The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I did the 2003 Survey at the same location but 30% has been clear felled recently. I did the first of three counts last night opposite the Picnic area in Willingham Woods. Only 3 Woodcock seen between 2026 and 2141, two of which were roding. 3 muntjac, 1 Fox and 2 bats (1 large enough to be a Noctule) also seen and Song Thrush, Robin, Blackcap,Willow Warbler, Blackbird and Tawny Owl singing/calling. Huge bonus was no midges/mosquitoes! Next visit at the end of the month.

I have been to three Woodcock survey sites so far: Crowle Moors on a rather poor evening and none recorded, and two at Laughton Forest, with five and eleven sightings in 75 minutes around dusk - similar to the 2003 results taking into account the slightly longer period of the count. The eleven sightings included one of four birds together, chasing across the treetops: the most I've seen together in summer I think. Laughton was seething with bats, too.

Woodcock are believed to have declined/be declining in lowland Britain but places like Willingham Woods & Laughton Forest - presumably near ideal - may be bucking this trend.

Andrew

I did the second visit this evening - between 2115 and 2230 five Woodcock were seen, one of which was roding. Unlike the previous visit it was extremely quiet otherwise - no deer or bats seen, just one fox and the only birds singing were Blackcap, Blackbird, Robin, Willow Warbler and Song Thrush with Tawny Owl calling. A few midges but not too bad!

I've just finished coverage of four woodcock survey sites with results as follows. Values are numbers of sightings of one or more woodcocks from fixed locations over 75 minutes on three dusk visits during May-June. The equivalent survey in 2003 (data in brackets) involved counts over 60 minutes. The longer count period in 2013 did make a difference although the last (extra) quarter hour tended to have fewer passes than the earlier ones.

Crowle Moors
visit 1 - 0 (5 including one of 2 birds)
visit 2 - 1 (0)
visit 3 - 0 (0)
NB the 2013 count was at a different location from that which I counted in 2003, and I don't have 2003 data for this year's location.

Laughton Forest (W)
visit 1 - 11 including one of 4 birds (8)
visit 2 - 7 (13)
visit 3 - 11 (11)

Laughton Forest (E)
visit 1 - 5 (4)
visit 2 - 5 (4)
visit 3 - 4 (6)

Stonepit Wood
visit 1 - 15 (11)
visit 2 - 10 (10 including two of 2 birds)
visit 3 - 17 including two of 2 birds (6 including one of 2 birds)

So for these areas, woodcock abundance seems little changed since 2003 except possibly at Crowle, where the changed location may have affected results – and also there has been much birch clearance.

All of the birds I recorded appeared to be roding males except for the gang of four at Laughton, which I took to be three males chasing a female.

GCT has devised a formula that converts numbers of sightings recorded in this way to population density (based on distinguishing individual males using sound recordings). As I understand it, the numbers of males in my four areas works out at 1, 4, 2 and 5-6. The estimate of roding males in Britain in 2003, by the way, was 78,350.

Any other results anywhere?

Andrew

Full details will be sent to Colin & Sheila as well as to BTO

The results from South Lincolnshire were rather disappointing. The 5 priority sites were all surveyed but as far as I am aware no Woodcock were recorded. There are roding Woodcock in other South Lincs woods - Twyford Wood in particular has a healthy population - but this survey is limited to sites which were surveyed in the 2003 survey.

Hugh Dorrington

My final visit to the census point in Willingham Woods produced 6 sightings including one of two Woodcock together. I do not have the 2003 records to hand but, from memory, there was little difference in the two surveys. Mosquitos and midges were abundant and a young Roe buck walked within 10 yards of me just as I was about to leave!