Sunday 17th January 2010

These maps include all SOS, TTV, Birdtrack and roving records from the first two winter Atlas periods, November 2007-February 2008 and November 2008-February 2009, with the exception of most SOS records for 2009. Garden BirdWatch records only from the period November/December 2007 are included. These maps do not incorporate any records from this winter (November 2009 to date).

COLLARED DOVE – First two winter seasons provisional distribution map.

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Collared Dove was recorded in 58.8% of the county’s tetrads during the first two winter seasons. This is a highly sedentary species, especially found in urban areas and around rural buildings, so do look (and listen) out for it in areas where no dots appear on the map above. Spilled and stored cereal grain is a major food source, as are seeds and berries from wild or cultivated plants, as well as garden bird food. 

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER – First two winter seasons provisional distribution map.

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Red-breasted Merganser was recorded in 4.1% of the county’s tetrads during the first two winter seasons. Mainly a marine species, it has nonetheless been recorded at 12 inland sites during the past 40 years, so do keep a look out for it on inland waterbodies too. WeBS results indicate that numbers of this species have been increasing in Sussex in recent years.

SKYLARK – First two winter seasons provisional distribution map.

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Skylark was recorded in 38% of the county’s tetrads during the first two winter seasons. The breeding population is joined by large numbers of winter visitors at this time of the year. They form flocks of tens or even hundreds of birds, foraging in the centres of fields for cereal grains and the green leaves of winter-sown cereals and oil-seed rape. In coastal areas you may also find them feeding on the leaves of salt marsh plants.