SEASON REVIEW 2019/2020

SEASON 2019/2020 EXPERTISE

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Last January, we analyzed the 2019 fall migration.

It appeared on our site  : lachassedelabecassedesbois where it has been seen more than 11,000 times.

Once again we are trying to bring our expertise on the quality of the complete season for France, with some information on the biggest wintering countries of Italy, Spain and Greece.

Wintering period from December 20 to February 20.

Attendance remained good and regular, over the last ten days of December and the first of January for the regions and departments which had benefited from a good presence during the fall migration.

For others the downward trend started at the end of December and is accentuated in January.

From January 15, there was a significant drop over the whole of the territory, with few survivors and weak erratic movements.

However, some movements with undoubtedly a return were observed during the last decade of February but of low intensity.

This is verified by the presence of Woodcock in particular in a protected environment at least until March 15th.

Quality of the 2019/2020 season.

We rank this season as good to good plus. The emerging trends seem to be the following.

Very good season for the Burgundy - Franche Comté, Loire Valley - Center, New Aquitaine regions.

Good for Brittany, Normandy.

Fairly good for Occitanie, Pays de Loire, Hauts de France.

Mediocre for Auvergne-Rhone Alpes, Paca.

Very good attendance on the departments of medium and high mountain, Jura, Vosges, Alps and Pyrenees.

As observed for years but with less amplitude, concentrations of Woodcock by regions, departments and sectors.

If some, like for example Haute-Saone, Cher, Dordogne, Lot, Corrèze had many birds, others like Hérault, Var, Isère, Drome had few. . For these last two departments, season after season, it is a trend that is confirmed.

What characterizes 2019/2020 is a regular presence on ¾ of the season, with Woodcock who are confined.

Very high percentage of young which should result in a high Age / Ratio value not only hunting but also banding, confirming the excellent quality of reproduction.

Regarding ringing, it should be noted that the qualifier of exceptional for 2019/2020 used by the Woodcock network of the Ofb (news flash n ° 2 of March), concerns only the number of birds ringed (record over a season ).

The behavior of Woodcock is particularly playful and pious. In the end, they were most often blocked by the dogs. Fewer light birds leaving at the noise.

The survivors of the end of the season have found a behavior consistent with that which we know them.

Bird weights appear to be increasing slightly and the Sex / Ratio value has remained relatively stable compared to the usual average.

Remarks.

The heavy amounts of rain that fell almost everywhere in France during November and December allowed the Woodcock to find abundant food, encouraging them to stay in place to winter throughout the season.

The exceptional mildness throughout autumn and winter not only in the wintering countries but also in the breeding and transit countries, without any significant cold wave, did not prevent a strong migration to the South. . This despite the absolute records of temperatures recorded in the Moscow region in winter (Woodcock were still there in January as evidenced by the photos sent by our Russian correspondents).

Global warming still has no visible influence on the migration of the Woodcock. She continues to come to winter with us.

As we predicted in our study on Finistère last November, the Ica in particular that of the Cnb will beat their records.

Do like us, take no account of it to form an opinion on the state of conservation of the European woodcock herd. Only the estimation of the withdrawals each season thanks to the exploitation of all the books, can inform us about the reality of the situation.

Conclusion.

As we feared, the current management regulations for the Woodcock and its hunting will not have made it possible to regulate harvesting.

In several departments they could be at least 25% higher than those of the previous season.

Even with an excellent reproduction, we are still able today, not only to take the totality of the interest produced by the species, but on certain sectors to draw on the capital  !

Such behavior will inevitably have an end ...

In the meantime, many of us and their dogs had fun, with great emotions going through the woods this season. It's always taken.

Info on the season in the other large wintering countries.

Italy  : The season in Italy resembles that of France. Good on the whole but with disparities according to the regions.

Good to very good in the North, in medium and high mountains.

Average in central Italy.

Poor in Sicily, good in Sardinia.

High percentage of young people. Good return migration in the second ten days of March.

Thank you to our friend Silvio Spano who communicated this information to us and to our friend Saro Calvo for Sicily, Sardinia and Greece.

Greece  : With receptive biotopes, poor season in part of the country, good in the center. High concentrations on certain islands of the Aegean Sea (Cyclades and especially in the North-East Lemnos near Turkey). Strong return movement at the beginning of February over the West and the North.

Spain  : The information in our possession gives a fairly good season but needs to be confirmed.

Thanks to the hosts of the excellent site "  Scolopax sin fronteras  »Which we recommend you visit, to find out the routes of their Woodcock equipped with beacons.

The Hunt of the Woodcock May 01, 2020

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Photo: Franck Ricaud

info: this bird is in excellent condition and was not injured either by a dog or a gunshot, appearances can sometimes be suggestive  another scenario!   

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