinking that I was looking at Virginia Rails =
instead=20
> of Sora.
>=20
> The chicks were happy enough to run across the small open areas in =
that=20
> area and so I got good looks at them. The adults were more elusive, =
but=20
> I could hear them calling and, giving the presence of the chicks, I=20
> figured that they were bound to show themselves eventually. It took=20
> quite a while, but I did finally get decent looks at two adult =
Virginia=20
> Rails.
>=20
> I should note that I'm not sure that the chicks and adults belonged=20
> together. I saw all of them running around in an area of about five =
by=20
> eight metres, but I don't know enough about how densely rails will=20
> populate an area to know how likely these all were to belong to one =
family.
>=20
> Best wishes,
> Sydney Penner
>=20
> sfp26@cornell.edu
> Berwick, N.S.
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>I was so hoping that you and Julie would be successful in i.d.-ing =
that=20
bird, Pat. I heard it again yesterday morning (June 25), in the =
same=20
general location, on the NE side of the railbed, and on the town side of =
the=20
viewing platform, but still haven't made a sighting. I have seen =
Sora=20
there 4 times this season, once when one flew along about a foot =
above the=20
water (the first time I had seen a Sora in flight).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Yesterday I also saw one rail chick (perhaps two; wasn't sure if I =
were=20
seeing two separate chicks or the same one twice) in the =
little 'pond'=20
on the SW side of the rail bed, across from the viewing platform, =
probably the=20
one(s) Sydney Penner had seen. However, I wasn't sure what kind of =
a rail=20
it was -- I know, from my resources, that Sora & Virginia Rail =
chicks are=20
black, but the one I saw had dark brown down with some lighter =
brown on it=20
lower parts, with some beige tail feathers growing in. Does the =
down of=20
rail chicks change color as they grow??</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'm so happy you were impressed with the marsh, Pat. I'll =
have to=20
keep my eyes peeled for the Chimney Swifts. I probably have seen =
them, but=20
didn't distinguish them from the swallows. I'm still in learning=20
mode. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Lois Jenkins<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://annapolisnaturewalker.blogspot.com">http://annapolisnature=
walker.blogspot.com</A></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dplchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca">P.L. Chalmers</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">NatureNS</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A =
title=3DNS-RBA@yahoogroups.com=20
href=3D"mailto:NS-RBA@yahoogroups.com">NS-RBA</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 25, 2010 =
11:44=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] Virginia =
Rail, French=20
Basin Trail, Annapolis Royal</DIV>
=
<DIV><BR></DIV><X-TAB> </X=
-TAB>On=20
Monday 21 June, Julie Palmer and I visited the French Basin Trail in =
Annapolis=20
Royal, in hopes of identifying a mystery bird first reported by Lois=20
Jenkins. We heard a single call in the place which she =
described, but=20
did not see the bird which was making it. We tried using a sequence of =
rail=20
recordings to lure it out, but that was unsuccessful, perhaps because =
the=20
sound couldn't be projected very loudly. (Although Julie was the =
first=20
to spot a Sora, which was great to see!) We listened to my =
birdsong=20
recordings afterwards, and agreed that what we heard most closely =
matched a=20
Virginia Rail, although we wished that we could have heard it=20
=
again.<BR><BR><X-TAB> </X-=
TAB>On=20
Wednesday 23 June, after having read Sydney Penner's report of a VIRA =
family=20
in the marsh, I revisited the trail. It was late afternoon and =
raining,=20
so I donned my rubber boots and umbrella and went "birding in the =
rain". =20
What a wonderful place the marsh is! There was a Snipe =
winnowing,=20
and Pied-billed Grebes and Sora calling, and a Swamp Sparrow was =
singing, and=20
a number of swallows and 2 Chimney Swifts were swooping low over the=20
water. I looked carefully for the place which Sydney Penner =
described,=20
and rechecked the first location as well. While moving between =
the two,=20
I heard an odd call which made me turn around, and a Virginia Rail =
flew up=20
