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 mjcb...@sympatico.ca _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
