ML140662991

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

*amazing experience; seeing a bird I simply cannot identify is always a thrill, especially in Massachusetts. In this case, the female woodcock flew right up underfoot, with its body puffed out and with a mothlike hovering flight that made it just levitate in front of me as a clear distraction display flight. I honestly thought it was a juvie Ruffed Grouse, partly because I simply could not figure it out. Ian called it out as a woodcock which suddenly snapped me back to reality. We easily found the two chicks while the presumed female gave wing flopping broken wing displays on the ground and effectively lured us out in the bogs, only to return to the chicks when we weren't looking. She eventually got the chicks to safety and would flush more easily to lead us away from them. My first ever woodcock chicks and first time a bird I should recognize has completely stumped me with excellent looks since the Common Quail in the UK in 2011 !

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 70D

Lens

EF500mm f/4L IS USM

ISO

1000

Focal length

500 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/4.0

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

4879 pixels x 2931 pixels

Original file size

5.45 MB