Woodcocks Pint When They Are Quarting?

3-22-14

A relaxed day of birding. That’s what is was because nothing far away was in need of pursuit, and the available choices did not require a lot of time or effort. Avian and Garouse and I met at Kissena to look for Woodcock.

While waiting for Garouse to arrive Avian and I checked out the grassy field at the velodrome. It was populated by a lone samoyed being left to run around in the enclosure; I amused myself by noting the sign prohibiting dogs.

The field was not without birds though, as many Robins were evident. We looked closer and I found a group of 5 Chipping Sparrows. YB1. Garouse joined us, got the chippies, and we made our way to the orchard.

The orchard has a maze of trails with a lot of off shoots. I walked slowly on these side trails and discovered two things. One, there were Woodcock where I though they would be, and two, their camouflage is quite good. YB2.

The first one I came across put up and flew towards Avian and Garouse. I yelled out to them but only Avian was quick enough to see it fly by. No matter, in a short time I flushed another and this time we all saw it.

As we were approaching the far side of the orchard, we either flushed one of the previous birds, or yet another, but this time we saw where it landed and were able to approach and get a few shots, and much better looks!

Woodcock

We then headed over to Oakland Lake to see what was around, and the Redhead Duck was still present [ as was the one on Alley Pond ] but no Rusty Blackbirds. At Alley Pond, the restoration area was quiet, and Garouse called it a day.

Avian and I continued on to Massapequa Park, where he finally had the opportunity to see a Screech Owl; one of the two [ or three?] present for some time, and particularly easy to locate as they are usually several people looking at or photographing them. We also tried Belmont Lake where a Screech had been seen recently, but did not locate that one.  A nice epi-spring day.