Wind & American Woodcock Displays (2 Viewers)

[MMcD]

Does anyone know how windy is too windy for American Woodcocks to do their display?

I’m hoping to see them before it gets too late in the season, but all I can find online is “calm”

Forecasts this weekend are all calling for ~6-7 mph wind.

Is that too windy?

It’s a bit of a drive to a reliable field, so I’m not sure how many tries I’ll get.

 

[abirdingguy]

Based on personal experience, 6-7 mph wind will not prevent them from displaying. I'm not sure where the cutoff is, but it needs to be rather gusty before they give up on the displays. Again this is just based on some personal observations.

 

[MMcD]

Based on personal experience, 6-7 mph wind will not prevent them from displaying. I'm not sure where the cutoff is, but it needs to be rather gusty before they give up on the displays. Again this is just based on some personal observations.

Thanks! We tried last night and were treated to still air and a gorgeous sunset… but only a few peents and the sound of one unseen aerial display.

I guess a little wind doesn’t preclude displays, but no wind doesn’t guarantee them! 😅

Fingers crossed for next time.

 

[Scott98]

going on 2-hour walk tonight to try to see them - darkness seems to be more of a problem than wind for me.

 

[MMcD]

going on 2-hour walk tonight to try to see them - darkness seems to be more of a problem than wind for me.

Good luck!

 

[abirdingguy]

I find that the only display for around a half hour and don't start until a bit after sunset. Offhand, I would guess that it is often 15 minutes past sunset before they really get going.

 

[Scott98]

no woodcocks last night - it may have been too cold for them? Big warmup is coming, we'll see if that gets them going

 

[abirdingguy]

Not too long ago, there was a night were they were putting on a decent display with temps near freezing and 10-15 mph wind. Maybe finding a good habitat for them is a bigger key.

 

[abirdingguy]

Not too long ago, there was a night were they were putting on a decent display with temps near freezing and 10-15 mph wind. Maybe finding a good habitat for them is a bigger key.

 

[MMcD]

Not too long ago, there was a night were they were putting on a decent display with temps near freezing and 10-15 mph wind. Maybe finding a good habitat for them is a bigger key.

Luck seems to be a pretty big factor. We went to two spots that were known to be quite active and had no luck… then I went back to the first and had an incredible experience where I got buzzed by flying woodcocks multiple times (just above eye level, and within 8’… so close I could see their face). Lots of peents and unseen displays too. As far as I can tell the conditions were pretty similar each night (clear, not cold, and near-calm), so… ???

I just keep thinking about a man last summer who saw my binoculars and demanded to know why there were no ducks on the river. “I dunno,” I told him, “they do what they want to do…”

 

[Scott98]

It's interesting, they seem to have passed through here (Massachusetts), I'm hearing them much less over the last week than the 2 weeks before.

I was very sorry to see this in the news - people are still hunting and eating these birds? I thought it must be a typo - but it looks like it's true:

https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2023/03/nj-conservation-groups-irate-over-state-agencys-forest-clearance-work/