A Winter Survey of Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock
- Marcus Ward
- Mar 29
- 4 min read
When the sun sets over the New Forest, a hidden world begins to stir. While most wildlife surveys take place during daylight hours, many species are far more active under the cover of darkness. This winter, our team at Wild New Forest Guided Tours set out to uncover what really happens after dark—focusing on three elusive and fascinating birds: Woodcock, Common Snipe, and Jack Snipe.
These birds are rarely seen during the day, yet they are important indicators of ecosystem health. By studying them at night, we can better understand how the New Forest landscape supports wildlife during the winter months.
How We Surveyed the Night
To build a clear picture of nocturnal activity, we carried out a structured survey between October and February, covering the core wintering period for these species.
In total, 57 surveys were completed across 24 sites, carefully selected to represent a range of habitats including dry and wet heathland, forest lawns, arable land, equine paddocks, and coastal marsh .
Each survey began around an hour after sunset. Using thermal imaging equipment, we systematically searched each site to detect birds in darkness with minimal disturbance. Weather conditions, moon phase, and visibility were recorded, and surveys were timed to include optimal conditions—such as low moonlight and clear skies—to maximise detection rates.
Where possible, birds were also safely captured and ringed by licensed British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) ringers, allowing us to contribute to long-term monitoring efforts.
This consistent approach allowed us to compare results across habitats and build a reliable picture of species distribution and behaviour.
What We Found
Woodcock: Widespread and Adaptable
Woodcock were by far the most frequently recorded species. They were strongly associated with dry heathland and scrub, particularly areas with a mosaic of open ground and vegetation.
Their activity peaked shortly after dusk, when individuals emerged to feed. Later in the night, they were often observed resting in more open areas. As the season progressed, small groups became more common, and by late February, the first signs of breeding behaviour (“roding”) were recorded .
Interestingly, Woodcock were often found in areas grazed by ponies. Grazing appears to improve feeding conditions by maintaining suitable vegetation structure and increasing invertebrate availability.
In contrast, they were only rarely recorded in farmland or equine paddocks, and almost absent from coastal marshes—highlighting the importance of heathland habitats.
Common Snipe: Specialists of Wet Ground
Common Snipe showed a very different pattern. Their distribution was highly concentrated in wet habitats, particularly at wet heath and coastal marsh sites.
They were almost always found in areas with saturated soils or standing water, reflecting their reliance on soft ground for probing and feeding. Outside of these wet areas, they were rarely encountered.
Even within farmland, Snipe were only recorded where water was present—such as in flooded set-aside fields—demonstrating how even small wet features can be critical for this species.
Jack Snipe: Scarce and Secretive
Jack Snipe were recorded in lower numbers and across fewer sites. Like Common Snipe, they were closely associated with wet, waterlogged habitats.
However, numbers recorded were higher than anticipated, highlighting the benefits of thermal technology making finding these cryptic and elusive waders possible.
A Clear Pattern: Habitat Matters
One of the strongest outcomes of the survey was the clear separation in habitat use between species:
Woodcock favoured drier heathland environments
Snipe and Jack Snipe depended on wet, saturated ground
We also observed seasonal shifts. As some areas became increasingly waterlogged, Woodcock numbers declined while Snipe numbers increased. This highlights how sensitive these species are to changing ground conditions and water availability.
What Drives These Patterns?
The differences we observed are likely shaped by a combination of factors:
Soil moisture and structure, affecting feeding opportunities
Invertebrate abundance, particularly earthworms
Vegetation structure, influenced by grazing
Disturbance and predation risk
The New Forest’s grazing system appears particularly important. Grazing not only maintains open habitats but also enriches soils, increasing invertebrate availability in an otherwise nutrient-poor landscape.
We also noted reduced activity during brighter, moonlit nights. This may reflect increased predation risk, with birds becoming more cautious in well-lit conditions.
Why These Findings Matter
Nocturnal surveys like this reveal aspects of wildlife behaviour that are often missed during the day. By understanding how these species use the landscape at night, we can better identify the habitats that matter most.
Key takeaways include:
The critical importance of heathland for Woodcock
The value of wet habitats—large and small—for Snipe species
The role of traditional grazing in supporting feeding conditions
Other species & personal highlights
It is not just the wading species out on the heath at night, several species were found roosting out on the heath including numerous Redwing & Fieldfare, Skylark & Woodlark, Stock Dove and even a lone Coal Tit and Pied Wagtail. Other wader species were frequently encountered including Golden Plover and Lapwing but the most exciting has to be a Stone Curlew one early spring evening just on the edge of Brockenhurst.
I think my most special moment was sat on a bridge ringing a Jack Snipe with my son Jamie and looking up to see a sky of vivid shades of red and green dancing across the horizon. It only lasted a few moments but it was a magical moment out on the heath watching the Aurora Borealis with a Jack Snipe for company!
Looking Ahead
This survey provides a strong foundation for future work. Continued monitoring will help track changes over time, particularly in response to weather patterns, land use, and climate change.
There is also clear scope to expand surveys into more farmland and managed landscapes, helping to build a more complete picture of how these species use the wider countryside.
Acknowledgments
The survey was planned and coordinated by Wild New Forest Guided Tours with funding support from the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and with permission from Forestry England. All surveyors were licensed British Trust for Ornithology bird ringers.
The field team:
Nigel Jones, Tommy Saunders, Jamie Ward & Marcus Ward
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