Timberdoodles

This morning I couldn't sleep so I headed over to work early. When I arrived at 5:30 it was still dark and I was excited to be greeted by the sound of displaying American Woodcocks (bog suckers or Timberdoodles). These dumpy round birds with long bills only call and display at night. One was calling down by the creek, with its high nasal "bzeent" call like a nighthawk. Another was flying around overhead making the display that sounds like a small conveyor belt coming apart. (Listen to sounds here, here, here, or here.)

Very cool way to start the day, with the pre-dawn calls of the Timberdoodle.