Tuesday, June 13, 2023,
This is a Clapper Rail that I was lucky enough to grab some photos of at the Marine Nature Study Area in Oceanside. Truth be told, I was very lucky. You see, while Clapper Rails are not rare, they are rarely seen.
These birds prefer to do their living and foraging while remaining hidden in thick vegetation. While they may appear to be fairly stocky, Clapper Rails tend to be laterally compressed. That means they appear skinnier when viewed head on. This “compression” allows them to move more freely through the dense cordgrass or other plants that grow in the salt marshes that these birds inhabit.
Now, while these birds may be hard to observe, let alone photograph, they don’t exactly go unheard. However, these shy birds are quite capable of making a loud racket. In fact, the same morning that I chanced upon this particular Clapper Rail, I had heard one making its “Kek, kek, kek” call from only about three feet away. I was with a group of people, and we were able to pinpoint where the call was coming from, but not one of us could actually see the calling bird. Such is life in the day of both a birder or a photographer. Stupid birds. 🙂 JK.
JK
I like his feet! 🙂 This is a great series of shots. The first and last are my favorites. He looks like a chunky cuddly sort of bird — though you said he’s rather like Flat Stanley head on. Interesting.
Thanks, Michele. Some of the field guides describe this bird as “chicken-like”. That may come under your description of it as a “chunky cuddly sort of bird”. JK.
a story well told, of course…..i remember that clacking noise….so fortunate you were to get these photos
Jessie, a lot of times, it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. JK.
indeed – being in the right place at the right time