Our town [nicknamed "Sparkling City by the Bay"] view from Indian Point Park
corpus christi skyline from bay area
Back in late February, Bud and I were in search of a new bird. ANY bird. Nothing in particular. Over a period of the last couple of years I've been framing some of my photographs for a "wall sanctuary" in our home and need to photograph three more to fill the newest collage frame. We were walking the North Bay and the tide was low. Not many birds here! But, still, we walked up the observation deck and searched the Black Mangrove outcropping. The Mangrove plant [or bush if you prefer] is a vital part of the coastal eco-system. It provides a mass of dense growth that holds food in the muddy swampy pools for fish AND birds! Also, it acts to prevent soil erosion along the coast lines in places. If you ever see this 'peculiar' growth and see the vast amount of dried-looking sticks jutting upward from the green, it's NOT deadwood, this is all part of the plant...the woody like growth is actually like a straw...a hollow tube, that gathers oxygen for the root system of the mangrove. The 'straws' are called....pneumataphores [I'd like to think of them as a snorkel to keep the plant from drowning!]
mangrove
Along the shore we sighted in on gulls, oystercatchers, turnstones, sanderlings, willets, ducks, and cormorants. The usual....nothing 'new'. In the mangrove, egrets and an immature black crowned night, and a great blue heron...
Immature Black Crowned Night Heron
On closer look, just left of center - Rail [dark spot in mangrove] - Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
...then, I spied some movement. It was a rail!! Preening!! I dropped my binoculars and raised the camera to my eye for focusing on the bathing bird. It had left the open area and walked into the mangrove. I waited and waited for it to come back into view. For only a short time it became a bit more visible through the lens, and I snapped away. Once I got home and viewed the images, I was leaning toward Virginia Rail. -King Rail is quite similar but much larger with a lighter-yellowish bill with very little gray in the cheek; more tawny. I still wanted to do more research before I worked on the images for framing. Finally, this week, I went out to the bird forum for some 'expert' advice and 4 out of 5 concluded [because of the dark colored and more red than King Rail, bill... and the gray cheek/dark patch on the face, and size], the majority consensus agreed with my initial IDing...it was Virginia Rail....
...a Virginia Rail is a new sighting for me.
VIRGINIA RAIL
photos taken: Indian Point Park - Corpus Christi, Texas
habitat map: Rail
comparing other virginia rail photos here
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Hi Anni.
ReplyDeleteI like your description and explanation of the mangrove snorkels and yes, I can see how that works. There is nothing in nature that is for nothing - everything has a niche and we uset the balance at our peril.
You did so well spotting that rail and hanging on in there to get pictures. it would have been easy to walk on and find another subject.
Hve a great week of birding and I hope the weather improves for us both.
Awesome captures of the Virginaia Rail,..such a lovely colour, and the Great Blue Heron,interesting info about the woody growths also.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent Great Blue Heron!
ReplyDeleteAnd the Virginia Rail is lovely!
Have a great week-end!
Lea
Lovely birdie, the Rail! congrats, anni!
ReplyDelete~
Hello, Anni, great sightings and beautiful birds. Congrats on the rail sighting, they are awesome birds to see. Thanks for hosting, have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe Virginia Rail is a beautiful bird and so well camouflaged! Can you believe we saw a Black Crowned Night heron for the first time and that's what I posted today. Love your young one! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting to see the birds you have out there Anni. I have never seen a Virginia Rail before, enjoyed the other birds also. A pretty view across the bay.
ReplyDeletehow wonderful! the gbh portrait is very handsome, too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos. Some day I hope to get out of my neighborhood just to photograph new birds :-)
ReplyDeleteOh huge congratulations on the Lifer! Wonderful bird.. I have seen twice, but no picture. I envy your bird picture gallery! Your pictures are certainly always frame worthy and doing that is a fabulous idea. Appreciated your clear and concise explanation of the mangrove ecosystem... Something I sort of understand, but have never been able to explain well in my posts. (Of course we almost live in a mangrove swamp here in SW Florida.)
ReplyDeleteAnni, closest I have ever come to a Virginia Rail is hearing one in the rushes. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love your images of the rail. A bird I rarely see. They are so hard to spot even if you know they are around.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting :)
Beautiful bird! I've never seen one before.
ReplyDeleteYour capture of the Great Blue Heron is amazing!
ReplyDeleteLovely images of Virginia Rai, congratulations on your first sighting!
Have a lovely week :)
How exciting, Anni! a new sighting for your wall! Love the pic of him stretching his wings! Happy birding!
ReplyDeleteFantásticas fotos, me han gustado mucho. Saludos cordiales desde España.
ReplyDeleteFantásticas fotos, me han gustado mucho. Saludos cordiales desde España.
ReplyDeleteThat Virginia Rail is a nice sighting! I had one appear unexpectedly last year when observing a Sora, in Illinois. That bright bill was the first thing I noticed.
ReplyDeleteThe Blue Heron is truly a wonderful and beautiful clear picture. The Virginia Rail I do not know but what is this beautiful !!! Wonderful to see and I am glad to see him. So I'm learning yet another new species for :-)
ReplyDeleteHoping to see some shore birds myself when we head out on vacation. If I get half of what you did, Anni, I'll be happy!!...:)JP
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