[Birdtalk] Bear River's rail chicks

[Betsy_Beneke at fws.gov]

Hi All -

An update on the fuzzballs.  Volunteer tour guides took folks out yesterday
and they saw 25 rail chicks in the area I described a couple of days ago.
I find it interesting that although my books say the young are fed and
cared for by both parents, none of us have seen any adult birds in the
area, and the "kids" seem to be finding food all on their own.  I have to
admit that no one has had time to just sit out there and watch for an
extended period, so maybe we're just missing the adults who may be skulkier
than the kids.

Once again, the birds can be seen on the back or western-most part of the
auto tour route loop - about half way around.  They are mostly on the west
side of the road, although yesterday a few chicks were also found on the
east side of the road - at the edge of Unit 2.  And some more were seen a
little farther south along the tour route.

Babies are everywhere on the refuge right now - avocets, stilts, ibis,
western and Clark's grebes - the place is obviously a giant nursery.
There are a couple of western grebe pairs still on nests and easily visible
from the tour route.  They are in Unit 2 on the eastern-most leg of the
tour - between the restroom building and the viewing deck.  We continue to
have good amounts of water, and this is the "greenest" I've ever seen the
refuge at the end of July.  Makes birds more easily visible, so great
viewing for visitors.

Again, if anyone gets good shots of the rail chicks, I'd love to have a
couple.  I don't have the long lens needed to get good close-ups.  Thanks!


Betsy Beneke
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
2155 West Forest Street
Brigham City UT  84302
435.734.6436  office
http://bearriver.fws.gov
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