I guess we were all expecting someone else to post to Ontbirds, but yesterday evening, Monday May 2, a group of 7 or 8 birders was delighted by a loud, prolonged serenade from a Yellow Rail so close to the sedge-marsh road at Carden that you felt it was impossible not to be able to see it (but that’s Yellow Rail for you). Phill Holder and I first heard a more distant Yellow Rail calling from the west side of the marsh around 5.30 pm, then half an hour later we and other birders enjoyed a second rail calling repeatedly just beside the road not far north of the bridge, but unsurprisingly it was never actually seen.
It was a mild, calm evening with several wildly displaying Wilson’s Snipe and booming American Bitterns adding to the scene. Two Loggerhead Shrikes at Bluebird Box #10 had been very cooperative, along with several Eastern Bluebirds, Upland Sandpipers and Field Sparrows. Least Bittern and Marsh Wren were heard at Prospect Marsh on the way. Margaret Bain Cobourg [email protected] _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
