BLACK RAILS GALORE

["Brad Carlson" <bradcarlson1@hotmail.com>]

This weekend I was planning to scuba dive offshore on Saturday and Sunday 
out of Morehead City, NC.  We got out on Sunday, but on Saturday, we 
canceled due to the wind and waves offshore, so I decided to try to locate 
and photograph Black Rails.  I have seen and heard Black Rails previously, 
but have never successfully photographed them.

I headed to North River Marsh around 6:30am and immediately heard the 
"growling" of a BLACK RAIL.  Great!  Now I knew the BLACK RAILS were in the 
area.  All the bug bites might be worth it afterall.  (Yes, the biting flys 
are absolutely horrible there!!!)  I headed in that direction through the 
waste high marsh grass, and before I made it to the location, I saw two 
BLACK RAILS feeding together in a low area at the edge of the tall grass.  
These birds were too far away for a photograph, but great for looks.  The 
two rails fed and chased each other in circles, moving in and out of the 
deeper cover (anything over six inches is deep cover for them).  Awesome, 
now I had seen them for my year list and had tied my highest day sighting 
count of two BLACK RAILS, and the first time I ever saw two at the same 
time!

I continued in their direction to see if I could get a photo.  After hearing 
me take a single photo, they bolted into the deep grass.  After that they 
did not come back into the clearing.  I tried to call them out with no 
success, but they stayed close by chasing each other through the deep grass 
at my feet.  Off to my right I heard another BLACK RAIL with the typical 
"kiki-krrr" call.  The first full call I had heard that morning.  I slowly 
made my way towards the area which was again at the edge of a low clearing.  
I called the bird, and it immediately called back.  Then to my amazement, 
only a few feet in front of me, an adult BLACK RAIL walked through some low 
grass, followed by three (3) tiny chicks and a second adult at the back of 
the line.  It was a whole family in a parade like march through the marsh 
grass!  The chicks were making a "cheeping" type call the whole time.  I had 
no idea what the chicks were supposed to look like since I had never seen a 
picture or drawing.  I can tell you that they are about the size of a cotton 
ball, they are pure black fluff, with a bright white beak.  Five Black Rails 
together in addition to the two (2) I had previously seen for a total of 
seven (7) SEEN for the morning!!!

I was absolutely ecstatic at this point, but realized that I enjoyed the 
moment so much that I never even raised my camera!  I stood still for about 
thirty minutes hoping to recapture the scene.  The whole family played at my 
feet.  Most of the time they were too close for me to focus my camera, and 
the rest of the time, they were in and out of the deep grass so fast that 
there was no chance for a photo.

So, my objective of photographing BLACK RAILS is hanging on the single 
picture that I took when I first arrived.  Hopefully it will be decent!  I 
did get some point blank shots of Virgina Rails that were also in the area.  
I can certainly say that it was a morning of birding I will never forget!

-Brad Carlson
Winterville, NC
BradCarlson1@hotmail.com






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