Longbill Traditional Cache
geoartcache: Cache gone missing - needs archiving.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Printmaker, Hester Cox has created a series of geo art caches that take the seeker on a journey through Hackfall Wood with each cache illustrating a story of one of the many creatures that live there and leaving the visitor with a book of impressions from their day.
Longbill: Woodcock
Tale:
Woodcocks are known as cocks, longbills and, in the Shetlands, Muckle Snippecks.
Woodcocks are migratory birds and the early arrival of the woodcock in autumn was meant to signify a good harvest. It was also believed that woodcocks would fly to the moon during the months that they weren’t seen and the first full moon in November, when large flocks of woodcock arrive at the coast, is sometimes known as the ‘woodcock moon’. The woodcock is linked with another bird, the goldcrest. Wintering birds can be seen arriving along the east coast at about the same time as goldcrests and this gave rise to the belief that the tiny little goldcrests would hitch a ride on the woodcock’s back because they were too small to make such a long journey. The goldcrests got the name of ‘woodcock pilot’ and were reported to appear from amongst the woodcock’s feathers on landing.
Hackfall:
Woodcocks are wading birds and need dry areas to nest and wet areas to feed so Hackfall is a perfect place for them. Their eyes are set far back on their heads giving them all round vision and allowing them to spot predators easily. Woodcocks probe the ground with their beaks for food which means that they are particularly at risk in cold weather when the ground is frozen.
One unusual fact about female woodcocks is that they are able to carry their chicks between their legs, in their claws or on their backs whilst flying to protect them from predators.
Woodcocks have been spotted in Hackfall but you will need to have sharp eyes to see one because they are really well camouflaged with feathers the same colour as the dead leaves on the woodland floor where they will crouch during daylight hours.
This geocache is part of a series of caches hidden in Hackfall as part of North Yorkshire Open Studios - http://www.nyos.org.uk
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Jurer guvf pnpur pna or sbhaq lbh pna nyfb fvg qbja naq nqzver gur ivrj gb Zbjoenl Pnfgyr!