[EBB Sightings] Black Rail question

There have been postings to Central Valley Birds about wintering Black
Rails. For some reason, I always assumed the inland populations were
migratory and that the birds in San Francisco Bay are wintering birds
which nest in fresh water locations. Looks like a bad assumption.

The Birds of North American Online map shows Black Rails as being
migratory in the East. The SF Bay population is colored Permanent
Resident.

For nest sites:

  "Low, marshy meadows, dense freshwater marshes, and thick marsh
vegetation near upper limits of high tides (Stephens 1909, Harlow 1913,
WRE)."

So my questions: Has anyone seen or heard Black Rails in the Bay during
summer?  Is it your impression that Black Rail is resident here and not
just a wintering bird?

   Rusty Scalf





      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better friend, newshound, and 
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.  http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