[Birdtalk] re: Fuzz Balls

[Kristin Purdy]

The rail chicks were a hoot at the refuge this morning. Thanks, Betsy, for 
publicizing them.

I agree with Mike's assessment that most of the rail babies at the 
particular spot he and Betsy described were Soras. However, I started my 
drive along the west dike at the observation platform and drove northwest 
and began counting numbers and species, and found mostly Virginias until I 
got to the Sora spot. By the time I met Mike, I had counted 28 Virginia 
Rails and only three Soras. All the black babies I ID'd as Virginias were 
with adult Virginias. Then I ran into so many that I lost count; then I got 
to the Sora spot and was somewhat overwhelmed. I don't think it's an 
exageration to say I saw at least 50 rails today, all along the west dike.

If you're headed to the refuge to see the babies, you might consider 
studying the comparison illustrations in big Sibley, pg 155. It's possible 
to separate the black fuzz balls to species by studying the colors of the 
bills. Virginia Rail babies have pale pink bills with a black vertical 
stripe like an adult Pied-billed Grebe shows; Soras have a bright area of 
red-orange around the base of the bill and sometimes show a bald spot on the 
forehead with pink-orange skin showing, reminiscent of baby coots. These 
differences go away, of course, as the babies lose their down and grow their 
first basic feathers.

It was also fun to note the differences in the feeding styles. I thought 
rail babies were precocial and did all their own feeding. That's not 
entirely true, based on what I saw today. The adult Virginias foraged with a 
peck-peck-peck style like a dowitcher and as many as five babies swarming 
around, some trying to stay in the parents' shadows. Talk about having kids 
underfoot! After pecking, the adult would simply lift its bill and the 
babies would run in and peck at the adult's bill to glean whatever food 
items the adult had collected. The Sora adults, however, actually turned 
toward their babies and seemed to offer morsels to the little ones.

The irony of all these rails is that I performed four secretive marsh bird 
surveys at the refuge this spring and didn't come close to logging as many 
rails in four surveys as I saw today. The survey routes mostly cover a 
closed part of the refuge and only overlap a short stretch of where I saw 
Virginia Rails today, but still, it makes me wonder.

Kris
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Fish, Michael
  To: birdtalk at utahbirds.org
  Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 4:32 PM
  Subject: [Birdtalk] re: Fuzz Balls





  After I read Betsy's email this morning, I couldn't resist taking a trip 
out to see the fuzz balls. I work out near the Refuge so I left work early 
and ran out to find Betsy's Rails..or Virginia Rails. Sorry Betsy, I think 
Virginia saw them first. I'll be happy to give you credit though, I found 
them right where you said they would be. There were quite a few along that 
most western section but they were very shy and kept darting into the brush 
(er - bulrush I think) with every wheek and squeak from the alarmed Avocets. 
After I stood outside my car for 10 minutes, the avocets settled down and 
the Rails and Sora came back out in the mud. The small black fuzz balls 
tended to stay just in the edge of the bulrush but the older juveniles and 
adults had no problem coming out in plain view and to the water's edge. I 
watched them for about 45 minutes until I couldn't stand the biting flies 
any longer. If you plan on getting out of your car, spray on the deet - or 
whatever might keep the flies away. Anyway, I witnessed one of the black 
chicks being fed by a parent but all of the others seemed to be on their 
own. I was able to get a few pictures. I only have a 400mm lens so my 
pictures aren't great close-ups. I will post a few of the pictures tonight 
when I get home and then I'll send out a post with a link to the pictures. I'm 
not familiar with rails so I wasn't sure what I was taking pictures of until 
I got down the road further and had the pleasure of meeting Kris Purdy.  She 
was also out looking at the rails and she kindly educated me on the 
difference between the Sora and the Virginia Rail. I now believe I saw more 
Sora than rails, so when I post the pictures, I'll be asking for help with 
identifying the birds. I know Kris can provide an accurate list and a much 
more educated view on what we saw today. And might I say, it was a great 
pleasure to meet Kris as well as other birders from time to time. What a 
fabulous group of people you all are. Thank you for your kindness and for 
sharing your amazing knowledge with me and other beginners. I think I may go 
out again tomorrow morning early to catch a better view of the very young 
chicks. Thanks Betsy for sending out the info on the birds. I have penciled 
your name in my Peterson's guide in place of Virginia's. J



  Mike Fish



  P.S. I was out there from 11:00am to 1:30pm today and it was very hot. If 
you stay in your car the bugs aren't too bad.



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