We usually heard the rails calling quite vigorously by 10 or 10:30 PM -- the usual night excursion was to drive to end of the Elliot Island Rd into the little settlement and listen for Barn Owls, and then slowly drive back up the road listening for rails. And if it was windy, forget about it!
I know Barn Owl predation in MD was a theory held for a while but since the decline is widespread through the species' eastern USA range, factors such as habitat loss and disturbance, possibly exacerbated by climate change, are now considered to be where the problem lies.What is going on in its wintering grounds is also a factor, maybe the major factor. Everyone agrees it is a serious puzzle which so far, has not been solved.
Interestingly, in 2009 we had two Black Rails in Lampa Marshes, near Santiago, Chile (they are nominally same species as ours, & considering the huge difference in range, they do sound essentially the same). They were calling vigorously in the midday heat, only 10-15 yards from us but of course we couldn't see them! This site is also good (if any site can be called "good" for this elusive shorebird) for South American Painted Snipe, though we have seen it only once in three visits.
Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Leo Weigant" <hawkowl...>
To: <birdingcouple...>
Cc: <katahdinss...>, "Maryland Birding" <mdbirding...>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 4:28:24 PM
Subject: Re: [mdbirding] Night Birding -Elliott Island Rd
This thread of descriptions has evoked my own memories of ANS trips down
to Elliott Island with Hal Wiernga and prompted a couple of observations
(readily subject to editing by Hal's better memory)
1.) - - that the Black Rails did not usually call until considerably later
than people have mentioned these days . . .11:30 or even midnight,
2.) that another possible cause for the rails' decline was a well-
intentioned effort to establish barn owls in boxes out in the marsh
several years ago which did not take account of how a black rail
in the reeds looked little different -- to an owl -- than mice, voles, etc.,
and that the rail population seemed to have been affected soon after.
3.) that the whip-poor-wills' calling was usually north of the marshes - -
in the woods near, and west of, the intersection of Henry's Crossing Rd.
and Elliott Island Rd.
Leo Weigant
On Jun 11, 2012, at 4:02 PM, <birdingcouple...> wrote:
Hi all _ I was out on E I Road last night until 10pm. Beautiful sunset, fireflies over the marsh, lots of Va Rails and a distant Common Gallinule, but did not have Black Rail calling.
Good Birding!
Warren Strobel
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
From: "Gail B. Mackiernan %<3Ckatahdinss...>%3E" < <katahdinss...> >
Sender: <mdbirding...>
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:17:39 +0000 (UTC)
Cc: < <mdbirding...> >
Subject: Re: [mdbirding] Night Birding -Elliott Island Rd
Since you didn't mention them, assume no sound of Black Rails? Does anyone know if they are there this year? Numbers have of course precipitously declined since the "olden days" -- e.g. 1980s and earlier -- and they seem to be barely hanging on now in what was once a stronghold. I have heard from a number of sources that burning of marshes in both Maryland and, especially, on their wintering grounds has been a major contributor to this decline, which is not limited to Maryland. Marsh burning is very destructive to the fragile soils of this habitat and contributes to incursion of invasive plants and loss of land to open water, as well as being harmful to native animals. (My marine biologist hat speaking).
Back in the 1980s and even early 90s it was not at all unusual to drive the Elliot Island Road after dark and hear perhaps 10-15 calling. Folks would sometimes tape them out but of course that is totally out of line today. One could also hear and often see Henslow's Sparrows at Savanna Lake (at the very start of the road) but they too are a thing of the past. In about 1985 Jay Sheppard and I went with Arnold Small to the Delaware Bay and stopped on the way back so Arnold could hear (and see in the fading light) a singing male at Savanna Lake, a species he had not seen in 20+ years.
We are fortunate that this species has a toehold still in some of the western MD sites, and I echo Bill Hubick's thoughts on sensitive species...
Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lin Just" < <ljustrn...> >
To: <mdbirding...>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 11:00:01 AM
Subject: [mdbirding] Night Birding -Elliott Island Rd
Sorry this is late, have been trying to catch up on sleep between birding and working! Sat. night, my husband Jim and I decided to go on our yearly trek to Elliott Island Rd. for some night birding. We started off at Blackwater NWR where best birds were RED HEADED WOODPECKERS at the beginning of the wildlife drive, SUMMER TANAGER, off Little Egypt Rd. by the Kiosk and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS in the fields off Little Egypt Rd. Shorebirds included WHITE RUMPED SANPIPERS (5), SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS(9), GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Elliott Island Rd., was fascinating as always. It's such a surreal place, one that I can't believe still exists in this, unfortunately, ever developing world. Highlights were a total of 16 (at least), VIRGINIA RAILS, a LEAST BITTERN in flight, PRAIRIE WARBLER, seen well. The sounds of the MARSH WRENS and SEASIDE SPARROWS filled the air. As the night fell, we were able to hear 3 CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOWS on Kraft Neck Rd., despite the deafening sounds of the frogs -( by the way, anyone know the name of those odd sounding frogs)? I remember it being much easier in years past to find the chucks as well as the whips-although I haven't heard whips here in several years. We did locate 4 WHIPS and 2 CHUCKS off North Tara Rd. south of Federalsburg (thanks to the postings on E-bird!) I listed all my bird sightings on e-bird, As always, have fun birding!
Lin Just
Colora, Md
(also at <crazy4wildbirds...>)
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