Anyone else seeing/hearing American woodcock?

[hazelrunmama]

We usually see a few each year and occasionally will be treated to a peenting/skydancing male based back in the meadow, but this year we've had them consistently--as many as 5 displaying males at a time!  I hope that means their numbers are up!  I've read that they've been on the decline the past few years.  The mild winter was evidently good for them.

[downylover]

I had no idea what they looked like (I just looked them up). I've never seen one. How great that you have 5+! I hope they stick around for you.

[hazelrunmama]

I wish they would, but typically, the males stop displaying once the fems are off nesting. The females are pretty hard to spot on the nest, so we usually don't see any again until the fall, when we run into them in the woods. They're startling--if they're holding well, you have to almost step on them to get them to fly, and when they flush from under your feet, it almost stops your heart! LOL