In partnership with the Stour Ringing Group we’ve been out lamping Woodcock for most of November with good numbers of birds now arriving back from Russia and north eastern Europe. During the winter only 1 in 5 Woodcock in Britain are British birds, the rest are winter visitors, which return to the same feeding sites year after year. Tonight, we managed to prove winter site fidelity for the first time at Holton Lee with a bird that was first ringed there on Jan 15^th 2015 and re-caught again tonight in exactly the same field no more than 20m away from where it was originally caught. Quite amazing to think it’s probably been to Russia and back in-between its encounters with us. We also ringed 3 new Woodcock and saw at least 5 at Arne Farm too. To see Woodcock the best place to look is a woodland edge at dusk and watch them as they fly out to go and feed in farm fields. The view will often be short but really exciting at the same time. There were also 2 Barn Owl at Arne Farm and 3 Tawny Owl. At Lytchett Bay 6 Spoonbill landed in the Bay and the Lesser Yellowlegs was on the fields. 

Returning Woodcock – First ringed at Holton Lee, January 15th 2016 and caught again tonight