CCJC Audio Podcast Episode 00030 Season 2
Endangered Black Rail
Here at Cajun Chronicles Podcast Corporation, we often talk among ourselves about what events in our lives shaped our many varied interests. Laurent Thibodaux, one of our Co-Hosts for the podcast, had just returned from visiting his Cajun grand-père near Cypress Island Preserve, St. Martin, Louisiana. The importance of protecting endangered species was foremost on Laurent’s mind. Here is a true story from his childhood that explains one of his many interests - protecting endangered bird species.
Thick soupy Louisiana air mingled with the scent of salt marsh and decay on the day Laurent Thibodaux first met her. Ten-year-old Laurent, armed with a tattered net homemade net and a jar of fireflies, crept through the tall smooth cord grasses. his bare feet sinking into the soft sandy mud. He was on a mission. He wanted to find an elusive Black Rail, the creature of legend whispered about by his grand-père around the campfire.
"They say it could be Jacques le Marais, the spirit that dwells in the deepest reaches of the swamps," his grand-père had warned. Each time he spoke of them his voice a low rumble, "You'll never see one until it’s right next to you, just hear its eerie kick-ee-derr call."
Laurent, however, was determined. He’d spent hours in the marsh where they were camping, mimicking the "ki-ki-kerr" sound he'd heard on a nature documentary in school. He'd even fashioned a tiny raft out of reeds, hoping to lure the shy bird closer. Hours turned into days, and Laurent began to doubt his own sanity. The marsh, with its whispering winds and the surreal calls of unseen creatures, seemed to mock his efforts.
One new moon night, while exploring a particularly dense patch of reeds at sunset, Laurent stumbled upon a small Râle Noir. She was a meek feathered creature huddled among the low tide thick brown and gray cord grass rhizome roots.
He froze at the sight of her. She froze at the sight of him. The diminutive female Black Rail was a creature of exquisite subtlety. Her noir is a blend of shadows with a hint of starlight. Her feathers deep, blued inky black, shimmered with hints of iridescent hues of purple and green.
As the grasses swayed in the breeze, Laurent’s eyes were catching the faintest glimmer of her sinuous graceful movements. Her short delicate dusty pink legs were reminiscent of the color of the sky at daybreak. Short and slender, perfectly adapted for navigating the intricate maze of reeds and mud. Laurent thought them perfectly adapted for navigating the intricate maze of reeds and mud.
For him it was her eyes that truly held Mother Nature’s voodoo magic. They were the color of twilight on this coastal land. He saw a deep, soulful brown that seemed to hold the secrets of the marsh and maybe the universe beyond them. In her eyes, one could see the ancient wisdom of her kind, a reflection of the moonlit sky, and a hint of the wild, untamed spirit that resided within.
Her gaze suddenly met his. It was both piercing and profound. He saw a connection that transcended the boundaries of species. Just for a microsecond there was a shared understanding of the delicate balance of life in this grassy hidden corner of the world.
She looked up at him with wide, curious eyes, then let out the softest of "ki-ki-kerr."Laurent, forgetting his and her fears, reached out a tentative finger. The Râle Noir, instead of fleeing, hopped closer, curiously inspecting the boy. The strangest bond formed between them. Laurent, the sometimes city boy part nature boy, and the elusive Black Rail, the creature of the marsh.
Over the next few days on that camping trip with his grand-père, Laurent learned about the endangered Black Rail's plight. He learned about the rising tides, the disappearing marshes, and the threats that loomed over this delicate creature. That bothered him a lot.
He started small, collecting discarded fishing line and plastic bottles from the marsh. He helped his grand-père plant native grasses to stabilize the eroding banks. He even started a small campaign when he got back to his school, educating his classmates about the importance of protecting the wetlands.
One day right before the end of the next summer, as he sat by the edge of the marsh, the Black Rail appeared beside him. Her eyes gleamed in the twilight. Laurent knew then that their friendship was more than just a boy and a bird. It was a connection, a reminder that even the smallest of creatures all play a vital role in the delicate balance of nature. At the same time he, a lonely boy in a big world, too could make a difference.
Moral: Just as Laurent learned to protect the Black Rail, we all have a role to play in safeguarding our environment. Every small action, from picking up litter, or to supporting conservation efforts, contributes to a larger effort to protect the delicate balance of nature and ensure a healthy future for all living beings.
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