One Very Weird Bird

Way back in 2006 I posted about a very odd little bird called the Virginia Rail. A small bird of wetland habitats, they are excellent at hiding among the reeds and other marsh vegetation. For a diminutive bird, it makes a surprising loud, repeated call often written as "tick-it, tick-it, tick-it, tick-it". They are more often heard than seen. The exception is that during their migration they frequently stop off in the most absurd places. I've seen a few Virginia Rails over the years, but never personally discovered one in an abnormal setting, that is, until last Sunday.

My wife and I were returning home after a stroll in Green-Wood Cemetery to enjoy the fall foliage. At the traffic circle adjacent to Prospect Park, I decided to turn left onto 15th Street, rather that continue along the edge of the park. The building at that corner is doing work on the facade, so there is extensive scaffolding and a protective sidewalk shed. Within only a few yards of turning onto 15th Street I noticed something small and brown perched on the first floor apartment window. I turned to my wife and said with a bit of excitement in my voice, "There's a Virginia Rail sitting right there!" Sure enough, only about six feet from a busy sidewalk and looking relaxed and surprisingly comfortable on the narrow ledge was this oddball marsh bird. It looked perfectly fine, with no indication of trauma. I snapped a few photos, then continued home. I had a friend check in on it just after sunset and she confirmed that it had moved on...hopefully to a more appropriate habitat.