Mary and I headed down to Charlie's Pond this afternoon and were fortunate enough to meet Jim Frey and a Black Rail. We saw one (the human) and heard the other (the bird). We recognized Jim as we drove up, and the rail was just as recognizable seconds later as it gave a full three-syllable song as soon just after we alighted from the car. A minute later, it called again. The really interesting part was a series of several songs that started at 2:45 pm. A single rail called from a location not too far from the road and about 50 feet to the left of the small pool on the south side of the road. It called again perhaps 10 feet further to the right. A few moments later, another call from just to the right side of the water. At 2:47, there was a call a bit farther to the right, and within 30 - 45 seconds another vocalization from way back near the original bird, i.e., way off to the left. It seems just within the bounds of possibility that a single rail could have called from near the water, then sprinted (in rail terms) back to the left and called again at least 60 feet away. (It couldn't have flown between the two locations, as three of us were watching the area intently and would have seen any flying bird.) And rails can indeed move quickly through the vegetation. But I am convinced that we heard two different birds. One slightly disheartening note: someone trampled a small area of vegetation near the road, apparently in an effort to get closer to the action. The edge of the road is mowed with plenty of room to stand; walking into the vegetation is pretty well guaranteed to make the rails move further into the thick stuff, thereby decreasing (not increasing) the already slim chance to see them. More importantly, going after the birds in this way might just help send them on their way; it certainly won't make birders popular with the landowner. -- Bill Heck ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]