
In contrast, the third trapping area in the reservation is open to 
the public. Picnic sites and scenic views from the highway have been 
developed by continual clearing. The highest woodeock breeding popula- 
tion in five years was found in 1955. There were unusual concentrations 
of singing males. From one spot on the highway, six singing males could 
be heard and all were trapped. Another large field covered by scattered 
alders and blueberry bushes contained at least 8 singing males; on one 
occasion a good observer reported he distinguished a minimum of 12, There 
were two new singing sites in areas where a forest edge had been recently 
Cleared. 
Annual census.--The annual census reported elsewhere indicated an 
overall droo of about 15 percent in Massachusetts. The principal drop 
occurred on Prescott Peninsula where there are four census routes, 
Two additional routas outside Quabbin Reservation were run this 
spring, and it is planned to make census runs in widely separated parts 
of the state next spring. 
Summer Activities 
Banding.--Beginning on June 13, netting woodcocks during their sum~ 
mer crepuscular flights, reported in previous years, was continued inten- 
sively until September 16. Dr. William B. Nutting of the University 
Zoological Department assisted the project by searching for other netting 
areas and making observations on the behavior of birds. 
New light Japanese mist nets were used with much greater success 
than the heavier nets used in former years. Less than one out of three 
birds hitting the heavy nets in 1953 and 195 became entangled. With the 
new nets, approximately three out of four birds which hit the nets squarely 
were captured, 
The nets were set on poles and when erected, covered a vertical dis- 
tance of about 12 feet and a horizontal distance of 30 feet. They were 
left permanently in the field and were collapsed after each evening's 
operation. 
A large majority of birds are cavtured from mid-June until the end 
of July. During the molting season, flights continue but are desultory. 
In August and September, only 22 birds were caught out of the total of 94 
taken in nets during the summer. August and September captures were 
invaluable for studying the molt pattern, and most of these were preserved 
for study specimens. In addition to the 9) birds netted, 8 were captured 
in funnel traps set primarily for ruffed grouse. 
It is of particular interest that during the three summers of netting 
on Prescott Peninsula (Area 1), when a total of 152 woodcocks were netted 
or caught in butterfly-shaped traps in adjoining gravel pits, there have 
been only two repeats. me bird caught in early September 195) was 
recaptured two weeks later. In 1955, one juvenal male caught June 13 was 
recaptured two nights later. There is one other record of a repeat from 
Area 2 where a bird captured in mid-July was taken again two nights later. 
36 
