Strange Day!

It started out with an Earthquake here in the Midwest. Monkey Boy swears it woke him up and he felt it, but everyone else just slept right through it. I really wished I had felt it. I didn't feel the last one 6 years ago either. I guess I'm just not "in tune" enough with my environment. I imagine those in the California area are laughing their butts off at us all a twitter over our little 5 point something quake, especially when they deal with them all the time.

Then on the way to work, I was taking our country road there, and when I approached the place on our road where the squirrels are always crossing, there was something strange there. I slowed down so I wouldn't hit any wayward squirrels, and it looked like there were several little birds in the middle of the road. I stopped the truck, and watched and realized it was a momma bird, trying to get five little ones to cross the road behind her. She was about the size of a small duck, except she had a very round, long, pointed beak. The baby's all had the wild baby pattern that a lot of the partridge colored chicks I used to raise had. The babies were spooked and did the "freeze in place" thing like their momma had taught them to do, momma flew into the brush. Problem is, three of them froze right in the middle of the road. I got out of my truck and approached them, took a picture with my cell phone (why don't I drag my good camera along with me everywhere so I can get decent pictures).
Anyways..here is a picture of one of the chicks.

I had to shoo the little ones over to the brush. I already get this amazing feeling when I touch something wild like that. I know I may be the only humans hands to ever touch it. Don't worry, it's not true about Momma birds not accepting their babies if humans touch them. It's an old wives tale and birds can't smell anyways.

I wasn't sure exactly what they were, and I know most of my wild bird species and had NO idea. I looked through my bird i.d. books, and then did a quick web search on the chicks and I think it was a Common Snipe. Scratch that...they are Woodcocks. I called Cousin T who tromps around the woods all the time, and sent him the picture. He said Woodchuck, which I knew then was probably a WoodCOCK, and looked up Momma and baby pics and that is what they are, I'm certain. They are ground birds and the farmer was in the field spraying ammonia and I think that flushed them out. They were SO cool!!! I've seen a large male pheasant not far from there and a wild turkey tom. There is a small wetland not far from there, so I think that is what attracts them. I'm guessing from my experience with chicken chicks that these were maybe 4-5 days old. Just how cute is that little guy???