{"id":33923,"date":"2015-09-06T04:56:56","date_gmt":"2015-09-06T10:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=33923"},"modified":"2015-09-06T06:21:27","modified_gmt":"2015-09-06T12:21:27","slug":"virginia-rail-actually-out-in-the-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/06\/virginia-rail-actually-out-in-the-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Rail Actually Out In The Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Virginia Rail is much more often heard<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"virginia1\/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<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0I’m beginning to wonder if some of\u00a0the\u00a0secretive habits of the species are learned rather than instinctive because each of the rails I’ve been able to photograph\u00a0appears to have been a juvenile.<\/p>\n

If this had been a photo of most any other species I wouldn’t have been quite\u00a0so 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\u00a0out in the open I’ll take it.<\/p>\n

In my image value system “degree of difficulty” does play a part.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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…<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Virginia Rail is much more often heard than seen.<\/p>\n

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