On some occasions, we do see the Buff-banded Rail foraging at Trin Warren Tam-boore. This was the case on the morning of 10 November 2024.

At this time, only one Rail was seen. Sometimes, we can have 3 Rails out in the open. I hid behind a tree and try to look as non-threatening as I can be. I believed it knows that I was around but being a distance away, it must feel quite comfortable. As it seemed to be as ease with me looking on, I had time to remove the strap from my camera and held it low at ground level using the LCD screen of the camera to compose and focus. The result was a better photograph than my previous attempts. Due to the uneven ground, I was not able to get the background to be as clean as possible.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/800s f/6.3 ISO80

The Buff-banded Rail is not a bird I expected to see every time I visit Royal Park Trin Warren Tam-boore. The Rail usually forages near the car park early in the morning. As I arrive on 21 October 2024, I did not see the Rail and thought that I have already missed it.

As I returned to Trin after visiting the Oak Street Wetland, I found a single Rail foraging at the edge of the pond. Hiding behind an embankment, I managed to take this photograph that looks as if the Rail for posing for it. I like the Rembrandt lighting that is provided by the sun that puts half its head in the shadow and half in the light.

Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/640s f/8 ISO1100

The Buff-banded Rails are fairly common in Melbourne parks and nature reserves that has a water feature. Royal Park Trin Warren Tam-boore is home to at least 3 such rails.

These Rails are cryptic and very secretive. One would have thought that they will be used to humans being in a park but they have an irrationally large circle of fear.

In the morning of 30 September 2024, I was fortunate enough to observe 3 of them. 2 were close to the car park at Trin while the third one was found calling near the drain.

These photographs would have benefited from the use of a 1.4X teleconverter but in order to seize the opportunity I was presented with, I have to go without. The result isn’t too bad but I would have loved to have captured more details.

Top Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/800s f/6.3 ISO900

Bottom: Nikon Z 9, Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S @ 1/800s f/6.3 ISO2500