[EBB Sightings] Clapper rails at Arrowhead Marsh

After dropping someone at Oakland Airport, on the spur of the moment I drove over to Arrowhead Marsh, conveniently arriving at a 6.1' high tide. I saw five clapper rails over the next half hour. The first, wearing a radio transmitter, was in the marsh off the pier/dock west of the last parking lot. The transmitter looks like a bulbous blob on the upper part of the bird's right wing or shoulder, with an antenna extending out from it.? The second was resting on a bank.? The third came high-stepping through the grass, stopped short and erupted in loud clapper chatter with the fourth, which was about six feet away from her. I say "her" because the fourth, a bigger bird, dashed over and the two engaged in a 5-second tryst in the long grass during which the bigger bird climbed on top of the smaller bird. The birds immediately parted and the smaller bird swam out into a channel of water. I saw a fifth clapper rail in the fenced-in marsh area south of the
 fishing pier where the water comes in under the arched beige bridge.? I also saw several common goldeneyes and a single male surf scoter up by Garretson Point.? Photos:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=bjlna54.8e4fzcak&x=0&y=e1y9ch&localeid=en_US 


Stephanie Floyd
Fremont