Thank-you both for your help!
Becky: No chance for a photo. It is in an area that I barricaded w/branches to keep the deer (and myself apparently
)out. So for about 3 weeks now I disturb this bird every time I go out for a morning walk and walk past this barricaded patch...guess it feels safe there. Even if I had a good camera I don't think I'd get a good look at it.
Lin: Probably not the grouse...according to range maps they'd be extremely rare in my area....I'm at the southern edge of their range. I don't think the bobwhite fits either because of the colours. The bobwhite is about the size but the colour is closer to the masked bobwhite which is not in my range.
Oddly enough I'm leaning towards the american woodcock....colour fits and vocals seem chittery...and with the warm weather we are having the robins are still going after earthworms and apparently woodcocks go for these too until the ground freezes...so maybe it is a wayward woodcock
