Bird of the day: Meadow Pipit
When you get a steady stream of Meadow Pipits throughout the morning, it's hard to believe that Meadow Pipits have declined in this country by 25% in the last 30 years and that globally it's "near threatened". There are still an estimated 1.9 million pairs nesting in the British Isles but at its current rate of decline that will soon get whittled down. With such a numerous bird you would think that we know all there is to know about them but of course researchers have concentrated on less numerous and faster declining species and the BTO Migration Atlas states that there are "some major gaps in our knowledge of their winter ecology".
Once again we decamped to Middleton Nature Reserve as work on hut demolition was starting at Heysham Nature Reserve. Pleasant weather - calm, warm and overcast. Wind direction - E
Vis (0620-1120):
Swallow - only 1 over (and only 30 in the roost)
Meadow Pipit - 390 (including 30 ringed)
Grey Wagtail - 18
alba wagtail - 5
Goldfinch - 5
Skylark - 1 (first of the autumn on vis)
Reed bunting - 2
Ringing: New birds -
Meadow Pipit 30
Chiffchaff 12
Blackcap 9
Willow Warbler 7
Robin 5
Blue Tit 5
Grey Wagtail 4
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Goldcrest 2
Reed Bunting 1
Goldfinch 1
Great Tit 1
Whitethroat 1
Retraps - just a Wren and a Blue Tit.
Report by JR
