Grunting marsh bird

[Brett H]

This morning I heard a bird grunting occasionally from a thickly vegetated freshwater marsh in Fort Myers, FL. It’s gotta be a rail, coot, or gallinule. Attached are a couple of recordings. Try your best to ignore the grackles.

Thanks!

Grunt.m4a Grunt1.m4a

[Avery]

I think it’s likely a frog. I can’t get the second one to work for me. That’s something on my end though. 

[DLecy]

2 hours ago, Avery said:

I think it’s likely a frog. I can’t get the second one to work for me. That’s something on my end though. 

I agree..not avian.

[Brett H]

Sounds good. I’m embarrassed!

[Charlie Spencer]

1 hour ago, Brett H said:

Sounds good. I’m embarrassed!

Don't be.  It's a routine part of learning calls, especially in wetlands.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Charlie Spencer

[Avery]

1 hour ago, Brett H said:

Sounds good. I’m embarrassed!

You’d be surprised how many recordings of “rails” I have… you just can’t trust those frogs! I nearly had a heart attack the other day when the Yellow Rail that had been calling nearby hopped past my feet…

[Brett H]

3 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said:

Don't be.  It's a routine part of learning calls, especially in wetlands.

Haha I know, I’m just kidding. I haven’t mastered the weird sounds of the secretive marsh birds yet. And I sure as hell don’t know anything about the frog calls of Florida.

[Totah Sam]

7 hours ago, Brett H said:

Sounds good. I’m embarrassed!

I would have thought, "Bigfoot!"  while running away with my hands flailing in the air and doing a Gerty scream (from E.T. the Extraterrestrial). I'm not a brave man.