brian kirkwood wrote:

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Because company staff new of my interest in ornithology I was pointed in the direction of a "strange" dead bird on the pavement in the middle of Oldham town centre.

On arrival I found a Woodcock, dead but in very good condition, no obvious signs of damage but its eyes were very opaque. It was not ringed, I work in Oldham but do not know the area well and wondered if anyone has recorded Woodcocok locally.

The unfortunate bird is still in my possession, but not for long.

Regards Brian.

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Hi Brian,

Not sure if Woodcock has been recorded in Oldham Town Centre before but in most years there are a small number of reported sightings of this species in Oldham Borough. The Greater Manchester County Bird Report for 2009 shows sightings from Crompton Moor, Strinesdale and Binn Green. The 2007 report details a sighting from Daisy Nook and in 2010 one died when it flew into a wall of my neighbours' house in Chadderton on 10th November. I suspect that due to the Woodcocks skulking and largely nocturnal habits that this may well be a species where the actual numbers recorded might possibly be an under-representation of the numbers present in our damper woodlands in the winter months, in both Oldham and across others parts of GM too?

In most recent years, looking at a few old county bird reports there are several instances of injured or dead Woodcocks being found and picked up in Manchester City Centre and as Louise has mentioned too, there has already been reports of one on the forum for this winter as well.

By the way if you have the time and are able to, there is a "marketplace" for good quality bird corpses! More information on where one might be taken can be found in this old thread on the forum which is entitled dead birds.

Having taken a couple of birds myself (the above mentioned Woodcock and also a Waxwing) to the Manchester Museum I understand that the skins are then used for both research and educational purposes. It's a real shame to hear of the death of your bird but if something positive can come out of the demise of any bird, then its death might not have all been in vain?

Best wishes,

Bill.