Hidden American Woodcocks
March is the month for the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) as the species heads north to (hopefully) unfrozen earth, with males arriving as quickly as they can to set up on the best territory for their legendary display flights. This year’s polar lock on the region may slow them down as feeding will be very difficult, if not impossible, for another week or two at least. Open fields and meadows adjacent to wetlands, marshes and scrubby/shrubby lands are good places to wait for their evening aerial dances later in the month. I photographed these two birds in the early winter, long...
Read MoreSnowy Wetlands
If you can manage to discover any open wetlands in January where water still flows you may be in a store for a treat when it comes to some of the hidden birds in and around this habitat. Natural springs may run even when the temperature is well below freezing. Some streams find a way to keep warm and draw in wildlife, too. The tiny Winter Wren can be found in a place like this, hopping from rock to rock. One may turn up a very well hidden American Woodcock using the exposed earth to search for earthworms. Ruby-crowned Kinglets may be feeding at eye-level as they hope for insects in the air...
Read MoreThe unique American Woodcock
American Woodcocks (Scolopax minor) are so very unique. They are shorebirds that live in the forest, foraging in the leaf litter, or old fields. They take flight in astoundingly graceful courtship displays each year around this date on the calendar when the evenings begin to warm up. As you can see in both this photo and the subsequent videos they have tremendously evolved features such as that enormous eye that seems like it can spot you at 360 degrees at all times and a body pattern that makes them almost invisible to our eyes, even up close. You may have already seen this video we posted...
Read MoreAmerican Woodcock walk
American Woodcock are calling and displaying tonight in Chautauqua County! It won’t be long until we start seeing them dancing and doing the woodcock walk…Twan took this sensational video and I defy you not to smile and laugh.
Read More“Birds, Blooms, Butterflies, and Amphibian Breeders” field trip series
“Birds, Blooms, Butterflies, and Amphibian Breeders” field trip series – April and May 2014 Springtime Field Experiences of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History Co-led by Mark Baldwin and Terry Mosher These field trips are for all levels of experience and are limited to the first 20 who register. The nominal fee of $20 for each trip helps defray the cost of transportation provided. All trips leave promptly from the RTPI parking lot at the start times indicated. To register, call or email Mark Baldwin at 716-665-2473, ext. 228 or mbaldwin@rtpi.org Woodcock, Vernal Pool, and...
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