Species of special conservation concern on the red and amber lists as defined by the BTO are highlighted in their respective colours.
Apologies for a slight glitch in the comments on p3 of Newsletter 17 (Spring 2002): the Dec 2000 Dartford Warbler mentioned for Sherborne St John should have been a lucky garden in Wokingham w/b 15/10/00; the S St J record should have been a Black Redstart w/b 24/12/00 (sorry!). The percentage occurrence of the generally more common garden species (Blue Tit down to Kestrel) as a function of garden type and conservation concern are shown in Table 1 (see also the table in Newsletter 13 (Spring 2001)).
Similar figures for occurrence as a % of gardens during the 6-month period are also included in Table 1.
49 gardens were surveyed (71% urban/suburban, 29% rural) producing a total of 67 species (56 urban/suburban, 59 rural) including the first ROC record of Hawfinch, lucky garden in Ascot w/b 24/3/02. Other uncommon species also recorded include Tree Sparrow, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Merlin, Snipe (!), (Lesser) Redpoll. Similar percentage occurrence figures are also shown in Table 1. Some changes from earlier (winter) occurrence are: Coal Tit: slight increase in urban/suburban; Nuthatch: slight increase, more so in urban/suburban; Goldcrest: decreased somewhat; Carrion Crow: slight increase in urban/suburban, slight decrease in rural; Mistle Thrush: slight increase in urban/suburban, some decrease in rural (but see also Summer 2002 below); Bullfinch: decreased generally (but see also Summer 2002 below); Jackdaw; decreased in rural; Treecreeper: decreased, more so in rural; Rook; increased somewhat; (Lesser) Redpoll: decreased (few records); Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; no records; Reed Bunting; decreased (few records); Brambling; increased in rural; Linnet; decreased (few records); Grey Heron: decreased somewhat.
36 gardens were surveyed (64% urban/suburban, 36% rural) somewhat lower than Summer 2001, nevertheless producing 61 species (48 urban/suburban, 56 rural) including several first GBS records: Northern Wheatear - lucky TR's garden in Ascot w/b/ 14/4/02; Cuckoo - 2 (rural) gardens both in Bucklebury (!) mid-Apr - mid May; Whinchat (30 Aug) and Lapwing (5 Sep) in RH's (rural) garden in Whitchurch. This brings the overall ROC GBS total to 96 species. Some changes from the previous two summer recording periods (see also Table 1) are : Bullfinch; large increase in rural (but see also Winter 2001/2 above); House Martin; some decrease following earlier increase, particularly in rural; Mistle Thrush: earlier decline continues (but see also Winter 2001/2/above); Blackcap: earlier increase levelling off; Goldfinch: decreased in rural; Long-Tailed Tit: decrease, particularly in rural; Treecreeper: some decrease; Swallow: some decrease; Chiffchaff: some increase; Siskin: some increase, particularly in rural; Tree Sparrow, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Spotted Flycatcher, (Lesser) Redpoll: not recorded.
As the total number of recorded garden species continues to increase, particularly following the earlier introduction of summer period recording, I have extracted in Table 2 below the more recent percentage occurrences for species (all gardens combined) not included in previous (Table 1 type) tables.
Please carry on recording !
John Farnsworth