Imagine…the sun has set. Dusk is in full swing. You are standing within a ride or glade surrounded by quiet woodland. Although you can hear distant traffic noises, it feels peaceful as you sense the world is settling down for the night. The twilight sky overhead gives an ideal backdrop.

Suddenly, a movement in the sky – a silhouette bee-lining overhead emitting a grunting call. A male woodcock in its ‘roding’ display - perfect. You time check – it’s 8:46pm. It’s the middle of April and your first visit of three; you wait a few minutes to get another glimpse, as you know the woodcock may come round again with its display. This continues for around 30 minutes; woodcock are famously extremely reclusive and shy, which makes these roding displays the only way of effectively surveying them. When you finish your survey, you gather back with the rest of the group to share your success – and leave ready to return in a fortnight to do it all over again.

This is one of the triumphant scenes from our woodcock surveys held at Potteric Carr nature reserve this year. Mark Roberts, Reserves Officer for the site, organised a team of dedicated volunteers to target specific areas on the nature reserve where woodcock are likely to be found. 

Woodcock are nocturnal, pigeon-sized waders who inhabit damp woodland. They spend their days in undergrowth – their plumage is mottled brown so is perfect for hiding. Unfortunately, the UK woodcock population is on the decline – mainly due to habitat loss – and is now red-listed, which makes the woodlands at Potteric Carr all the more special. 

Our 2025 survey results show an estimate of three male woodcock territories, although during one survey a total of five males were observed in their roding display – so the territory number may be marginally higher. The 2025 survey also showed a westerly bias, with no observations made to the east of the reserve. These results mirror our 2021 survey – showing the westerly bias of the four territories noted.

Mark surmised that the westerly bias could be due to the following factors:

1. It is now quite difficult to view over the area from the survey point on the eastern end of the reserve, due to increased canopy height of trees.
2. Further housing development at Manor Farm on the eastern fringe of the reserve may mean the habitat over that area is no longer suitable.
3. The area may be suffering from a lower water table (it has been a very dry late winter and spring in 2025). 

Our next round of woodcock surveys at Potteric Carr will be held in roughly 4 years; all our survey work is ongoing and gives us valuable real-time data on the ‘health’ and diversity of our habitats. When we think of woodlands, we largely think of the wildlife that inhabits it during the day; our songbirds, the sway of bluebells, the occasional deer and the proliferation of fungi in the leaf litter. Woodlands are equally as important refuges at night for our wildlife, however, and I have enjoyed seeing  the hidden nighttime value of the woodlands at Potteric Carr brought to life through these surveys.