On 10th May volunteers turned out in the very early morning to search for Black Redstarts in the town centre. After a quite successful search in 2003, the first such event, the morning was disappointing with no birds seen. However, one brief sound was heard (while on the roof of Garrard Street car park) which was considered to be Black Redstart by the three observers who heard it. Hopefully the poor weather that morning was the reason for the lack of bird activity.
The bird features strongly on the Local Biodiversity Action Plan and town development could easily enhance habitat rather than diminish it as is so far the case.
Observations during the year in the town centre included
There were no records from the Beresford Road area. But then few visited this year, no year listers or bird racers that I have discovered.
Of interest pairs were seen in recent consecutive years at separate spots off A33 Relief - both between greyhound stadium and municipal tip.
In 2003 I concluded that two to five pairs were likely. This now seems generous. However, if a CBC type territory mapping is made then a minimum of two territories is a likelihood, and a better way of describing the results. This raises some questions about counting. Do they tend to use one song post? How wide ranging are they in search of food? How large are their territories? The birds are known to be territorial but in spite of this can nest within a few metres of each other.
A few more facts -
As a partial migrant (some pairs stay on site, some holiday at the seaside) it might be supposed that the birds are likely to start breeding earlier than typical summer visitors. If most of the singing takes place up until the time the clutch is laid then the best time to hear the birds is from, say, the second week until the end of April. The survey date in 2003 was into May and it was later in 2004 in the hope that more birds would be back and into full song. This seems to be the wrong way round. It has also been suggested that to do things properly we should visit at least twice. The ROC has a weekend trip at the end of April so, if a survey were to take place, Sundays 17th April and 1st May would seem likely dates, but individual excursions throughout April could be most productive and enlightening.
The last point is a less pleasant one from the observer's point of view. The optimum time of day for song is a brief period at first light. This is some time before dawn. Add to this the fact that song perches tend to be the highest points available where first light presumably appears earlier, and the influence of street lights (think of Robins and Blackbirds), then the best time to search is very early indeed. I am not suggesting that anyone should visit at this time of the morning but it does have implications.
Comments? John Lerpiniere 9426225 johnle@sagainternet.co.uk