Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Buff-banded Rail.

Visit Wild Bird Wednesday for more birds from all around the world. 

Last week a friend phoned to tell me that she had two Buff-banded Rails running around in her yard - and what was even better! - they had three tiny babies with them!  Rails are usually quite shy so it is not usual to have them quite so contented in a back-yard - but then my friend's yard is not usual either!
She loves all the native plants in the National Park just over the road, and going for a walk with her over there is like meeting a lot of her well-known friends.  Since her yard has the same soil as just over the road she sees no reason why she shouldn't grow the same plants.  There are no lawns in her yard. Every bit of space is filled with plants - from the very tiny to the big straggly banksia trees.  It is perfect habitat for all the bush birds and animals - and so very different from the neat suburban yards which surround it!

My bird book says rails are usually found in tangled vegetation and long grass and these ones seemed very much at home in this habitat.  I saw both the adults and the babies with one or the other of them.

This is the only photo I managed of one of the adults with the three babies.  The babies were about the size of a day old chicken - but with much longer legs.

(It took me a second day, a brighter morning, and a change of camera lens to get the photos I really wanted!)
This young one was staying close to one of the adults while the other two hid in the bushes a few meters away with the other adult.  Everything the adult pecked at the little one had a go at also.  


The safest place was still under the adult's feathers.

24 comments:

  1. awwww, what a beautiful bird & her baby. so different. enjoy your day. (:

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  2. oh, that last shot is adorable! what a gorgeous bird and such cute long-legged chicks.

    i really like your friend's idea of yard. awesome!

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  3. Great shots. So lucky to have them.

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  4. Beautiful markings!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  5. Oh Mick --I love these pictures -- what a beautiful bird and of course the babies are adorable.

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  6. awww, how cute!! love the color and feather pattern!!

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  7. how beautiful and unusual (like a quail) ..

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  8. How cool to see these rails in your friends yard. You friend is really lucky too. Love the cute babies. Great shots.

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  9. What a great friend to call you to tell you she had the rails in her backyard! Neat photos.

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  10. Wow, that's the kind of yard I would like to have! We are required to groom our lawns down to the edge of the lake. Beautiful shots and great narrative!

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  11. Gorgeous photos. LOVE the shot of the baby under the mom.

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  12. Absolutely wonderful pictures, the last one with the little one tucked under the parent's wing is adorable.

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  13. Brilliant pictures Mick. Looks and sounds like the sort of garden we should all aim for.

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  14. Great photos love the last one.

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  15. Great shots - I've only ever got very short views of this bird. Seeing then with the chicks would be great.

    Thanks for linking to WBW

    Stewart M - Australia

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  16. Nice little family ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  17. Oh, how sweet the small babies were. Where the one is hiding beneath the adults feather - so cute! Great photos too!
    Greetings Pia

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  18. Beautiful shots. I like you friend's yard.
    The shots of the baby With the parent at the waterer are so cute.

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  19. Truly unbelievable photos of these secretive birds Mick! I feel lucky whenever I am able to actually see a rail much less get photographs like these! The shots you got with the adult and chicks are breathtaking, especially the last one!

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  20. wow Mick, what a wonderful serie of shots. Love the parent and young pics. Awesome!

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  21. I like the Rail and also like your friend's garden/yard. I'm getting there.:)

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  22. What lovely birds and I adore the last one of the hen and baby getting a sip of water~

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  23. Two words....absolutely incredible!!!!!!!

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  24. Now that's the kind of yard I'd like to have! Brilliant find.

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