Face to face with Buff-banded Rail

I captured this image because I was stuck on the ground with a broken rib – every cloud has a silver lining, as they say.

Buff-banded Rails are bold little beauties on Lord Howe Island, quite different from the secretive specimens I’m used to catching glimpses of as they dart into hiding on the mainland. They were most active during the early morning and in the evenings when the light was poorest, and they scurried as fast as usual. Poor light and fast subjects are not usually good for photography but these rails were more comfortable in the open than I’ve ever seen and eventually the sun began to rise.

 Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/320, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 200mm

I often delete face to face images but I like this one, it’s puffy little chipmunk-cheeks look ridiculously cute.. This Buff-banded Rail emerged from the lush undergrowth and stared directly down at the camera. I’d been unable to go hiking after tripping on a hill track the previous day and breaking a rib, so I’d found a quiet spot where I’d seen birds drinking from a leaky water tank. I’d got there early as trying to sleep had been a waste of effort as it was too painful to be in any position for long enough to fall asleep. I’d kept rotating, which is a bit comical to look back on but wasn’t overly amusing at the time.

To take these images I was flat out on the dewy morning grass, I wonder what the rail was thinking when it saw me, it does look a bit surprised.

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 370mm

The rail drank from a stream of water coming from a tiny hole in the water tank. From the images, capturing the ‘stream’ at 1/640th of a second, it became clear that the leak was actually a series of droplets which the rail would catch with its long tongue, there are a couple of small droplets falling from its bill in the image above. The species is named for the obvious buff band around its chest but its other markings are quite distinctive too, especially its light grey eyebrow, rich chestnut facial markings, barred front, speckled back, strong pinkish bill and red eye.

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/640, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 370mm

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 160, focal length 400mm

Rails prefer to be amongst or near dense undergrowth or reeds but venture into the open to forage for a wide range of items including seeds, fruit, insects, molluscs and carrion.

What made these photographs most memorable was that although I’d been able to get myself onto the ground reasonably easily I was totally unable to get back up. To add to the comical misery the ground was far damper than I’d expected and I was soon pretty well soaked. I had wandered off the beaten track so was especially glad that a rescuer eventually came looking for me.

Happy birding, Kim

~ Facebook page Kim Wormald – lirralirra
~ Facebook group  Ethical Bird Photography