ML300110951

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Immaculate small rail feeding along reedy margins on a muddy pool. Brown above with intricate white edgings and broad buff margins to the mantle and coverts. Flanks barred brownish-black alternating with creamy-buff. Face slate blue, as throat and upper breast, with black lores extending to a stripe down the centre of the breast. Also showed a black crown stripe. Eyes were dark reddish-brown, with a small white spot at the rear edge. Strikingly bright yellow bill. Wing point very short with longish tertials almost hiding the end of the primaries. Tail was triangular, pointed and with creamy-buff undertail coverts. Legs greenish-yellow. Fed in the margins quite unafraid of the several 100s of observers sometimes approaching to within 12-15 ft. British Birds 79(11): p542.The fifth UK record since 1981; all have arrived during August to October. Images are from a scanned colour photograph collage I took on the day.

Technical information

Original file size

1.66 MB