Date: 2/9/26 7:10 am From: Alan Meijer (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Clapper Rail (or Virginia?) in Hyde Co, NC
Drove down to the Bell Island Pier near Swan Quarter in Hyde County. I walked out on the newly-revamped pier to inspect the new line of rip-rap laid down in the recent renovation. A bird flew out from under the pier, landed a short distance away and disappeared under an overhang along the bank. Intrigued, I got my binoculars out, and started looking. I saw some movement among the rocks and there was a bird I've never seen before. I thought it was a juvenile Virginia rail but its bill had a lot of color to it. When submitting the photo to eBird, the software suggested I had a CLAPPER RAIL. I took some photos and then walked along the bank to take some scenic shots when suddenly, it appeared about four feet away,quietly walking along the rip-rap. I stopped and it disappeared into the grasses.
If someone wants to help me verify, I'll send you a photo.
