Did You Know?

The flexible tip of the American Woodcock's bill is specialized for catching earthworms. The bird probably feels worms as it probes in the ground. A woodcock may rock its body back and forth without moving its head as it slowly walks around, stepping heavily with its front foot. This action may make worms move around in the soil, increasing their detectablity.

Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Woodcock Mating Season

By Paul Lauenstein
March 26, 2007

The woodcocks (also known as bogsuckers or timberdoodles) are now doing their mating ritual. To see them, park at the soccer field gravel parking lot on Gavins Pond Road at 7:15 p.m. (a little later every day as the days get longer), walk across the street and listen quietly for a distinctive nasal "peent" repeated every 15-30 seconds. Then you'll hear a creaky whirring of wings as the bird takes flight and ascends several hundred feet in a wide spiral. When the bird reaches its highest point, the creaky whirring sound changes to intermittent creaking sounds as it tumbles almost straight down to earth again. A short time after landing you'll hear a "peent" again as the sequence starts over.

You can also witness the woodcock ritual in the field beside the access road to Well #5 on the left side of Gavins Pond Road around the bend about a quarter mile from South Main Street. Just park near the gate and walk in about 50 to 100 yards or so.

Tick repellent is recommended if you intend to walk into the field, but it is not necessary to do so to witness the woodcocks. Bring binoculars if you want a better look, but they fly fast and are hard to track in the dusk.

This phenomenon should continue every evening, depending on the weather, for the next few weeks.

If you want a guided tour, call me at 781-784-2986.

Paul Lauenstein

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