Two dead woodcock heads walk into a bar.  The one woodcock says to the
other, "Why the long face. Is it because we both just got eaten by a
__________?"

No the second woodcock says, "It's because we both missed the last
metro for the night."

Ba dum bum!

-Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD



On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 9:21 AM, Jeff Shenot <> wrote:
> It's very interesting to have found woodcocks by the Metro.  I looked around
>  the area on my lunch break this week but did not find any evidence of
>  carcasses.  I looked carefully around one of the favorite Peregrine perches
>  and in one other area where I have occasionally seen them perch, but found
>  nothing.  That doesn't mean much - both places are likely to either have
>  scavengers (birds or rodents) find any leftovers, or else have building
>  maintenance people dispose of any undesirable body parts that mysteriously
>  are left on their walk in front of their office buildings!
>
>  I can't imagine a great horned owl in this vicinity, but don't know how far they
>  will wander in search of food during nesting season.  It is not far (~3 miles)
>  from this area to Rock Creek Park (a suitable area for GH owls), and it's only
>  about a mile from parts of Sligo Creek Park, so if GH owls do roam far in search
>  of food for feeding their young, it is a possibility (it was simply passing by here
>  on its way to a nest with food).
>
>  On the other hand, there are certainly Peregrines present here now but I don't
>  know if Peregrines feed at night, and I'd be surprised if one happened to find a
>  woodcock from a nearby woodcock-suitable habitat during the daytime (when
>  woodcocks are inactive and nearly invisible).  During migration they might feed
>  whenever they are hungry and which might be at night, but I'd be surprised if
>  they feed at night or even at dusk during winter.  With the super-abundant
>  food around here (an endless smorgasboard of pigeons, starlings and house
>  sparrows), there would be no reason to feed during the periods of day (i.e., at
>  night) when they should be conserving energy.
>
>  Either way it is quite a curiosity!
>
>  Cheers!
>  Jeff Shenot
>  Croom MD
>
>