Really weird bird

[hellziggy]

Friday afternoon Lumpy was looking out the window and at first I thought she was watching Harvey, but then I realized that it wasn't a rabbit, it was a weird, fat little bird with a really long beak. It was kind of bouncing as it sat there. I only got one picture & it's kinda blue cuz I didn't get the white balance reset, but does anyone know what this is??????


I'm thinking maybe a woodcock, but they are supposed to be nocturnal... It's not really sitting in this picture. It had really stumpy little legs.
Robin on steroids?

Comments

[jmanna.livejournal.com]

Looks like a kind of tern. With feathers fluffed out against the cold. IF that long black part is the beak.
It might also be a rail. (But rails are longer and leaner)
Both are typically costal birds, but can be found near marshlands or large lakes.


Here's a link to common midwest birds
http://www.audubonpark.com/birds.html
It might be a morning dove is there's /not/ the beak but an oddity of the photo.

Otherwise, you can check out
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/framlst.html

Lots of bird photos with ranges and such.

[jmanna.livejournal.com]

Sandbill I meant sandbill not tern. One of those birds that tacked on tourist crap at the cape :D

Re:

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's a beak, not just a photo oddity. This thing was round. Short legs, round body, long beak. Definitely not something I usually see in the back yard!

[passaddhi.livejournal.com]

Outdoorsey Guy here says (drum roll, please): American Woodcock. Note the strip along the side, orange underbelly, and of course body and bill shape.

Yes, they're nocturnal hidey-guys, but bear in mind that this is a Spring location for them, and heck, it's not like they do a Buffy-esque burst into dust on being kissed by sunlight, so...

COOL!