water rail rallus aquaticus

This Water Rail was wandering right in front of the Bittern Watch point.

Not a great picture but it's the fist time I've seen a Water Rail there.

The other Water Rail chased it on to the path and then into the marsh on the other side. Here it's still on the path.

The second Water Rail came along and the first one chased it on to the path and into the marsh ion the other side. Here it's on the path.

Rstasjn must be one of the best places in the world for photographing Water Rails in winter. The light could have been better that day but I'm not complaining. It's always great just to see them. There were a lot of people with cameras but most of them seemed to be having difficulty in spotting...

The Water Rails at Rstasjn are really very bold - at least during the winter.

Not easy to get a clear shot thought the twigs. There are plans to build blocks of flats around the lake but there have been huge popular protests, not least because of the Water Rails and other birds, and the Grey Herons that spend the winter there. It looks like the plans will have to be...

Seems a bit young to be wandering around on it's own, especially in Marsh Harrier territory :eek!:

At RSPB Pulborough Brooks this Water Rail has been coming out for a feed right in front of the visitor centre for quite a while. So much for its alleged "Shy and retiring" nature.

One last one of these.

Taken on a very dull day |=)|

At least five Water Rails forced into the open in front of the hide yesterday by the icy conditions Hopefully things will get better for them now that the thaw has started

The day was foggy and cold so I had to take the previous photo in a soft, grey light. Suddenly the fog disappeared and the sun lighted nicely the bird. I quickly took several shots.

The water level of the little pond was lowered so the few remaining fish were gathered in a relatively small area. The night was cold and the surface of the water has frozen. Toward noon the ice near the shore has melt. The Water Rail was hunting in the narow place with free water between ice...