Powhatan State Park to host ‘Woodcock Watch’ event on Valentine’s Day

POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Looking to spend time in nature on Valentine's Day? Powhatan State Park rangers will host an event Saturday evening where attendees can look for the American woodcock, also known as the "timberdoodle."

"Woodcock Watch" will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Powhatan State Park, with the group meeting near the equestrian parking area.

American woodcocks are plump, brownish shorebirds with long bills that can be found in forests and shrubby fields in the eastern U.S., according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. They camouflage well against leaf litter when walking along the forest floor, often probing the soil looking for worms.

American woodcock seen in Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Maine 2023. (Photo: Kimberly Emerson/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, during late winter to very early spring, if conditions are right, there is a chance of hearing male woodcocks' loud calls at dusk and seeing their 300-foot "sky dance" mating spectacle.

Attendees at the event will walk short distances on flat ground, then stand or sit patiently while listening and watching for woodcocks.

Visitors can bring a chair and warm blanket to keep cozy while waiting, and a headlamp with a red light setting can be helpful for navigating around the park.

To register, visit the department's website.