The Virginia Rail is much more often heard than seen. They’re secretive skulkers of fresh water marshes where the spend most of their time in thick, reedy vegetation as they use their “rail thin” body to negotiate all the vertical obstacles. I very rarely catch one out in the open but lately I’ve worked harder at finding them and finally had some success with a couple of birds.
1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is one of them, photographed two weeks ago at Bear River MBR as it stalked prey in the mud and shallow water. I believe it’s a juvenile and that may account for its relative lack of wariness. I’m beginning to wonder if some of the secretive habits of the species are learned rather than instinctive because each of the rails I’ve been able to photograph appears to have been a juvenile.
If this had been a photo of most any other species I wouldn’t have been quite so happy to get it – after all it isn’t a beautiful image, there’s no particularly interesting behavior and I clipped the reflection of the bird. But because it’s a rail and it’s out in the open I’ll take it.
In my image value system “degree of difficulty” does play a part.
Ron
PS – It’s COLD outside – 45 F right now here in Salt Lake City! After putting on a sweatshirt I finally had to break down and crank up the furnace. Prepare yourselves, fall is right around the corner…
What an interesting little bird.
Hi Ron!
As a kayaker/birder who lives in a marsh habitat, I’ve heard rails many times over the past years…and I’m always excited to see one. Hearing them, and patience. is usually the key to seeing them, so I’m going to comment on the sounds supplied by your link. Early on I memorized the various local rail calls so that I could quickly sort through the choices when I heard one. We have the possi bility of: Va. rail, sora, black rail, Ca. rail [which has a new name], and a very rare yellow rail for a few years in the recent past. I have memorized “ke dik, ke dik” for the Va. rail, but have actually heard that sound only once in the marsh. What we hear all the time is a series of..”whua, whua, whua”…decending from higher to lower. You may only hear one little part of that…”whua”…but once you’ve heard the whole call, even it’s small bits are recognizable.
I love being in rail habitat, and knowing their calls makes that experience so much richer. I once startled a great egret in the marsh, and it did it’s “raaaaaaaaaa” as it flew. I repeatd it’s call back to it, saying “hello to you, too”, and a Va. rail responded to me: “whua, whua, whua, whua, whua, whua….
“Hello to me” in the marsh.
Love the picture!
SUE
Ron, just wanted to let you know that I really love this photo. I love the bird and his reflection. This looks more like a painting than a photo. I think with the right color mat and frame it would be perfect anywhere.Thank you!
Wonderful find and shot Ron!
C
Thank you, Charlotte.
This may be a second comment – in which case please delete the first. I hit publish and got a message that the site was off line.
I loved hearing where the term thin as a rail came from. And that call – which I don’t think I would have identified as a bird at first hearing. A frog perhaps…
I am happy that you captured a juvenile wraith, and hope its parents emerge from the shadows for you too.
Thanks, EC. I get that “offline” message occasionally too. It’s annoying. First comment deleted.
Really nice image, Ron.
Certainly something to be said for the degree of difficulty and how It affects the keeper numbers.. I climbed to the 11,500 ft. level of Bald Mountain to shoot White-tailed Ptarmigan this week (now on NPN) and am still revisiting the files to eliminate those that should have been deleted on the first pass.
Like the last player sitting on the bench, you’ve made the team, but not likely to play because you’re not quite there yet. Keep working and, maybe, just maybe, you get to play in the game. Maybe even be a starter someday. I would guess that most of us have our “Golden Eagle” species that keep us motivated. I’ll be pursuing one of mine, Burrowing owls, this week in Norther Utah. Thanks for dangling that carrot in front of me!
34 degrees here at the Brown Dog Ranch this morning. 29 at a friends place down in the valley. The Maples have already turned orange and the Elk are bugling up here. We covered everything in the garden and greenhouse last night so there isn’t any visible damage, yet. We won’t need to turn on the furnace for another month. (snicker). Maybe a few fires in the fireplace to heat the living room before then. We love the cooler weather up here in the mountains.
Your air is both cooler and cleaner up there, Neil. I envy that.
Good for you for getting the ptarmigan. I’ve never even seen one and I grew up near the mtns of nw Montana.
And good luck with the owls this week!
Agree, out in the open is unusual and does appear to be a juvenile. Subtle and lovely image. I like it.
Thanks for the confirmation on the age, Johanna. Glad you like it.
Glad you posted the picture – I don’t know if we have those here or not – haven’t seen one at any rate! Good luck with the Eagle. I’ve gotten a couple of Bald’s and one Golden tho the photo’s were nothing to shout about – they are tough – know when you’re looking at them a long way off! I had one that had captured a pheasant and was real unhappy that I was pointing “something” at it. 🙂
42 here this morning and furnace came on yesterday!
Judy, they can be common in an area but almost never seen. A friend who used to manage Farmington Bay WMA said that one of the most common birds he’d see on the refuge when he was going through the reeds with an airboat was the Virginia Rail but no matter how much time I spent there I only saw one once. A true phantom…
The clarity of detail is wonderful…love the reflection. The sound they make almost sounds insect or frog-like.(When you get that Golden Eagle shot, and you will, I’ll be as ecstatic as you are!!!). Degree of difficulty and rarity are huge, but so is a great shot of even the most common of birds to me….
Thanks, Patty. And I sure hope you’re right about that Golden Eagle shot.
I always thought the phrase “thin as a rail” referred to a fence rail, but realize it probably refers to this skinny bird…with its narrow, “compressed” body…many of our sayings and phrases refer to natural things we’re no longer observant of…even though they’re still there, not plastc,and not in the palm of our of our hands….
Yup, that’s exactly where it comes from, Patty – the bird.
I am glad that you decided to show it. It is always a pleasure to see/know new species specially if they are so difficult to photograph.
Instinct and learning are essential to stay alive. Which comes first? I guess it depends on how much pressure the species is under.
Thanks for sharing.
“It is always a pleasure to see/know new species specially if they are so difficult to photograph”
I couldn’t agree more, Jorge. Thank you.
Oh how much do I agree with “degree of difficulty” plays a part – a ton!! These guys are tough and to have him out in the open like that is significant, it’s a keeper!!
Congrats on being at the right place at the right time!
Thanks, Dick. And speaking of degree of difficulty, maybe one day I’ll get a Golden Eagle image that I REALLY like…