Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!think!ames!oliveb!oliven!mjm
From: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: high tide rails
Message-ID: <13347@oliveb.olivetti.com>
Date: 20 Jan 88 19:54:44 GMT
Sender: news@oliveb.olivetti.com
Lines: 32
Keywords: black rail, yellow rail


	On sunday, the 17th of January, the high tide produced the highest
water I have ever seen at the Palo Alto Baylands at the south end of
San Francisco Bay. I believe that the wind and rain added almost a foot to
the water level. 

	There is a wintering population of black rails here and the high
water gave them very little cover in the place that they normally find
refuge. Consequently, they were forced to spend more time in the open as
they scurried for the few clumps of cover. I got the best looks at them that
I have ever had. Good high tides can draw 50-100 birders to a 30 square yard
piece of land to see these guys.

	Also, the Baylands draws a few wintering sharp-tailed sparrows, that
high tides can produce some goods looks of. This year there is only one of
them in the normal spot, but Sunday also produced the best looks I have ever
had of this species as well.

	Also, on Sunday, a yellow rail was found caught between two boards on
the boardwalk and was captured and turned over to the wildlife rehabilitation
people. I believe that this is the first county record of this species since
the early 1900s. The rehab people released it back into the Baylands on
Teusday, so I am going there today to try and call it up with a tape.

	The water was so high that day that a Virginia rail took refuge on the
boardwalk and would not leave it, even as people went walking past it. At one
point there were about 15 people standing there while the rail was walking
around between their feet. This is unusual behavior for a normally spooky bird.

good hunting,
Mike