Nesting

[GLS]

A friend sent me this photo of a woodcock nest found on property in middle Georgia last week. Gil

 

[coachdoug87]

Good to see. Do y'all think there are more resident birds than there used to be?

 

[cj580guitar]

Wow that’s cool never seen one before. I have the same thoughts and question as coachdoug.

 

[Jake300win]

Very cool! When I was in Chattahoochee forest last week my dog pointed. I was expecting a grouse two woodcock flushed in the exact same spot. I wonder if they try to make some chicks.

 

[GLS]

Based on the overall decline of woodcock, I would suspect that there are less rather than more residents here in Ga. I remember years ago at dusk seeing woodcock fly across highways in swampy areas. I don't see that happening in these days. Gil

 

[coachdoug87]

I have read about the decline, but my personal experience is there have been more in the areas I hunt than there have ever been. Now, of course that is one person hunting in one part of the state. What I was really wondering about, though is a higher percentage are resident as opposed to migratory. Obviously, migratory birds are still a greater number, still. I never used to hear stories about people seeing pairs, chicks, nests etc. Maybe people are just more aware of them. I don't know.

 

[cj580guitar]

I would have put a trail cam on it to watch the progress.

 

[spring]

Interesting that they nest this early.... With minimal ground cover its chances of making would seem low, but no doubt Mother Nature has a plan. Sort of reminds me of last summer when a mom kildeer nested in a parking spot at my farm. She was very brave for at least a month as she guarded it from intruders, including dogs. The little babes made it and moved on.
We don't hear the first bobwhite whistles until around the first week in April with nesting beginning well after that. Good luck little woodcocks!

 

[Grey Phase]

Have had three instances of woodcock pointed on the nest all have been in February the bird will hold tighter than normal.

 

[coachdoug87]

Both the birds and the eggs seem to be well camouflaged. They seem to nest in completely different type places than where they normally stay. I have read that the chicks have a higher survival rate than most game birds.

 

[GLS]

A friend recently read something by Archibald Rutledge that stated that woodcock are the earliest of gamebird nesters which gives them a defense against snake predation. Gil

 

[coachdoug87]

That makes sense.