Natalie

I sat outside of my house near the bird feeder and a fountain where birds like to wash and drink.  When I set out some suet and black sunflower seeds, at least half a dozen chickadees, both chestnut-backed and black-capped came over immediately.  They are not shy at all, and will sometimes scold me when no seed is out.  I sat for a while, waiting for other visitors- a house finch and a spotted Towhee came by.  But suddenly a female Downey woodpecker came by, but wouldn't stay when she spotted me.  She retreated to a branch and waited for me to go away, so I obliged.

I decided to try and photograph a Virgina Rail.  I walk daily in an estuarial wetland past large stands of cat-tails, and I have heard their distinctive call several times.  A while ago I  came across a photographer I knew who was doing the thing you aren't supposed to do- playing a recording of a Rail to draw it out.  I found out in my reading they are not only shy, but very territorial, and he succeeded in drawing a bird out just for a second to get his shot. I've had an eventful week since deciding  on a Virigina Rail.  I have been photographing a Great Horned Owl and her fledgeling several times this month.  This owl returns here every year and in June or July will show up with her latest brood.  This year she has only one, and the both have very graciously posed for me.  I think she is very used to excited photographers shooting her every year and is very blasé about it.  Maybe it's part of her training of the young owls to take them out and show them the humans.  At any rate, when I came close to her usual tree, I heard the repeated  alarm calls of a Rail.  There were cat-tails below the alder the owl was sitting on.  I waited a very long time and never saw it, and no doubt because I was there in addition to the owl, he decided silence was best.   While continuing on my way, searching the cat-tails for Rails, I head a call similar to a Rail and  spotted a bright yellow beak, a black mask and a gray head on something  on a muddy bank.  It was very foggy, and not ideal for shooting- I had no idea what it was I took a photo of.    It was a Sora!  I didn't even know what a Sora was.  So cool!  At least it is in the Rail family. Today I went out and heard a Rail call again near to where the Sora was.  I once again searched the cat-tails for the Rail, and at first saw nothing.  Then a Green Heron flew down right in front of me!!  Cool again!  I got some great shots. I guess the take away is, even if you don't find what you are looking for, it's worth looking anyway.  You never know what may show up.