The woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is a secretive, nocturnal wader but as we enter spring it becomes easier to find due to its mesmerising aerial displays. At dusk and dawn, they take to the air and patrol over large areas of their forest and heathland homes, with males performing a display flight known as ‘roding’. During these display flights, the males call in a series of grunts and squeaks, as they compete with other males to attract females.

Unlike many wading birds, the woodcock prefers dense woodlands to wetlands. It has a stunning, cryptic plumage of mottled brown and black, making it almost invisible against the leaf litter. By day, woodcocks roost on the forest floor, relying on their exceptional camouflage to stay hidden from predators. Here, these birds often flush suddenly from the undergrowth when disturbed, zigzagging low over the bracken before disappearing once more into the shadows. Their erratic flight pattern and chunky, round-winged silhouette make them quite distinct.

There’s an air of mystery about the woodcock, partly because it is both a resident breeder and a winter visitor. British woodcock populations are supplemented each year by birds arriving from Scandinavia and Russia to escape harsher conditions.

The woodcock's diet primarily consists of invertebrates, including spiders, earthworms, beetles, and snails. As it roams the woodland floor, it probes the soil with its long, sensitive bill to locate prey. Their foraging behaviour is most active at dawn and dusk, taking advantage of moist soil conditions that make it easier to extract hidden invertebrates.

Despite their resilience, woodcock populations are under pressure. Habitat loss and changes in woodland management have contributed to a decline in their numbers, making sightings all the more special. The woodcock's pin feathers were also highly prized by artists as fine brush tips for use on exquisite works, and were also used to remove fine particles, such as dust, from people's eye.

If out walking in Hampshire’s woodlands or reserves this month, keep an eye on the ground and be ready for a sudden flurry of wings - it might just be one of these elusive birds taking flight.