Timberdoodle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

I guess I'm kind of a competitive birder. It's fun to treasure hunt. Birds are treasures that are right there for anyone who is interested in seeing...and counting.... them.

Back when we had cows the heifer pasture was home to American Woodcocks. The grass was kept short by grazing and the little pond where the horses were pastured was just what the doctor ordered for timberdoodles..... a bucolic nickname for the American Woodcock, fat little shorebirds that love earthworms. They are famous for their spectacular mating displays. I had never heard of them until I read A Sand County Almanac in college, nor seen one until years later. It sure was fun to have them on the farm.

Nowadays the horses no long use that pasture and only the two old cows, Bama and Moon, graze the heifer pasture. The grass has become too long for tiny woodcock legs so we haven't heard their buzzy peenting or their magical sky dance in years. Hadn't counted one for eBird either, but I sure wanted to.

A little under a week ago someone reported one in a spot where we bird all the time, so last night right after supper and just about nightfall we drove there and parked the car.

And listened.

And listened. Not a peep. Not a twitter. Darn it. The boss moved the car several times hoping to hear the bird.

Then to my utter amazement one flew right past where we were parked, fluttering by about a foot from the windshield. Even at night I got a great look.

Awesome. County bird number 77 for the year.

This morning #78 (see above) landed on the ground by the feeder and let me take several photos before he flew off.

I'd been noticing that no birds were coming in....guess now we know the rest of the story.

Redheads