Back yard visitor

[Lee Schierer]

Yesterday I looked out the back window of the house and spotted this guy on the edge of our back yard. My dog (a Brittany) finds them when we walk in the back field and we only rarely see them in the open. We have had nesting pairs back behind the house for many years. It stayed there for over a half hour before walking off. I was able to get close enough for a decent photo.
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For those that don't know, it is an American Woodcock or Timberdoodle. They like the edges of wetlands and reverting farm fields. They probe the soil for worms.

[Rob Luter]

As a lad of about 8 I was out bird hunting with my Dad and his buddy in Northern Michigan. I was too young to carry a gun yet so I just walked along behind them. I glanced down to my right and a Woodcock was hunkered down between two tree roots, frozen like a statue. I didn't know what it was. I reached down and grabbed it and showed it to my Dad. Boy was he surprised. He bragged to his buddy that his kid got the first bird of the day without firing a shot. I was a bit alarmed when he dispatched it against the barrel of his gun and stuffed it in his game pouch. I prefer to watch and feed the birds now as opposed to hunting.

[Mark Bolton]

Use to have woodcock at my property in WV and would see them often years and years ago. I have not seen one in ages. Always amazed me when I would see chefs cooking them up. Looked about like barely a chicken wings worth of meat for all the work.

Super cool to see. Brings back memories