northeast-flora-and-fauna

Here's someone I didn't expect to see (and barely did see, as you'll be able to tell from my photo): an American Woodcock . I have to admit I'm not sure how these birds operate. They eat worms and other invertebrate from the ground, using their long beaks to explore under leaves and other debris. And they are apparently in NJ during the winter. But they're supposed to be susceptible to starvation if there's snow cover or temperatures that freeze the ground, so I'm not sure how they make it through a historical NJ winter. [1] They're known for the male's elaborate courting ritual , though that's more of an early spring activity. I'm skeptical I'd see that in December even if a male and female were in this area. Woodcocks are technically shorebirds , but that indicates who their relatives are, not how they live. Their closest North American relative is the Wilson's Snipe . Here's my picture of the little fella, surprisingly well ca...