Drip

A privilege to see not one but three water rails today at Slimbridge WWT.

A secretive bird it likes to move through the cover of reeds and sedges dipping it's beak into the mud to pick out freshwater shrimps, insects, earthworms, spiders and sometimes small fish.

They both build the nest of dead reeds above water level and lay between six and eleven eggs in the spring with both parents tending their offspring.

Courtship includes the feeding of the female by the male; the female apparently has been seen to get up from a nest and eggs to go round to the male and croon softly, rubbing her bill against his.

I love them because they are small, dainty,  with quite a cute tail and you don't often see them!