3i8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



Woodcock 



The movements of these migratory birds are very 

 uncertain. They come to-day and are gone to-morrow, 

 and nothing can be done to increase or encourage them. 

 Soft feeding-ground is, however, a great attraction. A 

 certain number remain in this country and breed, but the 

 most of them come in with the first severe weather, when 

 a thaw comes they move away, and they seldom return, 

 but it has been noticed that while they cannot be found 

 in the coverts they are very often got on the moors and 

 open ground, not having left the countryside, as some 

 supposed. In the event of woodcock not being in 

 coverts, it is well worth trying the open moor for them, 

 especially when the moor lies to the sun. Whenever 

 the cock are in, the keeper should advise his master, and 

 as their stay is very uncertain, get at them at once. 



The keeper will have difficulty in knowing whether 

 he has woodcock in his coverts or not, and having dis- 

 covered them, he cannot tell how long they will remain. 

 He can, however, be certain of the fact that woodcock, 

 as a rule, during the time they remain on the ground, 

 are loath to leave any favourite shelter they have chosen, 

 and will even flyback to the place they have been flushed 

 from in a beat. Accordingly, it is often wise to go over 

 the same ground a second time. Markers outside the 

 coverts will be able to give important information as to 

 whether cock have left a covert or not, although it is 

 often very difficult to accurately mark the place where 



