Huge congrats on this exciting find Tom, I don't remember ever seeing these on the forum.
I love the grassy habitat... 2 and 3 are excellent poses, very well done.
Hi Tom, I have yet to see a Rail but maybe I will get lucky this year!
Looks like very low light shots here and some significant crops perhaps?
These are carrying a lot of 'green' in color cast. I do not for sure know the coloring of this bird but here is a rendition of color correction/altering and I may be way off?
KirkB wrote:
Huge congrats on this exciting find Tom, I don't remember ever seeing these on the forum.
I love the grassy habitat... 2 and 3 are excellent poses, very well done.
Kirk
Hiya' Kirk,
Thanks a lot for your nice comments. It's nice to get lucky every now and then.
Thanks a lot! Additionally, a little black King Rail chick stepped out from the grass not twenty feet away. As soon as I moved my camera he ducked back into the grass never to be seen again. So, I suppose the two King Rails were the parents.
Karl Witt wrote:
Hi Tom, I have yet to see a Rail but maybe I will get lucky this year!
Looks like very low light shots here and some significant crops perhaps?
These are carrying a lot of 'green' in color cast. I do not for sure know the coloring of this bird but here is a rendition of color correction/altering and I may be way off?
Nice poses and neat find buddy
Karl
Hiya' Karl,
I wish you the best on finding your Rail and hope you get lucky this year.
I waited for what seemed an eternity for the chick to come out. The parents and chick both disappeared into the grass and were never seen again although I could hear them calling on occasions.
Thanks for your rendition and it is close. The grass could be a bit greener but your Rail colors look good.
Sweet series here. These birds look more like Clapper Rails to me, BUT I'm not very experienced in differentiating Kings from Clappers because it's not something I ever have to do here in Indiana. Your birds look like a spot on match for the Atlantic race of the Clapper Rail illustrated in the Big Sibley on pg. 152. Notably, the coloration is brownish/grayish overall without much hint of orange, which the King Rails show in my experience. Additionally, there appears to be more white in the tail, which appears to be more consistent with Clapper when comparing it to Sibley. While I feel very comfortable with the majority of eastern US birds, the Clapper vs. King Rail ID is one I have only had to make once, and that was three years ago.
Again, nice set of shots, especially given the conditions!
