Monkey makes it home, but two others don't!

A nesting Woodcock

I’m pleased to announce that Monkey, the male woodcock that was radio tagged in Cornwall by GWCT research scientist Dr. Andrew Hoodless has successfully made it back to his breeding ground in Siberia, completing his third annual migration! Andrew reckons that Monkey has already clocked up 24,000 miles (39,000 Km) in his lifetime! Hopefully he is one of many woodcock now “roding” – the peculiar display flight that male woodcock perform at dusk to attract females – around his Siberian woodland territory.

16 woodcock with satellite tracking devises have arrived safely on their breeding grounds, but unfortunately 2 have gone missing including Busy, also tagged in Cornwall in February 2012, who was found by a member of the public being eaten by a Sparrowhawk in a wood near Andover in Hampshire! Don’t forget to follow how these birds fare over the coming months on the woodcock website.