Virginia Rail (a first for me)

I went camping in eastern AZ the past 3 days. The main campground was on a "lake" and I got some cool shot of a few Western Grebe there (stay tuned for those) but there was a small pond fed by a warm spring a few miles away that had an even smaller "pond"/marsh off the south end of it. I found the birds there very shy (as usual) but I laid down in the mostly dry weeds at the edge and the birds got used to me after a while.

Virginia Rail
This is NOT cropped. He got this close to me. I couldnt move to zoom back as he was very skittish.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com​/photos/jhayesvw/15554​027185/

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Good for you, Jeremy. I've been told that they are in the marsh just down the road from me, but I've never seen them. Well done.
Al

Congrats Jeremy these are really great shots. I've been going to this wetland about 20 miles away from me for 4 years we can only hear them but don't see them I've seen it once only but not as good as these in an open. And of course I was not ready when I saw it, Happens to me all the time .

What a fantastic first there, Jeremy! These guys are SOOO, painfully shy it's incredible; the lighting on that second shot in particular is great.

Awesome Jeremy and congrats. I have not gotten shots of an adult in the open but have of a juvenile.

Well done, Sir.

great job in getting a pro recluse!

Thanks Al, Peter, Eric, John, Rog and Keeperseeker.

I was more than happy laying there in the marsh to get the shots. Ive never seen a Virginia Rail and when it darted out to eat I was like "I'm not leaving until I get this guy".

Luckily I got him that night and again a bit the next morning!!! I got some Sora shots too. Stay tuned in another thread.

Well done.

Great shots Jeremy!

A nice set Jeremy, your patience really paid off.

Nice set Jeremy! Love the light in the second shot, and reflection too!

Congrats on some great shots Jeremy. Clearly you are getting a reputation among the birds that you're one that can be trusted.

Nice Job Jeramy

Thanks all. I'm pretty happy I got the opportunity to photograph this bird. There were a few of them so perhaps I got shots of more than one. I didn't pay attention.

Ian, I wish I could say the birds trust me. The second I moved, that Rail booked it into the reeds and never came back out. LOL. The funny part was that it came right up to my lens without issue as long as I didn't move.
Perhaps they have Tyrannosaurus Rex vision. hahaha