New date & time:
March 19 | 7:45-8:45 p.m.
Because Sunday evening will likely be rainy and/or windy, we’re moving our American Woodcock watch to Thursday, March 19, starting at 7:45 p.m. (NOTE this is a slightly later time than originally scheduled).
As announced previously, we’ll be heading 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 7:45 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 Thursday evening will be chilly, so be sure to wear warm clothes and rubber boots, and be prepared to stand for a while in the dwindling light 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 