After a successful first night, I was eager to keep going. Towards late afternoon after doing some unrelated bird work with Tara and Bruce, we realized we had just enough time to swing by a local site to listen for woodcock. Bruce had observed them there earlier in the week. So now with the season underway, we attempted to officially record them.
We drove about five minutes away from the house, parked outside an old cemetery and cut through to reach the slough (pictured in the foreground.) We settled in to wait. Song sparrows sang their hearts out as they had all day. Now we know how the Song Sparrow earned its name. Canada Geese, Mallards, and Wood Ducks called as they passed overhead. American Robins called in the thickets, a Northern Mockingbird chattered, but as long as we waited, we waited in vain. Not a woodcock tonight.
We drove up the road a bit more to another field and tried again. With the lovely weather, the woodcocks here probably decided to move on. It is the migration window and these aren’t the woodcock that will be staying. It’s early yet even when it’s really late!
Woodcock Watch NJ 