Well..., not THE "Black Rail", relax, ...rather two largish but still all
black fluffy-downy Virginia Rail chicks were seen out and about on the main
trail early this morning near the creek gauging station just south of the
central section hemlock/cedar grove running about and darting in and out of
the tallish trail side grasses. Obviously a nesting success this season in
Bellevue's Lake Hills Greenbelt (LHG) and the first Virginia Rails I've
seen or heard at all since May (once) and seriously since April when they
were more vocal. A good morning for Virginia Rails it seems as I also heard
one unprovoked grunt call from the marsh vegetation a few feet south of the
Phantom Lake deck at sunrise, my first detection at all from there since
April which at the time this morning I thought was a big deal bonus day bird
until I also saw the two chicks on the trail about a half-mile distance
from Phantom Lake, so a double bonus.

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA