Completely unexpected, a rail popped out of the grass in my dry,
upland meadow.

It flew away from me, legs dangling, and dropped down twenty feet
away....what I could see was the back, only.
I didn't see the beak.

Rather featureless, dark back.  But the one distinctive mark I could
remember was the light, thin arc at
the top edge of the wing.

I've been looking in all my field guides but can't see if that would
show on a virginia rail or sora. (I'm guessing
a sora or virginia rail from probability, maybe an immature.)  In
Sibley there is a suggestion of a pale
arc on the picture of the sora.

Anyone seen them enough to offer some suggestions?

Inga Schmidt
Chagrin River Road Geauga/Cuy Co line

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