Woodcock Wednesday

As I finished photographing the leaves I posted yesterday, I heard a leaf being crunched behind me. I turned and saw this Woodcock (Scolopax minor) wobbling along. Before the bird settled down, I had a fine view of its beautiful cinnamon-tinged belly.
This has been the third weekend in a row I’ve seen Woodcock in Green-Wood. A week ago, there were half a dozen. This past Sunday, this was the only one I saw, or heard. Green-Wood is a good place to avoid the Woodcock hunting season in NYS.