Woodcock Info

[Jnyiri]

I'm wondering if there is still snow on the ground the birds will stay on the forest floor?

[finsfurfeathers]

They are ground birds cold feet don't bother them.

[Pointersrule]

They are ground birds cold feet don't bother them.

LOL, they leave with their flip flops but come back wearin' Sorels.......seriously Jynri....WC and Partridge are the ones that come to mind that are strictly Ground Birds....Grouse, Pheasant will hit the Trees. WC will search out bare patches of ground.....underneath Cedar Trees, South facing slopes are usually clear of snow....as delicate as they look, they are actually a very hardy/tough bird.

[Jakezilla]

Got a report of WC in Kentucky and Sand hill cranes in Southern Michigan.

[Jnyiri]

LOL, they leave with their flip flops but come back wearin' Sorels.......seriously Jynri....WC and Partridge are the ones that come to mind that are strictly Ground Birds....Grouse, Pheasant will hit the Trees. WC will search out bare patches of ground.....underneath Cedar Trees, South facing slopes are usually clear of snow....as delicate as they look, they are actually a very hardy/tough bird.

Thanks for the great info.

[welsh]

Those woodcock might want to slow down, take in a show or a movie or something ... it's gonna be a while before we get the heat turned on here, I think.

[Pointersrule]

Well, this pic was taken a few years ago during one of our early spring Woodcock adventures.....yup, we got stuck on the way in to the Covert...so we (and the Dogs) hiked the rest of the way on foot.....just to show you, the snow really is not their enemy....we found WC that day.....my biggest fear this year is that we have a deeper than normal frost line because of the extensive very cold weather we have had this winter....this could be lethal for the early arrivers.

Getting stuck on the way in...look at how much snow there was


Yup, they were there!!

[Sharon]

With the winter the way it has been all along the East coast and in Ontario, how do you think this affect the Spring flyway through Niagara?

[Pointersrule]

With the winter the way it has been all along the East coast and in Ontario, how do you think this affect the Spring flyway through Niagara?

Who knows....this Bird has always been a mystery......what do you mean by your question? Are you asking in terms of timing or if they will change their flight patterns....they usually take the same Flight paths but do veer off course some years because of storms, strong winds, weather etc etc......we saw the best WC numbers here about 5 yrs ago, and I firmly believe we got birds tyhjat were supposed to nest in NY and Penn but pushed further North because that spring when they arrived in those states there was a huge snow storm and high amounts of snow.......all I know is that in my whole life of chasing these guys....that was one of the best years in terms of numbers both in spring and Fall and the numbers have been considerably better all the years after that.......again, these are all just my theories......no science behind it but then again....even science doesn't quite understand this magnificent creature yet but that will change in a few years.....more on that later on this spring

[Sharon]

I was thinking more of timing. Weather tonight showed low teens for 10 more days + except for maybe Sat. - new record lows expected at night. I go along the Thames flood plain to find them and right now the snow there is about 2+ feet deep + large drifts.