Search This Blog

Thursday, March 1, 2018

First Gobbling, First Woodcock (Blog 381)

Yesterday, February 28, brought the first gobble of the morning, here in Southwest Virginia. I was out walking when I heard a distant jake sound off.  Not quite believing my ears, I paused for several minutes, then yelped with my mouth. 

Nothing answered, so I resumed my walk feeling that I had misinterpreted what I thought I had heard. However, three minutes later, the jake gobbled again, and this time there was no mistaking the sound. I again yelped and again no response. Several minutes later, the young tom belted out one more gobble.

This morning brought a cool rain and 50 degree temperatures in Botetourt County. While I was tending to our chickens, I heard the distant sounds of a woodcock doing his aerial mating dance. Two sure signs of onrushing spring are gobbling toms and the return of woodcocks.

No comments:

Post a Comment