English and Scientific names:	Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
Number of individuals:	1 adult black rail, black, tiny rail with weak flight, barely flushing ahead of the rice combine
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Acadia
Specific Locality:	A couple  of miles south of Thornwell, where I had arranged for the BSG to ride in the rice combines during harvest.
Date(s) when observed:	October 23, 1992
Time(s) of day when observed:	Between 1:30 and 3.
Reporting observer and address:	Hubert Hervey, Stonewall LA
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	Eight Bird Study Group members went on this trip.  All saw Yellow Rails.  A few saw Black Rail as well. Wil Smolenski, Charlie Lyon and Daughter, Shirley Huss, Pat Hervey, Velda Neilson, Vicky Camp.
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)	None.
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	varied according to direction of combine movement.  The day was partly cloudy, adequate sunlight to distinguish small sparrows from the rail which had weaker flight, which much preferred to run than to fly.
Optical equipment:	Not needed or useable as the birds were right in front of the glass front of the combine.
Distance to bird(s):	A few feet.
Duration of observation:	Fleeting, no more than 15 seconds as it could be seen running and then flying.
Habitat:	Rice field.
Behavior of bird:	Already described
Description:	Just a tiny black rail, all of us saw at least 8 Yellow Rails, some Virginia, and King Rails, a few Savannah Sparrows. Details of plumage black is all that could be seen, tiny short bill, short stubby wings. It must have had legs because it ran quite well. Preferred to run, but when the center row was being combined it had no where left to run, thence it flew.
Voice:	N/A
Similar species:	None
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	none
Previous experience with this species:	None
Identification aids:	Field Guides were present, but not needed
This description is written from:	Memory and notes.
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Date and time:	Today is August 31,2009