Timberdoodle..Yep , thats the moniker often applied to the American Woodcock.Its a funny name, and i wondered why. I mean , if you look at the bird and the way it behaves when spotted, you can't hold back the inner amusement . This morning, while picking up new plants for our planting site on Lookout Hill, a chunky bird flew behind my back , spotted by my coworker. .It landed among the leaf clutter along the chain link fence of our nursery area -the Propagation site- near the 9th Street entrance. I watched with amusement as the Woodcock sauntered along slowly with its odd gait , then it sat down, camouflaged so well among the leaves. Really cool to see.
This is also a day of the Ring-Necked Duck, besides 7 seen by Mary Eyster at the Lower Pool,I found 11 more on Prospect Lake, along the western shore. 5 drakes and 6 hen seemed tame enough to hug the shore even though they have wild dispositions. To cap off a nice day, early spring's omen is the return of swallows, especially when one is Barn Swallow, one bird i caught sight of flying over the Lake during my lunch hour. On the way back to my office, two adult Black- crowned night herons stood motionless above the back shore of Duck Island, while the Great Blue Heron near them didn't care about being in the open,apparently.
American Woodcock -9th Street Propsite west fence
Barn Swallow- flyover- Lake
Ring-necked Duck - 11 Lake, 7 Lower Pool ( M.Eyster) total 18
Ruddy Duck - easily 60 Lake
Northern Shoveler- easily 40 Lake
Black Duck
Coots- 6 Lake
DC Cormorant- 1 West Island
Mallards
Herring Gull- easily 45 Lake
Ring-billed Gull
Mute Swan - 2 Lake
Canada Goose- 120 Lake
Grackles Rink Cove (12)and feeders ( 6)
Red-winged Blackbird- feeders ( 15)
Downy WP -feeders
American Goldfinch-feeders
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow- feeders
Dark Eyed Junco Propsite
House Finch- feeders
BC Chickadee- feeders
Cardinal
Red-tailed Hawk -Lake( took a swipe at Ruddy Ducks which ducked underwater)
Great Egret- Lullwater near rink
Great Blue Heron - Duck Island
Black-crowned Night Heron- 2 back shore duck island
