Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 13:08:23 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Stan Arnold Subject: : Black Rail, finally MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all, Joe Halpin, Bobby Hughes, and I visited Elliot's Island Rd. (Dorchester Co.) last night in my second attempt at the Black Rail this week. Conditions seemed perfect: mostly clear, warm, and a light breeze present. We arrived at 9:45 p.m. and parked at the second abandoned house on the left, and spent the next hour on foot. We walked north (towards the first abandoned house) for 30 minutes, stopping to listen periodically. Nothing but a few Marsh Wrens calling. We then turned around and headed back, this time stopping to play the tape periodically. Only a Virginia Rail responded. Then, when within 100 yards of our starting point, on the west side of the road, a Black Rail responded to our tape with its "growling" call. The bird was probably not more than 30 feet from the road's edge. Jim Stasz had told us that these rails will generally only respond to tapes with the growling, and this was our experience. So, Joe got a lifer, and this was state bird #296 for me. In the area, we also heard Whip-poor-will's a bit north of Henry's Crossroads, but the Chucks were amazingling silent. Other birds for the outing: Deal WMA (Somerset Co.): Tricolored Heron--many Glossy Ibis--many N. Harrier--several Virginia Rail-one Black-necked Stilt--one Royal Tern--one or more Riley Roberts Rd. (ditto) Clapper Rail--one heard Seaside Sparrow--several heard We dipped on King Rail, looking across the Nanticoke River from the town of Vienna, at a place recommended by Marshall Illiff. Too late in the season? Good Birding... Stan Arnold blackrail@earthlink.net ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================