[birding] Lack of Rails in the Silverton Area and interesting duck behavior

[Matthew]

Hi Birders,

Jeremy Breese and I went looking for his lifer Virginia Rail and Sora.  We 
heard and saw no Virginia Rails or Soras at the Oregon Garden (there was a 
fledgling ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER) or the wetland in front of the High 
School.  We did eventually see and hear 2 VIRGINIA RAILS at the Mt. Angel 
Sewage Ponds but no Soras.  It was around 9:00 when we started but I have 
tried calling up rails at 4:00 P.M. and still had success.  In the past the 
Oregon Garden and the wetland in front of the High School have been reliable 
for rails, but the many of the ponds at the Oregon Garden have been invaded 
by Reed Canary Grass and European Bittersweet and the wetland in front of 
the High School have been taken over by Willows.  Does this decrease the 
attractiveness to rails?

At the Sewage ponds there also were 2 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 1 CANVASBACK, 2 
CINNAMON TEAL, and 5+ SPOTTED SANDPIPERS along with the regular suspects. 
We also noted an interesting behavior from a Female WOOD DUCK with 4 
ducklings.  We flushed the ducks from the edge of one of the ponds and the 
mother started screaming at us while she was doing this 3 of the duckling 
completely submerged themselves and it was about 10 seconds before they 
popped back to the surface and raced after their mom.  Has anyone else noted 
this behavior?

Matthew Schneider
Silverton, Oregon
gaviaimmer at live.com