Hi Tweeters,

I was recently hiking at Huron County Nature Center on Michigan's 'thumb'. While on a boardwalk section of the trail, I heard an adult bird calling in a clear single note and being answered by a chick's peep. Laying down flat on the boardwalk and looking in the shadows of a tangle of willows and other vegetation, I could see the chick perched on a thin branch just a few inches above the water. I could also see the adult's legs and a little bit of the belly and sides, but she wouldn't come into better view (frustrating bird!). After a short while, the chick hopped off the branch and followed the adult out of sight. I'm certain that they weren't C. Moorhens or Virginia Rails, which leaves Sora or Yellow Rail as possibilities. The chick was starting to get a bit of buffy coloration to its dark plumage and had some white streaking on its back, but it was so shady that I couldn't make out more coloration than that. It had a fairly short bill. Does anyone know of any links to adult-to-chick Sora and/or Yellow Rail calls? I can only find the typical territorial calls for these species online. Thanks!

Lonnie Somer
Olympia
wheelermombi at comcast.net