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Woodcock



Greetings...
    While watching activity at our feeders Thursday (01/27/00) I noticed
motion in the leaves at the rear border of our property and the wooded
wetlands beyond. It was a woodcock, making his way very slowly along the
edge, staying in the leaves and under the overhang of wax myrtle shrubs,
about 50 feet distant. We watched the bird for fully 20 minutes through 8x40
binoculars and a 20x spotter 'scope. Unmistakable was a fluid, bobbing
motion of the woodcock's body as at moved along among the leaves. He would
move forward a foot or two, bobbing as he went. Then he would stop and
remain motionless for a few seconds. Then more bobbing as he resumed forward
progress. When motionless, the bird virtually disappeared in the leaves. At
first I thought the bobbing, rolling motion might improve the bird's visual
depth perception, but on close examination, I saw that when bobbing, only
the bird's body moved; not the head.
    Can anyone  offer an explanation as to the reason for the bobbing
motion? Is this kind of behavior related in any way to tail bobbing of
phoebe, hermit thrush, palm warbler, etc?
    I'll be very interested in your thoughts. Thanks.

John Register
Washington  NC
register@tri-countynet.net