The Athens Area Birders went on their “Nightfall on The Ridges” walk tonight to search for American Woodcock. We were rewarded by two woodcocks peenting from the ground. 19:41 sunset, 19:51 first pent call, 20:06 first flight display. 

Before the courtship flight display, the peenting male closer to us flew horizontally and low towards the other male, voicing what AllAboutBirds.org calls "growling challenge call", a mechanical rattle, then returned to its peenting site, showing its silhouette with the long beak against the evening sky. This rattle call is apparently not often heard, it was a first for those present. The other bird was successfully chased off and was not heard after.  

Best birding, 

Dr. Stefan Gleissberg
Athens Area Birders
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