There is still time to sign up to take part in the full national survey of breeding woodcock running in 2023 organised by the BTO with the GWCT as partners. The last full national survey of breeding woodcock was in 2013. Indications from annual monitoring since 2013 suggest that the population may have decreased. The 2023 survey will help to provide the best possible assessment of the population status, as well as further helping to understand the causes of the population decline and also to inform the woodcock shooting policy review.

This survey will require two or three dusk visits to selected sites in May and June to make point counts of roding woodcock. Please see the report here about the results of the 2013 survey in Sussex for information about the survey methods. In 2023 there are some changes to the method of habitat recording but the method of counting encounters with roding woodcock will remain exactly the same.

Priority sites are those that were surveyed in 2013 and those for which volunteers are being sought are listed below (updated 4/5/2023). The survey involves counting woodcock encounters from a fixed point which should be chosen within or on the edge of the largest area of woodland within or close to the square.

SU8811 Charleton Down: this includes parts of Goodwood Country Park
SU9115 Eastdean Wood: part of a large wooded area above Graffham Down
SU9119 Ambersham Common
TQ4032 Hindleap
TQ4131 Wych Cross
TQ4427 Nutley
TQ4429 Marlpits
TQ4629 Camp Hill
TQ4631 Gills Lap
TQ4729 near Camp Hill
TQ4932 Marden’s Hill
TQ5031 Crowborough Common
TQ5736 Hargate Forest
TQ7623 Lordship Wood: this is a large mixed forest just east of Robertsbridge
TQ8521 Beckley Woods
TQ8614 Guestling Wood

If you would like more information or are interested in helping with this project please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com or select a site online at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/woodcock-survey where there are more squares available than the priority sites listed above.