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woodcock

Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:01 pm
by Ian Smith
A nice dollop of cock in over the last week. Funny not flushing many on shoot days in the woods but seeing a good few on the fields with the lamp and in the landrover lights. Mind its bin a good year for the resident ones aswell. A few reet dark birds about.

Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:33 pm
by Neil Southworth
Ian,

Have you any numbers / locations / dates for your Woodcock sightings? Would be appreciated.

Neil

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 7:17 pm
by Ian Smith
I dont want to give exact locations as I would prefare my pheasants to live in peace from over excited twitchers :lol: but from now on I will give you fortnightly numbers from our shoot days in the west of chorley area.
On Saturday just gone we flushed 3, then in the same area at dusk I saw 2 fly over and flushed 3 in the headlights on the farm track.
I'll count all birds from same woods and area through out the winter.
Has anyone had experience of ringing wookcock, id like to ring the ones in our area. Can you get split rings with dates on em?

woodcock.

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:07 pm
by gary lilley
Good to see the woodcock are doing well in your area Ian , last winter was the best ive known for woodcock in my area with plenty of birds feeding in the daytime because of the harsh weather, ive read plenty of books on woodcock and they all mention the variations of plumage which you pointed out, ive only seen 2 this autumn / winter but ive not checked the woods recently , keep up the good work ,
regards gary .

woodcock .

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 6:02 pm
by gary lilley
Ian did you find many nests this year in your area ?

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 7:48 pm
by Ian Smith
no iv always struggled to find woodcock nests. Thinking of trying to lay down some cover for them, maybe plant some willows then cut and lay it to allow brambles to grow through, used to improve fox coverts like that and they would hold well . If anyone has any timberdoodle encouraging tips or ideas Id love to hear em.