Something you don't see every day.

[Terrierman]

Bedroom window facing front porch stays open all the time so the cat can come and go.  But this is no cat.  And it's a new one on me for sure.  Dogs heard it come in and went nuts.  So I had to go see what was up.  Bird was not injured, fanned its tail and flew a bit before I could perform C&R.  Flew away after another fanning moment.  Wild!!!

[Quillback]

Looks like a woodcock.  They migrate through here in the fall, there are people that hunt them.  It is something like a 2 week window before they are gone.  To get one in your house is pretty wild.

[nomolites]

It is, and they are quite delicious - used to pick up a few every fall hunting the swampy MO river bottoms, but it sure has been a long time since I have seen one.  Neat!

Mike

[Terrierman]

I let a part of our place be wild.  I've seen woodcock here before but never in the house.  Feels kind of good to know they're around.

[Nick Adams]

3 hours ago, Terrierman said:

Feels kind of good to know they're around.

This will sound stupid, but when I moved to the house we're in now, robins started nesting on our downspouts but no one else's. I always felt like we must be doing something right if some creature wanted to start a family in our yard. We have at least 1 nest every year and my neighbors don't. Who knows? Maybe they know something we don't.

[BilletHead]

Indeed pretty neat @Terrierman. I have shot several and yes tasty. I like timberdoodles. 

  Not trying to hijack your thread Rick but something else you didn't see much of anymore. No not the snipe but the snipe hunter. I went last Friday to a place I had been seeing several. Two times I had walked into the upper part of a pond in a swampy area. Flushed a bunch of snipe. Some would work high and far out then return. I went back and walked in this time armed with a improved cylinder and 8s. Three circled back and three went down. Fast little suckers I'm telling you. Took me six shots for the three. From what I read that is good shooting. I know have six bites of protein and feathers for snipe and purple soft hackles. 😄

[snagged in outlet 3]

4 hours ago, nomolites said:

It is, and they are quite delicious - used to pick up a few every fall hunting the swampy MO river bottoms, but it sure has been a long time since I have seen one.  Neat!

Mike

I did too.  What is now earth city and the casino in Maryland heights. 

[nomolites]

18 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I did too.  What is now earth city and the casino in Maryland heights. 

Just north where the Mills/Industrial park are now and Cowmire creek comes through. Been a minute.

Mike

[fishinwrench]

I've done a lot of bird hunting in Mo. Tn. & Ga. in the past.

Never once got a shot at a woodcock 🤷‍♂️  

Probably wouldn't have recognized one if one had ever got up. 

I did however have a conversation with one in an outhouse while I was pooping.  I thought it was a whippoorwill 😂 Because I had never actually seen one of those either, at the time. 

 He likely took offense at some idiot with his pants down calling him "Mr.Whipporwill". 🙄 

[jdmidwest]

They sound like a cricket when flushed, funny noise.