Recap of Great Meadows, Woodcock, and Dinner TalK
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
Photos and Field Trip Notes
An intrepid group of Spark Birders led by Peter Alden and Lillian Stokes braved a cold, clear, but beautiful late afternoon and evening to find ducks and woodcocks. We started at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, which was cock-full of newly arrived Red-winged Blackbirds whose singing males posed on cattails every 1/4 acre staking out their territories, ever hopeful that soon-arriving females would choose them. A distant immature and adult Bald Eagle scavenged on perhaps a dead fish.
Migrating ducks were plentiful, and we spotted 40 Ring-necked Ducks and 10 Common Goldeneyes on their way to northern breeding grounds. There were a few Hooded Mergansers and some colorful Wood Ducks that breed in the duck boxes provided by the refuge.
The Illusive American Woodcock
Onward we went to the display ground of an American Woodcock on a lawn behind the birth house of Henry David Thoreau. Under a nearing full moon, we listened at dusk and heard distant “peent” calls of male Woodcocks. The usual male was AWOL from our spot on this frigid night, so we missed his 200-300 feet up spiraling, twittering, display designed to woo a female who will mate with him, nest on the ground in the woods, then raise the young solo.
The consolation prize more than made up for our miss and consisted of wine, a delicious dinner provided by Peter and his half-brother, chef Richard Carey, finished with very chocolatey brownies made by Tony Troppito and “Alden” brand ice cream.
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