This beautiful Water RailW was spotted and photographed by Gary Smith on 16th March 2010 in one of the gardens at Raffin, near Stoer lighthouse.
There have been several sightings of Water Rail in Assynt this year already.
This one was probably just passing through and stopped for a break and to feed. They eat plant material and small animals.
Although they are very shy and retiring and easily overlooked there are occasional breeding records from Assynt.
A. Summers
Single bird flying overhead, Culkein Drumbeg (Carol Langford) (24/09)
550+ birds flying over Ardvar garden (Beccy Garvey) (23/09)
11 birds flying over Ardvar (Beccy Garvey) (23/09)
Single animal swimming close into Clachtoll beach (AS) (23/09)
20+ flying over and calling, Nedd (Ian Evans), 800+ flying over and calling throughout the day, Culkein Drumbeg (DAH) (23/09)
10 birds feeding in Loch Ardbhair (Beccy Garvey) (22/09)
c40 birds over Culkein Drumbeg (Jim and Corinne France, DAH) (21/09)
Single bird, Culkein Drumbeg (Jim and Corinne France) (21/09)
