Sunday 31st May 2009

These maps include all 2008 SOS records, as well as 2008 TTV, Birdtrack and roving records. The maps do not include ANY records from Garden Birdwatch, the BBS, the nest record scheme or the ringing scheme. These records will be incorporated at a later date.

BLACKBIRD – First breeding season (Apr – Jul 2008) provisional distribution map.

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Now that we have the 2008 SOS records in, we are re-issuing the map for Blackbird. Blackbird has so far been recorded in 58% of tetrads, with breeding confirmed in 25% of tetrads, probable breeding recorded in 12%, possible breeding in 14% and no breeding evidence recorded in 7% of tetrads. Now is a good time to record confirmed breeding with recently fledged young still being fed by parents (FL), as well as parents collecting food for young still in the nest (FF).

STONECHAT – First breeding season (Apr – Jul 2008) provisional distribution map.

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Stonechats have a long breeding season, with first eggs laid in March and the last in July – so they can have up to three broods. You may therefore see many differing kinds of evidence of their breeding, now and over the next two months. Records already in confirm their strong presence in the Ashdown Forest and around Beachy Head, with breeding so far confirmed in 37 tetrads, and presence, possible breeding or probable breeding recorded in another 66 tetrads.

WHITETHROAT – First breeding season (Apr – Jul 2008) provisional distribution map.

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Whitethroats should now be collecting food to feed their nestlings (FF = confirmed breeding), and family parties with youngsters still dependent on adults (FL = confirmed breeding) should soon be around. So far they have been recorded in 42% of tetrads, but confirmed breeding has only been recorded in 7% of tetrads, with probable breeding in 11%, possible breeding in 19% and presence only in 4% of tetrads. This is therefore a species for which confirmation of breeding is surprisingly low so far.

Not sure of what the various breeding status codes are? Click here:
www.bto.org/birdatlas/taking_part/bevidence.htm