Day 18.068: American woodcocks in the evening

Our nature group had an extra outing this evening to Emmons Preserve in Kennebunkport specifically to try to catch the display of the American woodcock. They display a little after sunset in the spring. Of course the time of day makes it a challenge to capture much.

This was our view as we first heard them arrive:

And here is the bird we watched:

I took a better photo last time I saw some.

We heard it calling - a repetitive buzzer sound - sometimes making out a sonorous hiccup sound just before it.  Here is a little video for the sound experience:

We also witnessed its display flight - more heard than seen after the first time as the light faded - a twittering sound as it spirals up and then a descending pew-pew-pew as it came down again - right back to the same spot to start its buzzing again.

It was a wonderful and strange experience.