Virginia Rails at Lake Hodges

Virginia Rails at Lake Hodges
By – 10:35 am
Yesterday morning at 8 a.m. birder Tyler Badilla spotted three Virginia Rails. Clark Mahrdt and I saw two of them just before 8 a.m. this morning. Upon watching for them beginning at 6:30 a.m., the first sign was atypical calling at 7:39 a.m. which the Merlin app did identify as Virgina Rail. A few minutes later two were moving within the reeds. After about 15-20 minutes, two Rails ran quickly into the brush (one of them flew briefly) to the left and disappeared into the reeds behind the brush.  Photos and an audio file are available on eBird https://ebird.org/checklist/S97475850Go to Lake Drive at North Lake Hodges. Walk in through the big yellow metal gate not far from the Hodgee statue. Continue to walk straight on Lake Hodges Way,  aka Mission Road, until you see 3-4 big yellow posts where there is a path to the shore. Directly at the base of the path at the shoreline are clumps of reeds, which is where the Rails have been hiding. Seeing them will require some patience. — Tracy Henchbargerthench@…Lake Hodges, Escondido, CA 92029