hello, tweeters...

could someone on the list answer an intriguing (to me, at least) question
regarding virginia rails?

until about four days ago, i'd been trying to get a glimpse of one (of
several in the park), and the best i'd managed was to actually see a beak
once or twice...

four days ago, a virginia rail was spotted along the western boardwalk in
full view of numerous folk, completely oblivious to the cameras and
screaming kids... for almost ten minutes, it looked like it was nesting in
the open, whereupon it quietly dove into the underbrush and disappeared...

this morning, another rail is spotted near the same corner (western stub
meets western boardwalk) and, while it wasn't nearly as blatant about being
"in the open", it afforded more than a few photo opportunities, and didn't
seem terribly secretive during the 20 minutes we watched...

is there something about spring that turns off the secretive parameter in
their behaviour?

as an example, about two weeks ago, i tracked one through a large portion of
the western boardwalk and never once saw it... there were places where i
would have sworn no bird could pass without being seen, but the distinctive
chirp would move lightning quick from spot A to spot B, through the spot of
"no place to hide" and never be seen... it did this for an hour before i
gave up (grin)...

and yet now, it's not just willing to be seen, but almost nonchalant...

thanx!

caren park
http://www.parkgallery.org
carenp at this place called yahoo dot com