The Woodcock.

I spent some time Downtown this week- I used the 35mm that Vicki lent me as an excuse; I needed to finish the roll of film that I started in California so that the camera could be returned. Of course, I took the new Canon that I bought so that I could have something to put up on the blog.

There was a cloudy night in the plaza; it rained for most of last week and the cold weather broke while I walked through Westport and the Plaza. Halloween-ers filled the streets and I felt unusually safe in some parts of downtown where the freaks are not always so friendly. Sometimes I fear that carrying the cameras and tripod around makes me more of a target for potential crime.
I got away safe on Saturday night, when warmer air prevailed and the moon was big. I managed to get a few okay-photos, too. I did the Liberty Memorial and Union station, and cruised up to the the KC Scout for a somewhat peaceful view of the city's center

An evening with my friend Christine led to the discovery of a very confused American Woodcock stuck near the doors of a Price Chopper here in town. The bird flopped around as I approached it; it was so awkward looking and I was so excited to see one up close.

Ive done Larry's spring woodcock-walk at Jerry Smith Park several times, and have marveled at their acrobatic courting display from afar- Up close, though, they appear to be a much different creature. I flashed the palm of my left hand at an arm's reach to distract him and flung my beanie at him. The thing freaked for a second, but was caught in my hat! I stashed the bird in my arms for the walk back to the car and helped him out of the hat so that he was free in my car. Christine and I spent some more time away from the car, and I returned to find the woodcock resting in the passengers seat.

The radio popped on when I turned the key- causing the poor thing to become alert and skittish again. He flew up and to the back of the car. Several laps around my car had been flown by the time we reached home, and the woodcock had spent several blocks in my lap. I would take the bird to Lakeside Nature Centre in the morning. At Lakeside, Susan checked me in, and told me that the bird was only the second of his species to be checked into the center. (Sorry- I don't know why I decided that the thing was a he)... She saw the camera on my shoulder and asked if I expected photos of my bird. Ruth met me, and held him so that I could snap a few pics. Ruth would take the woodcock to Jerry Smith to release it if he checked out with no injuries. She flipped him upside-down to examine the under-feathers and discovered an intriguing set of short, white-tipped tail feathers. Right-side-up the bird appears round and tail feathers are hard to identify. Larry believes the bird to have been migrating and tells me that they sometimes become confused and disorientated by lights in the city....I swung by the bunny-pen to check up on Dylan, the rabbit that I caught in Holt Co., in July. He's still there!