[texbirds] Re: ID help on Rail at Anahuac NWR today
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: davidkmcd@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2013 16:47:08 -0500
They are young of the year rails from a first brood probably were running
around in May. Baby Anahuac rails are downy black and first feathers are
sooty gray black too like most on the birds here. They molt again after a
couple of months and have sorta adult plumage with lots of brown but there
are still darker feathers in the plumage that is not lost until next year.
Habitat pre-Ike would say king rails in shoveler pond but Ike filled it
with brine that super-concentrated with time. They cannot clean it and so
it is still saltier than it used to be. They were trying to do planting
this spring and formerly fresh areas were still too salty to plant whatever
they wanted to plant. Note that seaside sparrows are singing at the
southeast corner of shoveler pond and even further north to the first
corner. So they could be clappers that crossed the road or kings that
persisted. Both were there for a couple of years but shoveler pond itself
is becoming fresher thus more purple gallinules this year. Both purple and
kings are fresh while least bitterns can venture into saltier stuff.
Salt water intrudes inland with good south winds and lack of rain and fresh
water intrudes with north winds and low tides. Watch the birds as you go
down to frozen point and you can get a feel of what the state of the water
is or take a testing kit to id the rails.
But both rails wander leading to Anahuac rails where they interbreed.
Anahuac rails were more common after Ike when clappers were forced inland
and moved into salter king rail habitat. Still no mushrat colonies yet that
ate out the vegetation on the road to frozen point in 2008 but the area on
the west side of the road is getting very fresh and there are a couple of
mounds near the cattle feeding area.
On Sun, Jul 7, 2013 at 3:44 PM, David McDonald <davidkmcd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Texbirders,
>
> I found a pair of large rails with long bills that were very gray
> such that I could not ID them in the field.
>
> They were at the very beginning of the boardwalk at Shoveller Pond.
>
> Looking at Sibley, the only juvie gray enough is the Atlantic race of
> Clapper, but besides being out of range, it was in fresh water.
>
> It is a very young bird, as the wing feather are just starting to sprout.
>
> Interestingly, someone had posted 'hybrid rail' on the board at the
> volunteer station.
>
> Here are a couple of photo. I would appreciate any help on this bird.
> Thanks.
>
> http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/151199662
>
> http://www.pbase.com/davidmcd/image/151199663
>
> David McDonald
> Friendswood TX
>
> Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
> //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
>
> Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
> from the List Owner
>
>
>
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
from the List Owner
Other related posts:
