Once early summer I was walking with the dog in the fields when heard the sharp creaky sounds. What was it. I’d never heard such sounds before they were like frog’s croaking. They beckoned me and I started to sneak up through the thick grass toward the bushes between the field and the forest. One careless step could damage everything and my malamute, which followed behind , interfered me. He noticed that I was hiding something and wanted to know and I decided not to scold him, It’d be better. Sounds were close then broke and appeared in the other side. Somebody lead me a pretty dance. It wasn’t me tracking down, somebody was watching me. It was small but very tricky bird. Crex-crex. It looped like a hare. I tried to find it for an hour. Each time when the sound was near I hoped to see it but without any result.
I was wet, sweated and bated by mosquitoes. It became darker and I came back. Going home I imagined woodcock or jack-snipe but they didn’t make such sounds. I wanted to know what was it and how to get it tomorrow. I was sure that I’d not calm down.
I found all information at home. It was the landrail or sometimes it’s called corncrake or crake. A small hen is 20-25 sm. In Latin it’s called Crex-Crex. It leaves on foot from the pursuit and flies only in very dangerous situations and not far. I dreamed about its feather on the hat.
Early morning I came to the place where heard the bird yesterday and went around all thickets and bumps. Nothing! I didn’t talk anybody about it but thought about it all day and was nervous. How to get it?
I took the gun and went by regular route. The wild field was covered by blooming herbs. Their smells merged into a medicinal scent similar to cough syrup. Grasshoppers crackled and midges buzzed everywhere. It sounded like a real orchestra, the concert for the crake with the orchestra! He started to solo and louder than yesterday. The air rang from his singing. It’s possible to come close while it’s belling like to the capercaillie. It doesn’t see or hear anything at that moment. I read that that bird is very sly but couldn’t perceive that so. It turns the head to the one side but shouts to another. Why couldn’t It ran away or keep silence? It confused me.
It was getting dark and mosquitos became crazy. I was tired but wanted to find him no matter what it cost me. I had to find another way how to get it, sat on the stone and found video with the landrail on youtube. When it was loaded the bird’s voice from the phone rang out to the whole neighborhood. Suddenly my brown One with grey flakes replied to it! I was shocked! The video worked like a decoy. The cheater was trapped. I took the gun and aimed. It looked straight to me and talked with the bird from my phone. I spend two days trapping it, dreamed how I’d get it and now was just sitting and watching him. I was happy! It tried to lead me away from the nest and I thought it teased me. Smart bird.
It was the successful hunt though I came home without the trophy. I always follow the creak of the crake from that time and often fell into its trap.
