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I have always read with envy reports like Lois's New
Brunswick sighting. My experience of American Woodcocks seems to be
limited to unsatisfactory encounters: either briefly glimpsing
something brown that flushes from an alder thicket; or standing at
the edge of a country road and straining to distinguish, against a
darkening sky, the winnowing bird overhead which one can hear but
never see. This evening was different. As I drove up my parents'
birch-lined drive, I saw a brown lump on the grass ahead, profiled
against the snowbank beyond. Somehow I felt I knew what it might
just be. I stopped the car and reached for the binoculars under the
seat, and sure enough, it was - a Woodcock! It sat motionless for a
minute or so, and then began to move a little, shuffling from one
foot to the other, rocking from side to side, as though palpating the
soil underfoot. At length it jabbed the grass with its long bill,
and drew out a worm. This went on for a few minutes, as I watched
and studied its beautiful plumage. Eventually I felt I should share
the news with my family of the unusual bird which had appeared in
the yard. My brother joined me and we watched it for several more
minutes: it was aware of us, but continued to feed. What a memorable
sight! This is the first time any of us have ever seen one at our
home in Bedford.
Patricia L. Chalmers
Halifax
At 09:23 PM 23/03/2013, Lois Codling wrote:
>I happened to open the back door tonight at 8 p.m., and heard a
>sound which at first registered as 'Nighthawk'(???), then I realized
>that it must be a Woodcock. It was very close, about 30 M., and I
>yelled for my husband to come and look for it. He eventually saw it
>fly off, but it had been on some bare ground from which our
>neighbour had shovelled snow. We identified it by sound, not by
>sight. Hope he found some worms and will return! A new yard bird!
>
>Reminds me of the first Am. Woodcock we ever saw, waddling through
>the deep snow in late winter or early spring towards our door when
>we lived in Northern N.B. years ago. Had no idea what it was at the
>time, but it is a picture I will never forget.
>
>Lois Codling
>L. Sackville
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<font size=3D3><x-tab>
</x-tab>I have always
read with envy reports like Lois's New Brunswick sighting. My
experience of American Woodcocks seems to be limited to unsatisfactory
encounters: either briefly glimpsing something brown that flushes from an
alder thicket; or standing at the edge of a country road and straining to
distinguish, against a darkening sky, the winnowing bird overhead which
one can hear but never see. This evening was different. As I
drove up my parents' birch-lined drive, I saw a brown lump on the grass
ahead, profiled against the snowbank beyond. Somehow I felt I knew
what it might just be. I stopped the car and reached for the
binoculars under the seat, and sure enough, it was - a Woodcock! It
sat motionless for a minute or so, and then began to move a little,
shuffling from one foot to the other, rocking from side to side, as
though palpating the soil underfoot. At length it jabbed the grass
with its long bill, and drew out a worm. This went on for a few
minutes, as I watched and studied its beautiful plumage. Eventually
I felt I should share the news with my family of the unusual bird
which had appeared in the yard. My brother joined me and we watched
it for several more minutes: it was aware of us, but continued to
feed. What a memorable sight! This is the first time any of
us have ever seen one at our home in Bedford.<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Patricia
L. Chalmers<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Halifax<br>
<br>
<br>
At 09:23 PM 23/03/2013, Lois Codling wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D"">I happened to open the back d=
oor
tonight at 8 p.m., and heard a sound which at first registered as
'Nighthawk'(???), then I realized that it must be a Woodcock. It
was very close, about 30 M., and I yelled for my husband to come and look
for it. He eventually saw it fly off, but it had been on some bare
ground from which our neighbour had shovelled snow. We identified
it by sound, not by sight. Hope he found some worms and will
return! A new yard bird!<br><br>
Reminds me of the first Am. Woodcock we ever saw, waddling through the
deep snow in late winter or early spring towards our door when we lived
in Northern N.B. years ago. Had no idea what it was at the time,
but it is a picture I will never forget.<br><br>
Lois Codling<br>
L. Sackville</font></blockquote></body>
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