Prior to the storm the woodcock were found on the blackjack- 
postoak hillsides surrounding Alco pond. They were also found in 
bottomlands. Alco pond is an estimated 25 acres in size. The pond 
and the seepy ground around its shoreline did not freeze. During the 
subfreezing temperature the birds were flushed from the brushy thickets 
bordering the pond and from the brush and pine cover of branch bottom 
near the pond. The blackjack=-postoak hillsides that were utilized by 
woodcock were now snow and ice-covered. 
From these observations it is believed that the woodcock inhabit- 
ing the smaller stream and branch bottoms that froze over tightly were 
forced to move to more favorable locations during the storm. The birds 
that were inhabiting larger stream bottoms and ponds that did not freeze 
tightly weathered the subfreezing temperatures in those locations. 
No dead woodcock were found during or after the freeze. One meadow- 
lark which had one foot frozen off was found. One dead cardinal was 
found in the snow. The remains of what was cursorily recognized as a 
Pine-woods Sparrow was found while searching woodcock coverts. 
Reference is made to the data for the week January 28 to February 3, 
1951 (storm week) in Table 1. The data show a woodcock point for every 
-6 hours (36 minutes) spent afield for this period. In the table (1) 
_ this figure is bested only by the week of January 14-20, when a bird 
was found for every .5 hours spent afield. The data show about as may 
woodcock in the area during this critical period as before the freeze. 
In conclusion, the observations indicate that the wodcock managed 
to survive the subfreezing temperatures in this territory without serious 
mortality. Evidence indicates, however, that the birds may hev= suffered 
a loss of weight during this period. 
