Timberdoodle Tumble at the Leonard Preserve

From Birds in Literature by Abby Churchill, 1911: “How many evenings have I tempted malaria germs. . . . to watch the woodcock perform his strange sky dance! He begins on the ground with a formal, periodic peent, peent. It is repeated several times before he springs from the ground and on whistling wings sweeps out on the first loop of a spiral which may take him three hundred feet from the ground. Faster and faster he goes, louder and shriller sounds his wing-song; then after a moments pause, with darting, headlong flight, he pitches in zigzags to the earth, uttering as he falls a clear, twitter-ing whistle.”

Have you ever wanted to see a Timberdoodle Tumble? Join Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation naturalist Kelsey Dehring Saturday, April 16 from 7:45 to 9 pm in the Leonard Preserve. As the sun sets over open fields, experience the delightful aerial display of the American Woodcock, also known as a timberdoodle. During spring nights the males perform an elaborate routine to impress females, providing a quirky sign of spring that you don’t want to miss!

The Leonard Preserve parking lot is located at 375 N Union St. Please wear waterproof boots, as parts of the trail can be very wet and muddy. This event is limited to 15 people. Pre-registration is required. Email dehringk@washtenaw.org to register.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.