from the south side of the trail as Mr. Penner described, and flew =
northeast=20
towards the big marsh! Wow, I've never had a natural sighting of =
a VIRA=20
in Nova Scotia before, that is to say, without someone using =
playback. I=20
looked hard among the cattails in the place from which the bird flew, =
but was=20
unable to see any other=20
=
rails.<BR><BR><X-TAB> </X-=
TAB>Thanks=20
to Lois Jenkins for her original report, and to Sydney Penner for his =
full=20
=
description.<BR><BR><X-TAB> &nbs=
p;</X-TAB>Patricia=20
L.=20
=
Chalmers<BR><X-TAB> </X-TA=
B>Halifax<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dcite cite=3D"" type=3D"cite"><B>From:</B> <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.=
ca</A>=20
[<A href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">=20
mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca</A>] <B>On Behalf Of </B>L=20
Jenkins<BR><B>Sent:</B> June-06-10 4:34 PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
NatureNS<BR><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] Need birdsong =
ID<BR> <BR>I am a=20
regular walker around the French Basin Trail at the Annapolis Royal=20
Marsh. Recently I've been hearing, in the same spot among the =
reeds, a=20
song that sounds like a rusty hinge moving. Low pitched, =
fairly=20
loud. I haven't sighted anything, but know there's something =
there . .=20
. Any suggestions??<BR> <BR>Lois Jenkins<BR>Annapolis=20
Royal</BLOCKQUOTE><BR><snip><BR>"Here's where I heard the =
sounds: when=20
you walk onto the old railbed from the parking lot, continue on the =
railbed=20
past the French Basin Trail entrance, until you come to a power =
transformer=20
enclosed with chain link fencing, on your left. The sounds came =
from the=20
reeds/cattails behind or to either side of the enclosure. =20
=
<BR><BR><X-TAB> </X-TAB><B=
R>>=20
To: NS-RBA@yahoogroups.com<BR>> From: Sydney F Penner=20
<sfp26@cornell.edu><BR>> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:05:01=20
-0300<BR>> Subject: [NS-RBA] more on the Virginia Rails<BR>> =
<BR>>=20
Several people have expressed interest in the Virginia Rails that I =
<BR>>=20
reported yesterday, so let me say a bit more about them. I saw them at =
<BR>> the Annapolis Royal Marsh---NOT at Belleisle. If you walk in =
from the=20
<BR>> parking lot and keep going straight instead of turning left =
to go=20
around <BR>> the main pool, the rails were in the pool/swampy area =
that's=20
mostly <BR>> filled with cattails and so on to the right of the =
path. In=20
other words, <BR>> it's on the south side of the Marsh and on the =
opposite=20
side of the path <BR>> from the main pool.<BR>> <BR>> I was =
expecting=20
to see Sora and I thought the chicks were probably Sora <BR>> =
chicks when I=20
first saw them. I haven't seen Sora chicks before (I have <BR>> =
seen=20
Virginia Rail chicks before in New York) but remembered reading =
<BR>> that=20
they have black down all over and these definitely were black. Of =
<BR>>=20
course, that's also true of Virginia Rail chicks, but I figured Soras =
<BR>>=20
were more likely. But after watching a couple of the chicks for a =
while,=20
<BR>> I checked a field guide and realized that Sora chicks are =
supposed to=20
<BR>> have light legs rather than the dark legs that Virginia Rail =
chicks=20
<BR>> have. The ones I was looking at definitely had uniformly dark =
legs.=20
That <BR>> was when I started thinking that I was looking at =
Virginia Rails=20
instead <BR>> of Sora.<BR>> <BR>> The chicks were happy =
enough to run=20
across the small open areas in that <BR>> area and so I got good =
looks at=20
them. The adults were more elusive, but <BR>> I could hear them =
calling=20
and, giving the presence of the chicks, I <BR>> figured that they =
were=20
bound to show themselves eventually. It took <BR>> quite a while, =
but I did=20
finally get decent looks at two adult Virginia <BR>> Rails.<BR>> =
<BR>> I should note that I'm not sure that the chicks and adults =
belonged=20
<BR>> together. I saw all of them running around in an area of =
about five=20
by <BR>> eight metres, but I don't know enough about how densely =
rails will=20
<BR>> populate an area to know how likely these all were to belong =
to one=20
family.<BR>> <BR>> Best wishes,<BR>> Sydney Penner<BR>> =
<BR>>=20
sfp26@cornell.edu<BR>> Berwick, N.S.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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