Friday Night Woodcock Mating Dance

This evening at dusk I witnessed more than a dozen truly spectacular aerial displays of woodcock dance and romance. Despite the light dusting of snow that still lingers on the Leelanau moraines surrounding our home, recently returned woodcock performed stunning spiral ascents minimally 150 feet high into the sky with breathtaking diving descents back to earth in clear view and within a 100 yards of my position on our home's veranda. Their beautiful peenting and soft twittering mating calls accented their aerial mating rituals more beautifully than any accompanying symphonic orchestra could ever achieve. This is one of nature's most spectacular mating rituals to ever see, and I had the priveledge to witness their beautiful romantic aerial dances from a front row seat! Before the end of April arrives, I expect to find and band a few broods of newly hatched woodcock chicks closeby our home. Tonight I was truly blessed to be allowed to witness their bedazzling mating flights--what stunning beauty!

Woodcock Return to NW Lower Michigan

They're back, even two days sooner than last year! At 8:15 pm this evening I heard the most beautiful singing of male woodcock arriving in NW Lower Michigan. I saw and heard a few males as they flew over our ridge singing to those that had already arrived on the aspen knoll on our property where the first males perennially make their arrival. No peenting calls yet, just soft, short whistle-like chorps and cheeps. My heart jumps with joy—-the woodcock have arrived!!!