They're Back! Welcome American Robins

American Robins have newly arrived. Welcome spring!

 

Worm Moon of March Look Tonight

 Last night's full moon, is called the "Worm Moon" because it is the time of year when worms appear as the soil warms. How appropriate then that last night I listened to American Woodcocks "peent" and display on our field, as they eat lots of earthworms. This morning there are 40 American Robins in the rain in our field also eating earthworms. Other Native American names for the March full moon are the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, and Crow Comes Back Moon. This morning an Adult Bald Eagle sat in a tree next to the field. It knew. Nature watching is magical and can bring joy any time of day, especially at night. Nikon P950 photo on "moon" setting.

American Woodcocks Have Returned!

 

American Woodcock

Feeds by probing in the muddy ground for earthworms

Last year about this time, in our field, at dusk, we heard an American Woodcock calling it's peculiar, nasal "peent" sound. I looked through my binoculars, and could actually see the bird in the dim light. Wow, what a great bird!! Those shoe button eyes on top of its head allow it to look for predators while it feeds on earthworms with its bill stuck in the ground. One of the most astounding things about woodcocks is the males' courtship display, which is exactly what our bird was doing. After giving multiple "peents" he rose in the air in a spiral, hundreds of feet high and you could hear his wings making a twittering sound. At the very top of his flight, he made a canary-like chirping for several seconds, as he began his descent. After landing, he began his "peent" calls again. Male woodcocks do courtship displays, at dusk and dawn, in open fields, hoping to attract as many females as they can. Females go to the fields, mate with a male, then go into the woods and nest and raise the young by themselves. The young are born fully feathered and can walk and soon feed themselves. Woodcocks nest in much of the eastern part of the country. If you live near open fields you can go and listen for woodcock displays and witness this amazing woodcock behavior for yourself.