I arrived at the field adjacent to Mohawk Road near the intersection of Snyder Rd. at 7:30pm. The evening skies were cloudy. The first Peent was heard at 7:39pm. The well spaced peents were sounding more like "Wheent.....Wheent". Soon followed the Song Flight/ aerial displays. The chirping,and wing twittering was an auditory delight. The peenting was close and loud enough to be successfully recorded on my phone. I've witnessed the AMERICAN WOODCOCK aerial displays several times in the past, but this was the best show ever! I was able to clearly see each entire display over and over again as the male(s) ascended each time directly over my head. They are amazing to watch as their wings flutter and sputter as they complete their loops and zig-zags. I was treated to 10-12 sky dance performances. Near the end of the show suddenly two woodcocks zipped right over me very close together making a completely different sound. It was a vibrating "Whomp-whomp-whomp-whomp-whomp". After reading Birds of North America Online http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna I think it was likely one male chasing another male but that is a guess. That was the first time I've seen that behavior. I'm glad I always stay to the end of any kind of performance. One never wants to leave early and miss the encore. The show ended at 8:09pm. I thank the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Spring Field Ornithology class http://birds.cornell.edu/sfo and Dr. Steve Kress for first introducing me to the woodcock flight display phenomena several years ago. Checking out this woodcock ritual has now become one of my favorite Springtime rituals.
---- Lee Ann van Leer -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
