Jeff Shenot and I had a Virginia Rail this morning at Schoolhouse Pond.  Jeff also saw a second (non-vocalizing) Virginia Rail before I arrived this morning.  The birds are immediately off the rear observation platform in the spatterdock.  The rails were walking around on the mudflats, usually obscured by the vegetation, but occasionally coming into the open allowing great views.  Jeff got both photos and video footage.  The female Virginia Rail was vocalizing spontaneously when he arrived at about 6:45 and it was still vocalizing when I left the platform a little after 7:30.  At times you could see the rail immediately next to the platform.

I had heard one of the birds yesterday (4/25), but didn't place the call as it appears that the female is doing all the calling, which sounds significantly different than the male vocalization that I was expecting.  So, if you go to look for these birds, listen for the "chi chi chi chi treerr" of the female, not the "gik gik gik gidik gidik gidik gidik" of a male (as described in Sibley).  We never heard a male rail vocalize, but the female appeared to take us through the full range of vocalizations and calls of a female.  This is only the second time I've had Virginia Rail at Schoolhouse Pond, with the other sighting in February 2000.  Good birding,

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, Anne Arundel

############################

To unsubscribe from the MDOSPREY list:
write to: mailto:[log in to unmask]
or click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=MDOSPREY&A=1