Williamson's Weekly Nature Notes

You won't see it but you may well hear it. And that you won't forget.

This odd little bird of the reedbeds makes a noise like a pig. It squeals and then grunts. The noise is called "sharming".

The agonised death-knell of a rat or rabbit when hunted by a stoat is another song it can sing, not to speak of the call of a long-eared owl.

None of these are imitations, for the bird is doing its own particular thing. But if you really want to see this slender little crake, which can stand tall and make its diminutive self look like a wine bottle, then you will have to be as cunning as a fox.

I generally get a brief glimpse around the edges of reedbeds, bogs, very wet meadows and overgrown streams like this little marsh in the Arun valley at Waltham Brooks next to Greatham bridge.

This is a Sussex Wildlife Trust reserve and the water rail might also be seen at their headquarters at Woods Mill.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette March 18