Happy New Year
January 1, 2009
Woodland Birds In Decline
August 7, 2008
Latest results from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) puts woodland birds at the top of the list of declining species.
The BBS – which is the primary source of information about countryside birds, and now shows that wood warbler, spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher and willow tit have all declined by over half since the start of the survey in 1994.
The bad news
Since 1994 the Breeding Bird Survey has revealed a major decline in the numbers of some woodland birds but those with the most specialist habitat requirements (some of which are also long-distance migrants), have shown the most dramatic declines, notably willow tit (down 77 per cent), spotted flycatcher (down 59 per cent), wood warbler (down 57 per cent) and pied flycatcher (down 54 per cent).
This is not due to loss of habitat, as overall we probably have more woodland than ever, but the tree composition and age structure of our woods have changed. Deer have increased in numbers, browsing away the forest under-story on which the birds depend, and forest management practices are changing the structure of our woodlands.
The good news
It’s not all bad news, and some species are increasing in numbers. Many of the species showing the biggest increases are also expanding across the UK, notably stonechat (up 278 per cent), nuthatch (up 71 per cent) and buzzard (up 56 per cent). Buzzards are spreading from their western strongholds, thanks to a reduction in persecution and the recovery of rabbit populations from the effects of myxomatosis.
‘Since 1994 the Breeding Bird Survey has revealed a major decline in the numbers of some woodland birds.’
Stonechats are also spreading back eastwards from the temperate western coastal areas, and nuthatches, previously found only in England and Wales, are increasingly breeding in Scotland.
More often heard than seen, the secretive grasshopper warbler had been lost from many areas by the 1980s, and the species is red-listed due to population declines.
However, BBS results now show that life is looking up for grasshopper warblers, which have increased by 68 per cent since the survey started in 1994, and also increased by 24 per cent between 2006 and 2007.
Nearly 3,000 volunteer birdwatchers took part in the annual Breeding Bird Survey during 2007, and counted over a million individual birds of 220 species throughout the UK.
Record-breaking Razorbill on Bardsey Island
July 28, 2008
A RAZORBILL has returned to its Welsh island home for its 41st consecutive summer, creating a new longetivity record for the species. Razorbill M23170 is the oldest known Razorbill in Britain, being originally ringed as a chick on the cliffs of Bardsey Island (Caernarfonshire) in 1967 (per Mark Grantham, BTO Ringing Unit).
Atlantic Puffins In Decline
July 26, 2008
There has been an alarming decrease in the population of Atlantic Puffins on the Farne Islands (Northumberland) this summer, with a comprehensive survey revealing the presence of just over 36,000 breeding pairs on the islands. This figure is down from 57,000, a reduction of nearly 37%.
There could be two factors influencing this dramatic fall in numbers of this endearing seabird -:
a) the fact that pairs are finding it increasingly difficult to find food in the North Sea, particularly Sandeels and small fish, at critical times during the breeding season
b) increasing winter storms associated with climate change preventing birds from feeding for lengthy periods and ultimately ending in the demise of many first-year birds and a proportion of adults
Atlantic Puffins have also shown decreases in other parts of the country, particularly in Wales, where the population at South Stack RSPB (Anglesey) for example is now almost extinct. Populations in Shetland and Orkney have also been affected.
In Norway, where the Rost population declined by 68% between 1969 and 1988, this was mainly due to a long run of breeding failures culminating from a dramatic decline in Herring populations, most likely due to overfishing (Anker-Nilssen 1987, Harris 1984).
The most recent population estimates for Atlantic Puffin were in the region of 550,000 breeding pairs in Britain (out of a total world population of possibly up to 4 million), with Iceland and Norway sharing the largest populations.
Those from the east coast of Britain winter largely in the North Sea whilst those from elsewhere disperse widely at very low densities over vast areas of ocean in the west Mediterranean sea area.
Citril Finch Added to UK400 Cat A
July 8, 2008
The occurrence of an adult male CITRIL FINCH on Fair Isle on 6-10 June 2008 has been reviewed and ACCEPTED on to Category A of the UK400 Club British and Ireland Definitive List. Deryk Shaw of Fair Isle Bird Observatory commented on the pristine condition of the bird when trapped and ringed, with no feather damage or damage to the bill, legs or feet.
The species is extremely rare in captivity and is known to make movements of 100 kms or more to coastal NW Spain and has occurred as a vagrant in Morocco, northern France, Belgium and Finland.
LGRE is particularly grateful to the following commentators in the review and assessment of the record: Richard Millington, Chris Heard, Martin Cade, Grahame Walbridge, Mark Golley, Mika Ohtonen, Keith Vinicombe, Neil Alford, Rebecca Nason, Cosme Damian, John Bernard Bell, Mark Breaks, Renee Lafontaine, Dave Holman and Chris Batty.
Additional bird species seen in UK during 2008
July 6, 2008
Since my last update in early June, a further 10 species have occurred in Britain and Ireland in 2008, surging the total forward to an impressive six-month total of 376 species.
The additions are as follows -:
WILSON’S STORM PETRELS: usual June/July occurrences off Scilly
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: Grove Ferry (East Kent) summer adult 20 June
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER: Maxey GP (Cambs) 7-9 June
PACIFIC SWIFT: two separate sightings along the Spurn Peninsular (East Yorks)
LITTLE SWIFT: south over Spurn Point then relocated well inland at Old Moor Wetland (Yorks)
Melodious Warbler: 2+ including one trapped and ringed at Portland Observatory (Dorset) 4 July
EASTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER: Portland Bill 24 June
BOOTED WARBLER: South Gare (Cleveland) 29 May
DUSKY WARBLER: Blakeney Point (Norfolk) 4 June
CITRIL FINCH: Fair Isle (Shetland) 6-10 June (first British record)
MEGA – GREAT BLUE HERON
December 8, 2007
Following on from a Tri-colored Heron Egretta tricolor very recently on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), the UK has finally yielded its first-ever naturally-arriving GREAT BLUE HERON Ardea herodias. Discovered by Ashley Fisher mid afternoon, the bird – a juvenile – showed well throughout the rest of the available daylight on Lower Moors pools, St Mary’s (Isles of Scilly) until dusk, delighting the 15 or so resident birdwatchers.
Read the full story in Rare Bird Alert Issue 39
UK 2006 Year List Record Matched
October 16, 2007
2006 Year List record now matchedWith the addition of LEAST SANDPIPER (juvenile photographed at Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, on 13th October) and North American WILSON’S SNIPE (on Lower Moors Pool, St Mary’s, Scilly) on 11th to at least 15th October), the total number of species now recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2007 has reached a remarkable 427 species, equalling the previous record high achieved only last year.
UK400 Club Rare Bird Alerts
Bird Book Report and Paraphanelia Exchange
- Birds of Norfolk new inJust arrived is a softback version of Taylor, Seago, et al, The Birds of Norfolk - £20 plus postage and packing for anyone interested (LGREUK400@aol.com) […]
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- Newly Arrived Stock For Clearance or ExchangeNew Stock Just Arrived (for sale or exchange) December 2009Photographic Handbook of the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe (Dominic Mitchell & Steve Young)Thorburn's BirdsThe Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland (J T R Sharrock)Colin Harrison, ''Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of British and European Birds'' Hardback/mintVery r […]
- SUFFOLK BIRD REPORTSSUFFOLK BIRD REPORTS FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2001Email LGREUK400@aol,com for details […]
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