Spring Dusk Birding!
This evening I went searching to see if our American Woodcocks have arrived. Not long after sunset, one of the Great Horned Owls started vocalizing (only one individual this time). It wasn’t long and I saw this silhouette of the Great Horned Owl fly across the sky! I had only wished my camera wasn’t sitting in the truck. I continued to watch this silhouette fly from tree top to tree top looking for something to eat (or a good place to sit). I sure hope they are not hunting my woodcocks??
While leaning up against my truck, I was starting to believe the American Woodcocks hadn’t arrived yet …… but then I hear it ….. Peent…… Peent ……Peent… (CHECK, first of the year) few minutes later I hear a second bird .. Peent……. Peent ……. Peent … Peent…..then they starting doing their twittering flight display way up into the sky! I was lucky able to follow two of their flights up into sky! What joy this is watching such wonderful birds on the beginning of spring. I continued listening to three different birds doing their display till almost twilight (then there was silence again). They were too far away from the road to capture any video clips/pictures. Once I return from my conference, I plan on hiking through the snow and get some up close video clips of them doing their display (I promise).
BTW: I had a major scare this morning. Pulled the 400mm lens out to try and capture a few pictures of the Fox Sparrows. Hmm, error!! Hmmm still erroring! Hmmm ….. I can’t seem to be able to take any pictures!! hmmm (ok, now you can start changing the hmmm’s with words that I should be typing)! I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t able to capture any photos with my 400mm!! Kit lens, no problems! Hmmm, after many hours assuming my lens died just before my big trip to Cape Cod something came to me by a fluke. I realized that my manual f-stop ring had moved. In digital SLR’s your older lenses irises need to be opened up all the way before the body can properly register the lens….. YEAH!! Mystery solved! Once again I am to take pictures again and the world hasn’t come to an end!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
I need to look on our local listserv and find out where I can get me some woodcock displays.
But I bet the places I can go to close at dusk…Maybe I can use my extremely fetching charm on the rangers and they will let me stay…
20 March 2007 at 10:47 pm
I hope you get a picture of the horned owl too. Glad your camera is working.
20 March 2007 at 11:10 pm
Very cool! Glad you heard them “peents” and that you got to see the GHO — very cool!
(Also glad it was just something little with your camera! Whew!)
21 March 2007 at 12:48 am
I only heard woodcocks for the first time last year- what funny little birds!
21 March 2007 at 9:35 am
I need to find me some woodcocks. I understand the feeling of dread when your camera malfunctions! When I thought something was wrong with the review pane, I nearly flipped out.
21 March 2007 at 12:11 pm
Arghhh….learning this new technology is like learning a new language. You would think that my new cell phone is some alien technology. I am glad you got it working.
Enjoy the cape.
21 March 2007 at 4:50 pm
Do you have much snow still on the ground? I seem to see them less round these parts until the snow starts disappearing, and I didn’t get out to look around before it started to snow again. Ah well–can’t wait to hear (& see!) the marvelous chaotic woodcock in all its Spring glory…
21 March 2007 at 8:45 pm
@ Susan – Check any local area that has a wet field or a location near a beaver pond! It was about 25 min’s or so after sunset.
@ Barb – will try once I get back, thanks!
@ Liz – Very glad about the camera! Just had to take some pictures today and make sure! Although, I have some dust to clean off the sensor!
@ Lynne – they are soo fun to watch! Glad you were able to locate some!
@ Mary – very scarry when your camera does something dumb! Ugg, get out to some wet meadow or beaver pond! About 25 min’s after sunset listen for the peenting!
@ Trixie – tell me about it! Thanks!
@ Sitta – believe it or not but we probably have 4-5 inches on the ground but wet spots were open (where they spend their time). Drift areas might be deeper! But, I only heard 3 pairs where I normally hear 10+ in this spot (if that means anything).
21 March 2007 at 9:17 pm
Congrats on Woodcock! And glad you figured out your lens!
30 March 2007 at 5:54 am
I was going crazy over the lens! ugg
30 March 2007 at 8:53 am