[obol] Black Rail RBA (BABY RAIL?)

[Bob ARCHER]

Hi:

I was at another location in Oregon and flushed a very small black colored 
rail.  This one actually flew.  I was with family and did not have any 
method with which to call or locate the bird again. This was late June of 
2006.  This sent me on a hunt to find what first year rails look like.  I 
have not found much in the normal text.  But what I have found is that most 
rails are black in their first year. I need to find out if first year rails 
that are still in their balck plumage can fly.  I would have to assume that 
any black rail seen in Oregon would have to be a first year hatchling of a 
more common rail.  I would give up the location where I saw my black colored 
rail actually flying, but it is on Nature Conservancy property and I do not 
know if they want that disclosed.  Suffice to say it was southern Oregon and 
is a very sensitive wetland.

Bob Archer
Portland

>From: "mike denny" <m.denny at charter.net>
>To: "Obol" <obol at lists.orst.edu>
>CC: John Gatchet <john.gatchet at oc.npuc.org>, Harry Nehls 
><hnehls at teleport.com>
>Subject: [obol] Xantus's Murrelets, Elegant Terns & Black Rail RBA
>Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:51:40 -0800
>
>Hello All,
>
>We just walked through the door from an outstanding pelagic trip with the
>Bird Guide and many friends. We saw a LIFER on the pelagic trip and that 
>was
>four Xantus's Murrelets off Newport! Wow to see and hear them call was so
>interesting and exciting. That was on the 25th.
>
>  On the 26th off Yaquina Light we observed three Elegant Terns flying 
>south
>right in front of us at about 10:15 AM.
>
>  Then today at 12:10 PM while slowly driving towards the Bay Ocean Spit
>parking lot just as high tide arrived we had a small black bird pop up on
>the inner bay side of the road and run across in front of us. It looked 
>like
>a stunted black dipper, but ran like a rail. It showed very black legs,
>sharp pointed thin black beak, very short up tilted dark tail and as it
>reached the west edge of the road it fluttered up the steep slope on short
>rounded black wings and on across the upper road and into the brush along
>the shoreline of Lake Meares. This all happened so quickly and 
>unexpectantly
>that the camera sat in its protective cover unused. I marked the site where
>the bird fist appeared at the EAST or RIGHT edge of the road with a pile of
>rocks and then propped up a rock that is shaped like an "L" or a boot. It
>might be worth being there tomorrow just as high tide arrives.We greatly
>enjoy these outstanding Oregon Birds! Will do write-up for OBRC.
>Later Mike and MerryLynn
>
>********************************************************************
>Mike & MerryLynn Denny
>1354 S. E. Central Ave.
>College Place, WA  99324
>509.529.0080 (h)
>
>IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
>*******************************************************************
>
>
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