American Woodcock on nest

Matt and I were killing invasive-exotic plants this morning around the old Calwell Pottery. The underground kilns of the pottery were very active in the 1830s but it has long been abandoned and is now overgrown with brush.

This brush is where I found the nest and eggs of a Woodcock yesterday. Matt wanted to see the nest so I approached very slowly. I could see the bird on the nest. Kneeling I carefully nudged forward and was able to get this snap of the bird on the nest with my iPhone; I was about a foot away from the bird.

After I got the picture I backed away and the bird stayed on the nest. I’ll leave it alone now.