Road warrior woodcocks

My Prospect coworkers had a field day spotting AMERICAN WOODCOCK. Of four likely birds seen this morning, three were on the road or path as their vehicle approached the bird. As it usually happens when it's a blizzard in March when these birds migrate, the numbers can be pretty darn good. It makes us wonder how many more there are in Prospect today.

The first report came from my coworker Mary K. She found one in the Vale of Cashmere south entrance adjacent to the Zucker rustic playground. I went to investigate with my coworker and we had no trouble finding this bird. It was on the pedestrian path to the left of the Zucker cardboard sign.I didn't have my binoculars at the the time, but against the snow backdrop, the woodcock was an easy mark.

Then a short while later , two other coworkers--both named David-- texted me they flushed one on the back service road descending from the Litchfield Villa. It went farther down the road where the truck as it must pass flushed the road hogging woodcock that flew into the wood across the park drive north of the Picnic House.A DO Not Enter sign was opposite the woodcock area.
 This was the bird I saw well with Chris. Chris spotted it as I mentioned just look for a spot on the snow and almost immediately he said "There it is!" Though we were a distance away, we both saw the woodcock fly several times before it landed near a tree. From the drive both of us with my bins now got incredulous looks at the resting bird comfortable near the the tree.

Then another report!  Mary K said she was stopped by a passerby familiar with the species who spotted one on the Peninsula south shore. I thought this was enough until the David team reported the 4th bird.

This time, the 4th Woodcock was again found on the pedestrian path that runs between the Picnic House and Tennis House. (Just above the area local birders call the Sparrow Bowl).
 The woodcock rested by a drain next to a boulder before it flew towards the Picnic House just 15 minutes before our noon lunchtime.

Besides the Timberdoodle craze, a KILLDEER was also hogging the road, maybe taking cue from those crazy woodcocks. Driving  along the Center Drive, the David Coworkers team in their truck just came upon the Killdeer being chased a juvenile RED TAILED HAWK before the truck sort of "saved" the plover from being eaten.

So now I'm thinking of getting my coworkers to participate as a birdathon team for their fantastic luck and good eyes. Timberdoodle  power to them !

Zucker Woodcock, cell phone photo by Mary K.around 830 am.