Close Encounters

We have decided that we need to start taking our camera with us whenever we get into a vehicle to go ANYWHERE now.  We've actually said this to ourselves before and really didn't follow up on it.  This time, I think we might just do that - unless you think we'll "jinx" ourselves.  But, before you take a moment to advise us, let me tell you the story that led to the conclusion!

We have been playing the game Wingspan frequently now for a few years.  The relative familiarity we have with the depictions on the bird cards actually have helped us to more readily identify birds when we are out and about.  Shown above are two relatively distinctive birds.  The American Woodcock is a bird I don't think either of us thought we would ever encounter.  The Horned Lark is a bird we see every winter near the roads out by our farm - but we rarely get more than a distant viewing before the flock flies away.

Horned Lark by Jeremiah Trimble - shared at Macaulay Library

Horned Larks, for the most part, have headed north by the time we get to early March.  We might get one last viewing of a group of them on a cold, windy day in late February.  So, imagine our surprise as we rounded one of the sharp turns on the gravel road and noticed a lone Horned Lark sitting on the side of the road.  

Per the the norm, it started to flap its wings to fly away - but then it simply veered back and landed close enough for us to appreciate the bird - not more than ten to fifteen feet away.

My first thought after, "Wow! This is so cool!" was "why didn't we bring the camera, it's practically posing for us!"  Maybe Kip Ladage found the same bird later that same day?  I am pretty sure Kip wouldn't be caught without the camera - but we sure were.

This particular specimen did not have a strong manifestation of the "horns" that give it its name.  But, once it faced towards us, we could really appreciate the strong markings and even some of the yellow coloration that is often hard to see when they give you a side view like the bird shown above.

I have to admit that I worried about this particular bird a little bit.  While it seemed healthy enough and had no outward signs of illness or injury, Horned Larks are not typically loners when they visit Iowa.  They often are found in mixed flocks with Snow Buntings or Longspurs.  And it really was odd that it let us get that close in our vehicle.

We'll never know why this particular feathered friend was partaking in "alone time."  Maybe there are introverts in the bird kingdom too?  That doesn't explain its willingness to interact with us, unless we don't count as an interaction from its perspective?

Or perhaps, this bird is a bit like me - slower to accept change and will move on when its darned well ready - thankyouverymuch!

American Woodcock by Ryan Sanderson - Macaulay Library

As we play the Wingspan game, we often look at the American Woodcock and think how strange that bird looks.  I think we both discounted the possibility of our ever seeing one and just chalked it up to the "it exists, but we'll never have personal evidence that it does."

Believe it or not, we had a similar drive-by experience with a Woodcock on this same gravel road (but a little bit further east).  There is a wooded area that was being partially cleared, so I wonder if the disturbance of its home resulted in a confused bird sitting on the road.

Tammy was driving and I was looking the other way.  Her rapid slowdown and stuttered, nonsensical noises only served to startle me.  But, it didn't startle the bird, apparently.  After a quick bit of backing up, Tammy was able to point out what had her so tongue-tied. 

There we were, only five to ten feet away from one of the strangest looking birds we had ever seen.  

American Woodcocks spend most of their time on the forest floor, using the long beak to probe for earthworms and other tasty treats.  Their eyes are positioned near the top of their head - which is where eyes need to be so they can keep an eye out (get it?) for any threat while the bird forages on the ground.  And yes, the eyes did seem a bit big for the bird.  But, that might simply be our brains making them a bit bigger because they don't feel like they quite belong where they're at!

By the time I got enough of my own senses back so I could grab my phone in an effort to take a picture, the Woodcock ALSO came to its senses and flew away.

But, we still have the memory and the story.  And we still play the game.  But, when these two birds come up, I find that I now have fond memories to attach to them.  It makes me a poorer Wingspan player because I might opt to try to play them even if it's not a good strategy.

But I'm a richer person with these stories in hand.  I prefer that to winning a board game anyway.