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American Woodcock

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American Woodcock. Photo by Mike Rosengarten.

American Woodcock (Scolopax Minor) 

An Interview with Lisa Williams, Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock, and Webless Migratory Game Bird Specialist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Have you ever had the opportunity to witness the skydance courtship display of the American Woodcock?  Every spring a few lucky birders are blessed with the opportunity to witness the iconic, erratic, and twirling mating dance of the American Woodcock.  Migrant Woodcock return north from their southern wintering grounds to find suitable nesting habitat – and mates.  Woodcock find open areas on the edges of early successional habitat to feed, rest, and breed.  We were able to ask Lisa Williams, the Ruffed Grouse, Woodcock and Webless Migratory Game Bird Specialist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission a few questions about woodcock and their quirky habits, as well as get a few tips and tricks for you to see more Woodcock this spring.

Where should we look for spring woodcock?

“Flat brushy fields, brush thickets, and field edges with moist soils.”

What is the peak time?

“The best time to observe Woodcock is up to an hour after sunset.  Beginning about 20 minutes after sunset, males begin an elaborate courtship display that lasts for 30-40 minutes. They display during both twilight periods of the day (dusk and dawn), with the dusk display period lasting longer than the dawn period.  If you can position yourself to have the bird displaying between you and the western sky, you will enjoy the best views.”

When is the peak migration? 

“Peak migration is occurring now. The first wave of migrants began arriving in southern Pennsylvania in late February and birds had reached the New York border by March 10th. Migration will continue for the next month, with resident birds settling down to nest by mid-April.  

When will they nest? 

“Nesting typically begins in April, with peak nesting initiation beginning in mid-April.  Some nests can show up as early as late March, but earlier nests have a higher failure rate.”

How are Woodcock populations?  

“Slowly declining across the US due to the conversion of their brushy habitat to agriculture, or commercial/ residential development.  Brushy thickets are an ‘unloved’ habitat but are critically important to many birds.”

Is there any backyard habitat that can be done for Woodcock?  

Planting native shrubs in clumps along field edges. Woodcock nest near the open fields where the courtship displays occur. So if you have displaying woodcock on your property or in a local park, working to establish native shrubs as clumps in the field or along the perimeter is highly beneficial.  Providing native shrubs while eliminating invasive shrubs such as honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, autumn olive and barberry provides even more benefit, as there is evidence that non-native shrubs can actually reduce woodcock nest success because they form a dense canopy that can inhibit the hen’s ability to flush to safety when threatened.  

What is the state doing for Woodcock habitat? 

“Public Land Managers in the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Allegheny National Forest are working hard to regenerate young forests and improve habitat quality for ground nesting birds like Golden-Winged Warblers, Woodcock, and Grouse. This is done through a combination of mature timber harvest, prescribed fire, and forest improvement activities.  However, 87% of the forest in PA is privately owned, so the State cannot conserve shrub-associated species alone. The work of private landowners is key to statewide, long term success in supporting young forest species.”

Is the suburban Philadelphia area an important stopover for Woodcock?  

“OH MY, YES!!!!  An ongoing multi-state migration study of woodcock indicates that Southeast Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia area, in particular, is critically important for migrating woodcock who need to stop over to refuel. Improving habitat and working to support dark night skies (“lights out” programs) can really improve the odds for migrants who need a safe haven during their journey.

Visit our Preserves!  To find Woodcock this spring, head to Rushton Woods Preserve and wait patiently along the edges of the hedgerows at dawn and dusk. Another excellent spot is Ashbridge Preserve along the edges of the western fields and brushy stream edges.  For maps and locations of these preserves visit, https://wctrust.org/land/preserves/ and for questions please email land@wctrust.org

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Justin Thompson holds a Woodcock banded at Rushton Woods Banding Station. This bird aged as an adult male as evidenced by the shorter bill length and stubbier wings.  The outer primary feathers of Woodcock give their flight the nice twittering sound heard when they erupt from the forest floor and whirl through the sky. Notice the prehensile bill tip that these birds use to feel and grasp earthworms while probing in the soil.  With big beady eyes to see in the dark and precisely camouflaged leaf-like coloring, this bird is a spectacular and cryptic beauty!  Two Woodcock have been banded at Rushton Bird Banding Station since 2010, for more information about Bird Banding and our Ten Year Banding Report, please visit https://wctrust.org/birds/.

