The snow geese showed up today too! More on View atAnyhow I was taking the dogs out in the still-freezing darkness when I first heard it for the year. Peeenttttt!!!! The delightful whiny, nasal call was coming from up by the horse pasture pond. Despite the impending pressure of yet another hectic, crazy day, I was thrilled. After being woodcock-less for a dozen years down here by the house, we had one dancing last year. Alan has been seeing them up in the field for a while but "mine" hadn't come back so I was concerned. Every night on the way in from the barn I have been standing in the driveway for a few minutes listening....hoping. And hearing nothing but killdeers and geese.
Then this morning, there he was. I stopped several times on my way over to work, to shut off the flashlight and just listen. Although he kept on peenting he didn't fly so I haven't heard the sky dance yet. Tonght if it isn't snowing or pouring I won't have to hurry so much and I will wait for the thrill. I spend a lot of time standing in the driveway during timberdoodle season.
I am SO glad that he is back!
****Update, Tom has video and sound that will let you enjoy just what we do...and lucky guy, he has five of them!
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14 comments:
How exciting! A great way to start your day. I don't believe I have ever seen a woodcock other than in a photo. We saw a few geese going north this a.m. Nothing the size of the beautiful flocks you have seen but we were grateful to see them. ;0)
I'm glad to hear the inspection is done. Our meadowlarks are back but I haven't heard a killdeer yet. We have prairie chicken that get together for a dancing pow wow a little later in the spring.
We have no where close to the bird diversity that you have. We are 25 miles east of the flyway, so pickings are pretty slim around here. The population is static, with only geese flying from Linda's place in the fall. Thanks for the informative post!
I'm glad spring is creeping in up there. Timberdoodles today, tadpoles soon?
Congrats on the return of the woodcocks and your days are so busy! Thanks for the link and kind words!
Thats quite a flock you have there!
The birds are slow to return here, we've had intermittent snow and cold, so I imagine they are staying to the south of us.
Deb, I was thrilled! Then it was raining last night and alas, not a peep from him. and now SNOW!!!
Linda, I am so glad it is over. Never seen a prairie chicken except on TV,. Must be cool to see them!
Nita, we are lucky to be right on a medium-sized river and we keep the hedgerows and woods on the farm, which gives lots of habitat to the little ones. Messy, but productive.
FC, I hope they bring snow shovels, lol
mon@rch, I was delighted to find your video. It is excellent for folks who have never heard one!
Laurie, the weather is nasty here too, but they are sticking it out. I feel sorry for the killdeers today...inches of snow last night.
I love the snow geese! We have to drive to extreme north Alabama if we want to see those. I just love they way they flock when they fly - it reminds me of playing with string!
Rurality, Oh, I love that description! You are right....they do just that.
Hi. Speaking of birds, this moring (Friday) I was gettng the papers (6:30 am) and noticed a flock of turkey vultures around a block away from me settling into some snow covered trees. I live in Amsterdam by the golf course so its pretty surprising they decided to ride out the snow fall in a populated area. There were nineteen of them and they certainly made my morning. They look so huge. I tried to take pictures but I'm afraid they're too far away.
Don't you just love Tom's video?
I'm so glad you've got a sure sign of Spring right there from your driveway.
The best kind of happiness is the variety that shows up right in your own backyard.
Anon, Wow, nineteen in town! I can't imagine what they were doing there...maybe just passing through on their migration north.
Cathy,I do love Tom's video. Heck the whole blog is a daily delight. The man is a fantastic photographer and provides some of the best bird photography I have seen. I had one of his pictures as a desktop background for weeks.
It was warm here in eastern Massachusetts Wednesday evening, so I went up to Moose Hill - our local Audubon sanctuary - a right around sunset heard my first peent of the year, followed by a few more and then a few looping, twittering flights. I agree: The woodcock is a very special harbinger of spring.
Mojoman, thanks so much for stopping by! I couldn't believe it, but yesterday morning ours was peenting out in the snow. It was about sixteen degrees!
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