‘Secretive’ Water Rail bird caught on camera in Woodberry Wetlands

5 January, 2018

‘They are secretive birds so this is a special sight!’

A “secretive” bird called a Water Rail was caught on camera rummaging in Woodberry Wetlands, in what experts called “a special sight”.

The water rail, or Rallus aquaticus, has chestnut-brown and black with a grey face and a long red bill.

It was filmed exploring the Woodberry Wetlands nature reserve in Stoke Newington and the video was posted on Twitter for national bird day.

One of our camera traps recorded a water rail enjoying the sheltered pools and reedbed habitat we created on the northern edge of the reservoir, with support from @heritagelottery. They are secretive birds so this is a special sight! #NationalBirdDay

15:56 - 5 Jan 2018

Water Rails eat small fish, snails and insects and usually keep out of sight, though are spotted more often during Winter.

Continued  

Secretive reedbed bird makes surprise appearance in Deganwy

09:00, 2 FEB 2016

BY ANDREW FORGRAVE

RSPB Conwy's Julian Hughes reveals what birds have been spotted in the past week and where to go birding in the coming days

Hundreds of people across North Wales counted flying visitors in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch last weekend, with over 4m birds reported to the website by Monday afternoon.

One Daily Post reader photographed a Water Rail in her Deganwy garden, feeding on seeds dropped by other birds beneath her feeder.

I have seen Water Rails do this at RSPB Conwy, usually in cold conditions when the reedbeds have frozen, but as a garden sighting, it’s unusual.

Last week’s winter survey of Water Rails found 20 individuals at the Conwy reserve.

They are secretive birds, their presence given away only by a loud squealing call.

Water Rails move into Wales from continental Europe in Winter, but as a breeding species, this is a scarce bird locally, resident at only a handful of sites.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/secretive-reedbed-bird-makes-surprise-10821203