Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Woodcock making a comeback, says GWCT
The woodcock is a prized gamebird that’s under threat. However, Philip Bowern reports on some good news
IT might surprise some bird lovers that a species officially red-listed as of grave conservation concern remains legal quarry and can be shot between October 1 and January 31 in the United Kingdom. Yet that is the case with the beautiful, secretive woodcock, for generations highly prized as a challenging game bird for the gun and a delicious ingredient in the kitchen.
Yet the woodcock story is a complicated one. While numbers of British breeding birds are down to worryingly low levels, the species, which also flies huge distances from overwintering sites in the UK to breeding grounds across northern Europe and Russia before returning in late Autumn, is believed to be stable. Nevertheless many people who shoot have imposed their own voluntary moratorium on woodcock and several Westcountry shoots, where reared and released pheasants are the main quarry, no longer permit woodcock to be shot.
Much of the work to monitor numbers and protect the habitat of the woodcock is carried out by the shooting community, under the guidance and with scientific backing and expertise from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). This week they report that efforts to preserve the species seem to be working with this season set to be much better better than expected for the bird, which has been recorded in higher numbers than in many previous winters.
Andrew Hoodless, who is head of wetland research at GWCT, has had many reports of large numbers of woodcock arriving in the latter half of November.
This has come as a slight surprise as there were concerns of a poor breeding season resulting from the long dry summer, particularly in Scandinavia. “I’ve received word from shoots at various locations across the country during early December, all indicating that woodcock numbers are slightly above average,” he said. “In some western areas, such as parts of Ireland and Cornwall, numbers are well above average and it is looking like it will be a reasonably good woodcock season.”
The reasons behind the higher woodcock numbers are not yet completely clear. It is possible that conditions in spring on the main breeding grounds in Russia and Scandinavia may have resulted in better chick survival immediately after hatching, when they are vulnerable to cold, wet weather, and compensated for higher mortality during the dry weather later in the summer.
Summer conditions were also variable across Europe, with central Russia not experiencing the high temperatures recorded in Scandina- via, but the autumn weather is another factor.
The woodcock influx this year coincided with sudden, widespread snowfall in Scandinavia during the third week of November, coupled with easterly winds from central Europe.
Rigorous woodcock ringing efforts by Dr Hoodless’ team and the Woodcock Network are providing valuable information on this iconic species.
Dr Hoodless added: “At our regular study site in Hampshire, woodcock numbers are almost up to their usual midwinter peak, and of particular interest is the fact that we are catching a high proportion of firstyear birds, most probably indicating that the breeding season was better than we had feared.”
Owen Williams, director of the Woodcock Network, concurs: “I have been seeing above average numbers of woodcock here in mid-Wales when out lamping and have also been catching a high proportion of first-years. It is encouraging to see such good numbers, but it has been quite a surprise.”
The purpose of GWCT’s research programme is to better understand these annual fluctuations in woodcock numbers and help provide advice that will ensure a stable trend in the long term.
Dr Hoodless continued: “Many shoots have heeded our advice to hold off shooting woodcock until after December 1, to help protect our resident breeders, but numbers this winter are now at a level where shoots adopting a measured approach should be able to take a few.”
The woodcock season finishes at the end of January.
Furthermore, the GWCT has launched an online survey to help fill some of the gaps in our knowledge of woodcock distribution and abundance, and to capture current shooting and habitat management practice.
‘We are catching a high proportion of
first-year birds’ ANDREW HOODLESS,
GWCT