The Lincolnshire Bird Club

on an otherwise uninspiring WeBS count this afternoon I came across two patch year ticks within 70m a Short-eared Owl and a Woodcock; there were also a few small flocks of Fieldfare and Redwings and several Blackbirds perhaps indicative of a small arrival

Since 1993 I have kept a list of all species I have recorded on my patch at Barton and looking at the results the declines of so many species are becoming evident even from this unscientific bit of behaviour; in the first 8 years of recording the average annual species tally was 173 species with an all time high of 184 in 1996, the second eight year mean had fallen to 170 species but since then the accelerating declines have intensified with a mean of just 159 species in the most recent seven years -- a drop of 14 species over a 23 year period -- clearly birding effort varies annually but even so the same area is covered and the amount of hours will not vary that much from year to year so the decline is notable.

Which have been the species lost?

Which (if any) have been the species gained?

On my local patch, Swanpool/Boultham mere, which I have studied for over 30 years the following once common breeding species have disappeared:-
Turtle Dove, not seen since 2008.
Little Owl, not seen since 2010.
Tree Sparrow, not seen since 2012.
Willow Tit, not seen since October 2014.

Both Willow Tits and Tree Sparrows used to visit my garden feeders in the winter.

These losses have occurred despite the fact that the habitats on the patch have not changed.

Fortunately Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are still hanging on with a pair breeding successfully again this year.

Gains have been Little Egret, Red Kite and Raven but none of these are breeding.

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Regards,

Andy.