![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-4427-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"virginia-rail-4427-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nVirginia Rails are so secretive this is only the fourth time I’ve posted images of them to my blog in 11 years of blogging. And one of those four times was a rerun.<\/p>\n
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1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA I had a very difficult time spotting this rail, even when it was pointed out to me (my 74 year old eyes ain’t what they used to be). It probably took me nearly a minute to see it, even though I knew approximately where it was. Virginia Rails are secretive by nature so when you throw in their cryptic coloration and plumage patterns it becomes painfully clear why they’re “more often heard than seen”.<\/p>\n It was highly frustrating to know it was there and mostly out in the open and not be able to spot it but eventually I did.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n It did a fair amount of posing before it turned around and disappeared into the cattails. This leisurely wing stretch was one of the poses I liked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I’m only including two photos of this bird, mostly because I was having trouble getting sharp shots for much of the morning. Most of my photos of this rail and a fairly cooperative kingfisher were just too soft to be anything but fodder for the delete bin.<\/p>\n So now I have to sleuth out the source of the problem, one I’ve been noticing for a few days now. It could be an issue with my camera, my lens or my teleconverter but I’m fearful that my lens is the most likely culprit.<\/p>\n That’s all I need, potentially having to ship my lens to Canon in these times of parts shortages and shipping snafus. Thanks for nothing, Murphy.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PS – It was only six months ago that I last sent my lens in for repair so I won’t be a happy bird photographer if the problem turns out to be my lens again.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Virginia Rails are so secretive this is only the fourth time I’ve posted images of them to my blog in 11 years if blogging. And one of those four times was a rerun.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-4542-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"virginia-rail-4542-ron-dudley\\"")
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