About Lisa Williams | Lisa Williams received her B.S. in Ecology/Environmental Studies at Juniata College in Huntingdon PA and her M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Penn State University.  Lisa is currently the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s program biologist for ruffed grouse and webless migratory game birds, with research and management expertise working in young forest habitats. For her work on grouse and West Nile Virus, Lisa received the Governor’s Award for Excellence and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Ernest Thompson Seton Award in 2020. 

The bird whisperer: Pennsylvania Game Commission's Lisa Williams leads the charge in ruffed grouse conservation, innovation - Dominion Post

Giving Thanks to the Okehocking People

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With Thanksgiving approaching, it is an appropriate time to reflect upon our connection with the indigenous people who first lived on this land. As we enjoy and protect the beauty of Willistown, we cannot forget its original inhabitants and how their lifestyle echoes throughout the conservation of this land and its natural resources. While we preserve the land we must also preserve its history and the history of the native people. By sharing their story with the community, and working with local Native American organizations, we can hope to ensure that their legacy lives on with the land.

The indigenous people of southeastern Pennsylvania, known as the Lenape, lived throughout the Delaware River watershed. Just southwest of Philadelphia, along the banks of Crum, Ridley, and Chester Creeks, resided a small clan called the Okehocking. They belonged to the Unami, one of three Lenape tribes.

Like much of the Lenape, the Okehocking Clan felt immense pressure from European settlers. In 1701, they asked William Penn for the land of their own, safe from European encroachment. By 1703, Penn agreed to provide them 500 acres in modern day Willistown, the first Native American land grant in the American colonies. The diamond-shaped tract was bordered on the east and west by Plumsock and Garrett Mill Roads and extended north and south roughly to what is now known as Goshen Road and West Chester Pike. It is believed that this land was chosen largely due to a rock outcropping near its center resembling a turtle’s head, dubbed Turtle Rock since the tortoise was a symbolic representation of Mother Earth for the Unami Tribe.

Aside from the Ridley Creek floodplain, most of the area was not conducive to farming. The Okehocking, like many Native American tribes, burned fields to provide more ground for agriculture, while also hunting and fishing. The women foraged fruit, nuts, seeds, and even small amphibians from the forests and streams. During the winters, their Clan would move north towards the upper Schuylkill River. This ensured that the land was never overused, and had the ability to restore itself naturally.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the European settlers resumed their intrusion of indigenous land. Just a few years later, in 1710, the surrounding landowners had a new road added through the center of the territory, making Delchester the first recorded road in Willistown. Ongoing disputes over hunting grounds strained things further, and in 1718 the Okehocking Clan began moving out of their Willistown home. They returned in the summers for several years, but by 1735 they had abandoned the land entirely.

The respectful and harmonious relationship that the Okehocking people had with the land is still a model for conservation. Their stewardship is reflected in the work we do, from the regenerative clearing of fields and brush at our preserves to the sustainable agricultural practice of seasonal crop rotation on Rushton Farm. We are also focused on creating collaborations with the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania to help teach both us and the community about their history here. They generously consulted with our Watershed Protection team before the large tree planting project at Ashbridge Preserve to identify some of the species that would be illustrative of their way of life and moving forward, we hope to have representatives from the organization come out for public educational engagements. In the meantime, follow the links below to learn more about their organization and the history of the Lenape in Pennsylvania. And of course, come out to the preserves in Willistown to walk the land and experience some of the history firsthand.

Resources:
– Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania
– Educaitonal video made through Penn Museum, a great source for information about the area’s indigenous people. Click to find out more about the video.

Planting in Fall

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A volunteer gardener at Rushton Farm this August. Photo by Jennifer Mathes

              Although fall is when most things begin to die back, there is no better time to put new life into the ground! It is obviously a beautiful season to get outside, but it also presents the perfect conditions for a young plant to thrive. Getting your planting done now will make both your and your plants’ lives a whole lot easier come next spring.

The most significant benefit of planting in the fall is the jump-start it gives plants to get their roots established. Because they are not battling the heat and drought of the summer, the plants are able to focus their energy on growing a strong root system. This gives them more time to gain strength before they emerge in the spring and take on the summer heat. In addition, the cooler autumn weather means less watering, and fewer hungry pests. There are also practical reasons to plant in the fall. Having just gone through the spring and summer, you know exactly what additions your garden may need, and when everything is busy next spring, you’ll be thrilled with the time you have saved.

