The current climatic episode  .

Its consequences on the life of the Woodcock  .

Overall, the behavior of the Woodcock during migration does not seem to present any anomalies.  ; no new trend has appeared for 15 years.

Nothing for the moment indicates delays during the migration, and this year is there again to contradict certain analyzes, very disturbing conditions for the French hunter, and for his editorialist Pascal Durantel  !

Conditions were rather mild in the breeding areas, which did not prevent the woodcock from being on time, even a little early.  !

On the other hand, studies show a loyalty that is still as marked  and the peak of departures is always at the same period  .

However, one element is accentuated, it is the distribution of birds, the consequence of several direct and indirect factors.

One of the factors that we have encountered in recent years have been the weather conditions, an increase in temperatures and a very low water level in many regions.  , a situation which should intensify, if however the climatic episode persists  !

The direct factor, the lack of food, the consequence of too dry soil  !

This dry soil, responsible for the phenomenon of `` concentrations '', the birds are in majority in search of territories composed of biotopes with suitable trophic resources.  .

The least affected regions, close to the northern coast and some high altitude regions and its plateaus relatively preserved by melting snow  made it possible to meet more birds!

The quality and lack of food inevitably leads the woodcock to  locally favor its wintering grounds  to be able to eat. This situation results in the large disparities in birds, which many of us have seen in recent years.

In front of  This observation, these disparities seem to be more difficult to analyze, some will have encountered correct densities and others almost unoccupied territories! The phenomenon of communicating vessels, has he played its role to the point of believing that the herd is stable?  ?

Consequently privileged regions, and on the others, almost uninhabited  ! therefore, it is easy to  'to deduce, that it is not the fact of a ' 'Cape to the North' ' imagined by a large number of communicators, no element demonstrates for the moment a center of gravity moved further north  ! Let's avoid letting ourselves think, let's stick to the facts, as well as to future hypotheses which would be, according to some, responsible for the current situation  !

A parenthesis that deserves to be underlined, concerning the Doubs, attendance was halved during the period 2005/2010, sources oncfs Doubs.

At the European level, we see a similar phenomenon on a larger scale, Spain, Italy, where drought has considerably reduced the territory to allow birds to s  '' feed correctly.Another element demonstrates the difficult feeding conditions for the woodcock, in fact, its weight indicates  a downward trend for at least 10 years.

Some countries in the North, such as Ireland, do not seem to be invaded by woodcock either.  !

According to my analyzes, these data demonstrate the weakening of the herd on a European level and the strong disparity of the populations can sometimes mislead the hunters of West Brittany for example, on the analysis of the stability or not of the herd.  !

Too bad we absolutely want to close our eyes to the situation. Bird populations are on a declining trend  ; whether they originate from the consequences of the climate, the hunting pressure, or both, it will be necessary to reduce the withdrawals at the European level  !

                                                   Franck Ricaud

January 2019

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PHOTO FRANCK RICAUD