woodcock tracking

The daily and weekly historical maps may be viewed here: http://ruffedgrousesociety.org/Migration%20Maps%20-%20Feb%202016.

We’ve had more February reports to the system than any other recent February. A review of the comments provided with the reports for “firsts” or other interesting items indicates: on February 1, four males were reported peenting in southern Virginia; a woodcock was reported in Colorado on February 7, supported by photos and a published article from a similar sighting from 2015; a deceased bird was found in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area on February 8; and on February 29 peenting and mating display flights were observed in northwest Ohio and 41 birds were counted in less than two hours just north of Indianapolis.

The winter woodcock trapping season is complete with the last satellite transmitters (PTTs) deployed in February 2016. This winter the researchers deployed 28 transmitters in Louisiana and Texas.

It appears at least some of the transmitters deployed in the fall are sending locations including one that appears to have overwintered near Cape May, New Jersey.