I listened to the Woodcocks dancing again one night. There were at least 3 or 4 in Center Valley.
It was fun to hear them – some close, some farther away, all along the floor of the valley. Some of the information I found about them says that when they do their upward flight, they may go up 200 to 300 feet in the air. I’d love to see that, but it’s just too dark. I went out a little earlier, hoping they would start when it was light enough to use the binoculars, but it didn’t work – they wait until it’s just dark enough that I can’t see anything.

I saw a few nice birds that I couldn’t identify for sure – an owl flew over me in 3 Finger Valley – it was a large owl but I’m not sure what kind. Maybe a Barred Owl. And a fairly large falcon flew high over Sumac Bluff. I think it was a Peregrine Falcon – light striped under wings, and dark brown facial markings. It flew over the wetland and Corner View Prairie, and then kept circling up and eventually out of sight to the north.

I finally got one of my wishes – a Sandhill Crane landed in our wetland! I was keeping an eye on the fire from just above it on the hillside, when I saw a Sandhill Crane fly straight down the middle of Center Valley, just about at the level of the bluffs. It turned east, and headed up Waumandee Valley. A little later, when it hadn’t come back, I stood up to check on the fire, and a Sandhill squawked and flew up out of the wetland beyond the driveway. I don’t know if it was the same one – but it flew the other way, west along the creek. I hope a pair of them figures out what a nice wetland we have – it would be great to have a nest.