Third and Final Marsh Bird Survey

Last night we got skunked on our marsh bird survey because we saw or heard zero bitterns, rails or grebes.  I can't say we didn't see marsh birds because any bird in a marsh could, by definition, be a marsh bird.  We had red winged blackbirds, starlings, crows, blue jays, robins, a bald eagle, tree swallows, purple martin, gold finches, sand hill cranes, mallards, wood ducks, and possibly a brown thrasher. And frogs! Cope's gray tree frogs and green frogs were croaking in the marsh.  My guess is the bitterns, rails and possibly the grebes heard us but didn't answer because they are sitting on eggs or raising their brood.   We have heard sora rails and Virginia rails in these wetlands before. Part of the method of this survey is playing an 11 minute recording.  The first 5 minutes are silence and the next 6 are the sounds of bitterns, rails and grebes.  Sometimes we stand by pastures with horses.  Once the sounds of the bitterns, rails and grebes comes out of the speaker the horses swing their heads sharply toward us and look at us in amazement.  Actually, it's comical to see a horse pondering what I am doing. Sometimes they look at us so long and intently I feel like I am under a microscope. Despite the uncomfortable scrutiny of the horses, it was fun to stand outside by marshes and let the summer evening tick by.