Greater Yellowlegs takeoff

A nearby pond serves as a watering hole for young dairy cows, a migration stopover for ducks, a nesting ground for Canada Geese and Red-winged Blackbirds, and a trysting spot for American Toads and Gray Treefrogs. But if you're there at the right time, the muddy shoreline is also a magnet for a variety of shorebirds that fatten up on the pond's offerings before flying off north to the habitats up north that are used to rear the next generation. This Greater Yellowlegs caught my attention as it patrolled the mud, but as I tried to move in for a better shot, its "tew... tew... tew..." alarm calls rang through the marsh. The elegant bird was telling me that I was getting a bit too close for comfort—its comfort. Before I could back off, it flew, calling loudly as it rose into the air and vanished, perhaps continuing its migratory journey, perhaps only heading for another marsh devoid of naturalists. Happily for me, it flashed all the field marks I'd need to confirm an ID.