Wilson Snipe (Gallinago delicata) Distracting Display

Description:

This was from a Wilson Snipe that landed in the grass. It then walked through the tall grass towards us making this alarm call and when in sight we could see the tail was fanned and wings dropped in a distracting display to lure us from the nest toward her. At the end you can hear the wings flap as she flies off into the sky. The photo is of the habitat -- a beautiful meadow along the northern coral fence west of the old shepherd's shack. Recorded in Carman Valley in Sierra Nevada region of California on June 27, 2011 9:58AM with Fostex FR-2, Sennheiser ME66 shotgun mic. (taxonomy:binomial="Gallinago delicata")