This year's American woodcock walk was scheduled about 15 days later than in previous years.  It wasn't 15 degrees warmer than past years, but we still had a great time.  Ten birders came out on this cold & overcast evening to witness the annual courtship display of the American woodcock.  

About 1oo years ago, here is how Arthur Cleveland Bent described this woodcock:

This mysterious hermit of the alders, this recluse of the boggy thickets, this wood nymph of crepuscular habits is a common bird,… widely known, but not intimately known.

Well, last night we got to know them a bit better.  And two of our group had their first exposure to this wonderful bird.

The walk started at 7:30 and we heard the first 'peents' at about 8:15.  Within about 10 minutes the flights started.  We had broken into three groups by this time and each group had nearby flights going.  We counted 12 individuals in the grassland.

One of the flyers was landing on the mown path, as they reliably do here.  Don Henise was able to get the bird in his scope so all of us could see it up close.  There was enough light to get a really good look.   Unfortunately we did not get any good pics this year, so I'm calling up one of last year's taken by Nolan.

(Nolan Williams, 2024)

We called it good and started our walk back but we had to wait for the little trail boss to launch one more time.  It was another great Woodcock tour of the Riethmiller grasslands in the Waterloo Recreation Area.  This grassland is a great spot in for Henslow, Savannah, & Grasshopper sparrows but you'll need to come back in about 40 degrees.

eBird checklist available at:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S222382165