I'll start by saying that the DVOC gang all agree that they mystery shorebird from the last post is a Long-billed Curlew. Thanks to all who posted a comment with your thoughts. The conclusion was based on the thickness of the bill rather than the length and the overall plumage pattern.
Now on to this morning's walk. It is February in Pennsylvania but you wouldn't know it by listening to the singing birds this morning. It sounded more like spring. Roxy and I went to Pennypack Trust and had some nice interactions with Bluebirds, Song Sparrows, a flock of Turkeys and a surprise encounter with this Cooper's Hawk.
It is not unusual for a Cooper's Hawk to sit low in the woods watching for his next meal. But it is unusual for it to sit there and let me take a few photos. I had to use manual focus in order to cut through the obstructions but it is still a pretty good photo that shows the white tip of its rounded tail which is why I am calling this a Cooper rather than Sharp-shinned Hawk.
I am still trying to get a good shot of a Bluebird that shows the stunning blue.
Patty invited me to go "Woodcocking" with her at John Heinz NWR (Tinicum) last night. That sounds kind of dirty doesn't it? I hope this post doesn't get blocked from the Internet for pornography. Anyway, Barbara and I met Patty and Jenn at the end of the road at Tinicum at 6 PM on Wed and headed out into the fields with a video camera. Let's just say the videos are kind of Blair Witch Project and leave it at that.
We did see the Woodcocks displaying starting at about 6:15 PM just like Patty predicted. I think we had a total of 6 different males "peenting" and flying around but one was pretty close. Woodcocks make a peent, peent, peent call from the ground and then take off in a big spiral up, up, and away until they are out of sight. All the while, you can hear a whistling sound created by the outer feathers of his wings as he ascends. Once he is out of sight, the Woodcock plummets back to earth whistling the whole way down to cozy up to his prospective mate. "Our" Woodcock came to earth in an opening where we could actually see him through the ever-darkening evening light. Pretty cool.
Although the Blair Witchiness of the video may make you motion sick, you can actually hear the peents and whistling. Enjoy.
