The Lloyd Center for the Environment will be hosting an Early Spring Woodcock Walk on Tuesday, March 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Lloyd Center Research Associate Jamie Bogart will lead the walk to look for the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) courtship flights, an aerial event known as a sign of spring that occurs across open landscapes, often before the last snows have melted. Woodcocks are shorebirds, but forests are integral to their nesting ecology.

Participants will be able to experience the spectacle at Noquochoke Wildlife Management Area in North Dartmouth, a known staging area and site where the state manages habitat specifically for woodcocks. 

The first hour of the walk will involve exploring the site for other bird activity that may occur at dusk. In case an owl is in the area, Bogart will play tapes of owl calls to try and get a response. Afterwards walkers will settle in to watch and hear the main event, woodcocks performing their aerial displays. A packet of background material about woodcocks will also be provided. Participants should dress warmly and bring (if available) a camera, binoculars, flashlight, and chair.

This walk is appropriate for those aged 16 and older. Inclement weather date is Wednesday, March 25. The cost of this trip is $10 for Lloyd Center members and $13 for non-members. Pre-registration is required by noon on Tuesday, March 24.  Space is limited to 20, so early registration is recommended.

Participants will meet at the Noquochoke Wildlife Management Area in Dartmouth. For more background information about woodcocks, visit timberdoodle.org.

To learn more about this event or to pre-register, visit the Lloyd Center’s website at lloydcenter.org. Contact Jamie at (508) 990-0505 x23 or jbogart@lloydcenter.org for specific questions about the program.