Water Rail

Over Christmas and in the early part of 2011, I spent some time at Dromore Nature Reserve, Ruan, County Clare, where I was searching for and trying to photograph Goosanders.  During my wait three Water rails fed under my feet along the banks of the river Fergus. Temperatures were minus 5-6 degrees, and the Water Rails spent much of their time sun bathing in an attempt to keep warm.  They were also very active in search of food as they probed under the ice and rocks for any morsel to eat.