March 15 | 7:30-8:45
On Sunday, March 15, we’ll head to Cooper Farm (a Ball State University property) to look for male American Woodcocks performing their amazing aerial mating display.
Meet at Cooper Farm, 5800 W. Bethel Ave., Muncie, at 7:30 p.m. Please park in the gravel lot next to the house, not by the barn.
We’ll walk a short distance to the viewing area, but the path is often muddy and the weather unpredictable in mid-March, so be sure to wear warm clothes (possibly rain gear) and rubber boots, and be prepared to stand for a while in the dwindling twilight as we wait for the birds to begin their display. Also, bring a head lamp or flashlight and, of course, binoculars.
A special treat is that Kamal Islam—ornithologist and board member of our Audubon chapter—will be on hand to help us spot the birds and tell us about woodcock behavior! Audubon magazine also offers great information about woodcock courtship, and Sibley Guides has a useful diagram of the birds’ flight path.
(Photo of American Woodcock by John Toth /Audubon Photography Awards)
Robert Cooper Audubon Society 