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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail-45--264375147 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Remember my note about pheasant courtship (male) in Wolfville a day or two ago? Well, the fall "testicular recrudescence" in males may be one explanation for Billy's intriguing sighting. This means that in males (and females too?), coincident with changing day-length as in Spring, in Autumn birds experience regrowth of gonads and production of hormones -- witness singing in many species, drumming in ruffed grouse, etc. Thus perhaps that woodcock was a male and showing some territoriality. Many of us have experienced or heard about the prancing that males do on the ground in the Spring (before and after the aerial displays) Alternatively, perhaps, the spot where it was flushed was a favourite feeding/foraging area that he? didn't wish to give up? Other comments? Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. Begin forwarded message: > From: bdigout@seaside.ns.ca > Date: October 6, 2012 5:17:37 PM ADT > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: [NatureNS] odd woodcock behavior > Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Today, while walking through some alders in Oban, Rich. Co., I > flushed a > woodcock from under my feet. It flew a few feet into the air, then > came > down in almost the same spot. When I moved again, it flew a few feet > ahead and came down and started "strutting" like a turkey or ruffed > grouse, with its tail fanned outward and upward. This is the first > time > I've seen this behavior. Does anybody know why it would do this, > especially this time of year? > Billy > --Apple-Mail-45--264375147 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> Remember my note about pheasant courtship (male) in Wolfville a day or = two ago? Well, the fall "testicular recrudescence" in males may be = one explanation for Billy's intriguing sighting. This means that = in males (and females too?), coincident with changing day-length as in = Spring, in Autumn birds experience regrowth of gonads and production of = hormones -- witness singing in many species, drumming in ruffed grouse, = etc. Thus perhaps that woodcock was a male and showing some = territoriality. Many of us have experienced or heard about the = prancing that males do on the ground in the Spring (before and after the = aerial displays) Alternatively, perhaps, the spot where it was = flushed was a favourite feeding/foraging area that he? didn't wish to = give up?<div><br></div><div>Other = comments?</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. = <br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica"><a = href=3D"mailto:bdigout@seaside.ns.ca">bdigout@seaside.ns.ca</a></font></di= v><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica">October 6, 2012 5:17:37 PM ADT</font></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font = face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a = href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>= </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>[NatureNS] odd woodcock = behavior</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: = #000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a = href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>= </div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> <div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; ">Today, while walking through some alders in Oban, = Rich. Co., I flushed a</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">woodcock from under my = feet.<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </span>It flew a few = feet into the air, then came</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">down in = almost the same spot.<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> = </span>When I moved again, it flew a few feet</div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; ">ahead and came down and started "strutting" like a = turkey or ruffed</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">grouse, with its tail fanned = outward and upward.<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> = </span>This is the first time</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I've seen = this behavior.<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space"> </span>Does = anybody know why it would do this,</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">especially = this time of year?</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Billy</div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bott