Woodcocks gone wild! (w/audio)
March 26, 2007
A nifty rite of spring occurred last night in the Greenway at the Celery Farm -- the courtship ritual of the American woodcock.
The action started around 7:30, when the woodcocks, still hidden in the fields, began to call. Their calls sounded more like bugs getting zapped by electric bug-zappers, but apparently other woodcocks find it attractive. (For a fleeting soundbite of two calls -- eight seconds -- click on the Real Audio file below.)
Soon after, the woodcocks started showing up on the path that leads into the Celery Farm -- then started flying around and showing off for one another. Think of a singles bar without the drinks or music.
We saw maybe 10 woodcocks total. The whole show took 20 minutes or so.
My friend Kevin Watson got a great shot of one on the ground.
A terrific gallery of his Celery Farm photos, including this woodcock shot, can be found at http://kevinwatsonphoto.com/v-web/gallery/celeryfarm/20070325_006