Fall is a great time to add herbaceous perennials to your garden so that they are ready to emerge come spring, but it is an especially ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. These woody species depend on a strong root base, and require more time to get established, so getting them started now puts them at an advantage. Maples and oaks fare particularly well planted this time of year. Fall is also the time to plant spring blooming bulbs, as they need to go through winter in the ground in order to break their dormancy.

As always, we recommend using native plants in your yard for the benefit of our birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. Luckily, there are wonderful local nurseries nearby where you can find natives, such as Redbud, Mostardi, and Octararo. We also have a variety of resources on our website that explain the benefits of native plants and offer suggestions for which ones to use, including our recent virtual presentation on native plants in your landscape, and our Homeowner Resource Guide. And of course, you can always come out to visit our office and preserves for inspiration. Happy planting and enjoy the fall!

Bumble bee on Culver’s Root. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

Fall Planting Tips:

  • It is best to plant once the weather is somewhat cooler, but plants will still need 4-6 weeks to get established before the ground freezes. Mid-September through the end of October is generally the best time to do your planting.
  • Dig your holes only as deep as the container the plant is in, and twice as wide. Loosen any tangled or circling roots by hand before placing the plant in the ground.
  • Bury your plants so that the root flare (where the roots start to spread from the trunk/stem) is just above ground level, and tamp the soil in firmly.
  • Adding mulch will help the soil hold moisture, and provide insulation for the roots over the winter (be sure not to pile mulch over the root flare).
  • With cooler fall temperatures, new plants won’t need quite as much water as they would in the summer, but it is still important for their establishment to keep them hydrated. Always thoroughly water in after planting, and as needed depending on the weather and soil moisture.
Native bee and Virginia cup plant. Photo by Jennifer Mathes

Stewardship Volunteer Program – Update!

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For the past few months, the stewardship department has missed getting the chance to meet and work with new people each week while our volunteer days have been on hold. But finally, we have an update! We are excited to announce that we will begin welcoming back, on a limited basis, volunteers who want to help us work at our preserves.

Common milkweed blooming at Kirkwood Preserve. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

To maintain safe and comfortable conditions, we will not be resuming our regular weekly volunteer days just yet. Instead, we will be coordinating with anyone interested to schedule a time during the week when they can come out and work with us in smaller groups of one or two volunteers. While this isn’t as fun as getting everyone together, it will still allow us to get acquainted, tackle some much needed projects, and hopefully give you all a nice way to get outside and take out some stress on invasive plants!

These work sessions will be guided by a member of the stewardship team who will go over the day’s project and provide any necessary tools, while ensuring that proper social distancing measures are taken. If you are interested in scheduling a time to join us, or have any further questions, please contact our Preserve Manager, Mike Cranney. (mjc@wctrust.org)

Stewardship Volunteer Program

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Volunteer, Gerry Tuten, admiring her handiwork at Rushton Woods Preserve.

We need your help! Willistown Conservation Trust maintains three public preserves, soon to be four! With so much beautiful habitat, we need some help keeping these conserved lands looking their best for all visitors and ensuring they continue to provide healthy habitat for the many species that depend on them.

In March, the stewardship team began new weekly volunteer days, during which anyone is welcome to come out and help tackle ongoing management at the preserves. The program got off to a great start, as generous members of the community helped our stewardship and watershed staff free native shrubs from invasive vines, and install “live stakes” along Ridley Creek to shore up the stream bank.

Completed stream bank stabilization with live willow stakes at Ashbridge Preserve. Photo by Mike Cranney

Unfortunately, while the stewardship department remains hard at work, social distancing measures have put the volunteer program on hold. However, there is good news: we are planning on resuming these weekly sessions come June, with appropriate safety precautions in place. Be on the lookout for more information as we move closer to the summer!

Each weekly session will run from 9 to noon and tasks will include:

  • Cutting/removing invasive plants
  • Clearing vines from trees and tree cages
  • Planting native trees and shrubs
  • Pruning trees and shrubs
  • Trail clean-up and maintenance
  • Stream clean-up

You can stay for the whole time or for as long as you’re able.

If you are interested in learning more about the Stewardship Volunteer Program, or would like to come out and join us, contact our Preserve Manager, Mike Cranney. (mjc@wctrust.org)