Laura Erickson's For the Birds

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A real first!

American Woodcock by Laura Erickson
American Woodcock, a photo by Laura Erickson on Flickr.

For the first time in my life, I called in several woodcocks tonight! Really! And I wasn't trying to disturb them.

I was walking down my mother-in-law's driveway a little bit after sunset. It was too light for woodcock to start calling—or so I thought. But I was telling my dog Photon how we were going to hear them again tonight (we do this every year) and reminded her what they sound like. "Beep.....Beep.....Beep." And suddenly one started peenting maybe six feet away, and then another, and another. One flew right past my face, and then another did. Holy crap! I quieted right down. I mean really—woodcock respond to my saying "beep"? Who knew?!