Willow Lake CA

For some time now one or more Yellow Rails have been calling from the end of Willow Lake near Chester CA.  This morning John and I decided to try and hear it call for us.  It took almost two hours to get to the lake from Red Bluff CA where we had overnighted.  The web directions were very good, but the last part of the route into the lake was a bit bumpy and narrow.  We parked and walked out along the lake edge to where the rail was known to call.  We worked the area for over two hours but we couldn't get any action.  John did, however, see something clamber over a treefall at the water's edge, but the sighting was so brief that no id was possible.  So we drove back into Chester where we had lunch and then put the pedal to the metal in the direction of Elko NV for our second try at the Himalayan Snowcock.  Last June we tried, but failed to even hear a snowcock.  This time we hoped for better.  We arrived in Elko at dusk and checked in at the Motel 6.  We had a nice dinner at one of the casinos nearby.  Then we set the alarm for 2:45am and retired.