Square Meadow, Charlotte

I went out to listen for birds from dusk until just after proper dark last night at Square Meadow in Charlotte. It was cloudy, humid, about 50 degrees, and raining lightly. Because of the recent rains, the meadow was very wet, and there was standing water in a few spots. The vegetation is mainly grass (not sure what kind), with some slightly sturdier plants interspersed. The meadow is bounded by dense shrubs on one side, pines on one side, spruces on another, and aspens mixed with shrubs on another.

As I started walking across the field headed northeast, I heard an American Woodcock peenting (even though it sounds more like a beep to me), and adjusted course a little east to see if I could find it. As I headed towards the eastern edge of the meadow, I heard the peculiar whistling sound that Woodcock make with their wings as they're displaying, and realized that there were a few Woodcock. As I reached the eastern edge of the meadow, about three quarters of the way up, a third Woodcock flew out of the shrubs and right over my head. Evidently, I had interrupted a party. So, I decided to impose myself on them just a little more and waited for the first Woodcock I had heard to stop peenting and start displaying again. Once it took off, I walked (very quietly) towards the spot from which I thought it had taken off, and in about 30 seconds, it returned, this time about 15 feet from me.

I spent about 20 minutes listening to, and trying to watch, the Woodcock peenting, dancing, and doing their aerial displays. While I was creeping around their display grounds trying to get just a little bit closer, I heard some owls: two Eastern Screech-Owls, a Barred Owl, and a Great Horned Owl. It seemed as if the Eastern Screech-Owls might have been calling to each other, and although I only heard one of each, I suspect that the Great Horned and Barred Owls were looking for a mate, at the minimum, if not letting their mates know where they are.
Because I was only listening for birds, and mostly unable to see them, all of the behaviors that I observed (calling and displaying) were related to mate selection, although I didn't observe anything that pertained, in particular, to nest selection or territory selection.
Mini Activity: I heard 4 species from my spot near the edge of Square Meadow, the American Woodcock, Eastern Screech-Owl, Barred Owl, and Great Horned Owl. I believe, although it can be hard to tell when going by sound alone, that I heard five Woodcock, two Screech-Owls, one Barred Owl, and one Great Horned Owl.

Publicado el abril 22, 2019 04:49 TARDE por trmcgrade trmcgrade

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Chocha del Este (Scolopax minor)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Chocha del Este (Scolopax minor)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Chocha del Este (Scolopax minor)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Chocha del Este (Scolopax minor)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Chocha del Este (Scolopax minor)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Tecolote del Este (Megascops asio)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

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Tecolote del Este (Megascops asio)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

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Qué

Búho Barrado (Strix varia)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 21, 2019

Fotos / Sonidos

No hay fotos o sonidos

Qué

Búho Cornudo (Bubo virginianus)

Observ.

trmcgrade

Fecha

Abril 2019

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