The last few mornings, well before sunrise (e.g., 5:00 AM – 6:00 AM), staff have noticed a recurring, almost insect-like call outside BirdingPI.com headquarters in Millcreek Twp, at a time of year in the Erie area when no, or few, insects are present (due to recent and ongoing below-freezing temperatures). A call very similar to that recently audially witnessed out at Presque Isle State Park and identified (via two sightings and the ChirpOMatic iOS app) as an American Woodcock.
Audio capture and analysis again this morning, again using ChirpOMatic, quickly indicated American Woodcock, in the “Almost Certainly” category:
A clip of the recording is copied above – much better quality than at Presque Isle. (Turn the volume way up.)
No reason American Woodcock wouldn’t be present in Millcreek Twp, but it’s still unprecedented for BirdingPI.com. This is very exciting.
Breaking out a Nikon Z5 with a Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 lens, staff tried to capture some low-light shots in case the bird in question was perched in the open. Which, admittedly, is unlikely considering that Woodcocks mostly stick to the underbrush. The following are ‘dialed all the way up’ for brightness and exposure in post-production:
Further investigation and research is warranted for confirming – hopefully via pictures – this fascinating occurrence!
[Editor’s note: despite appearances, this post is not an April Fool’s joke. That being said, handheld use of a Nikon Z5 for ‘night vision’ photos is completely ridiculous.]
[Photo Editor’s note: to avoid confusion, the Nikon Z5 takes excellent low-light photos when used with a tripod/stabilization, an appropriate lens, and the right settings.]