| Common Name | King Rail |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rallus elegans |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 05/24/2020 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Richard Littauer |
| Mailing Address | 10 Monsignor Crosby Avenue #4 Montpelier, VT 05602 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 11/22/2020 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 43°59'42.9"N |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 72°07'09.2"W |
| Place Name | Waits River |
| Township | Bradford |
| County | Orange |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 04:23 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 20 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 500 feet |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 200 ft |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Clear, calm. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Binoculars, 30x Scope, 500mm Nikon camera. |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Lifer. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Marsh. Reed bed in quiet part of river. |
| Behaviors Observed | Stalking through reed bed. Not seen in the open. Heard the bird call using its customary kek many times. |
| Description of Vocalizations | Kek call. See recording. No other calls noted. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I walked the tracks until I heard the Kek call. Then, I sat down and waited. I recorded the call using a shotgun microphone and my iPhone. Eventually the bird came into view from within a bed of reeds, and I took several bad photos. It stalked back into the reeds, and I returned home. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Large rail. |
| Head | White supercilium. Brown head with possible black poll. White throat, dark lores. |
| Feet & Bill | Tan bill. Feet not noticed. |
| Upper Back | Brown feathers on back with tan edging, scalloped. |
| Wings | Not noted. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Barred black and white underneath. |
| Tail | Short. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Using the kek vocalizations, and knowing that it was a continuing bird. Other rails don't give this call. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | During the Observation |
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