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