The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Many Atlas supporters have been hard at work since the breeding season commenced and the ttv coverage for the county is now virtually completed. The key task left is to confirm as many species breeding in each 10km square as possible.

So how are we doing in this respect in Lincs? Here is a graphic showing those square in yellow where we have yet to reach the 75% target for breeding species confirmed. The number in each square is the number of species that need to be confirmed to hit the 75% target. We are doing pretty well compared to adjacent counties and 36 of our 79 squares are already over 75%. A further 12 are within 5 species.

We are now getting down to the wire with only a few weeks left to confirm breeding. Please check out what species are missing in your local squares by clicking on "My local gaps" on the the BTO Atlas homepage and then chase down the missing species. Its great fun and will add an extra enjoyable dimension to your birding. There are still many unconfirmed common birds, particularly warblers and now is a great time to confirm most species. If you need any guidance on using the website and adding records please contact your BTO regional representative (http://btolincs.blogspot.com/).

Heres to some good birding and some excellent coverage for Lincs when the Atlas book is published in just udner 2 years time."

Best regards Phil Espin 28 Grimsby Rd, Louth, Lincs, LN11 0DY Tel 07966 325380

_________________
-----------------------------------------------------
Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Latest news, 2 more squares are at 75% plus, TF11 and 14, described as Baston and Heckington on the map.

Spent 3 hours in TF57 this afternoon and added 5 species to take this square well over 75%

Best birds were 2 juv Cuckoo's one at Chapel Six Marshes and one at Wolla Bank. Also fledged Chiffchaff at Chapel Pit and Lesser Whitethroat with food for young along the bank towards Wolla.

Taking a leaf out of Freddies book I decided to check out some churchyards for Spotted Fly. St Andrews Churchyard Anderby drew a blank but added a fledged Blackcap while St Margarets Huttoft revealed a real surprise. Coal Tit had not been recorded in TF57 but there was an adult with a single fledged young feeding in a Yew tree (there was also a nice Cherry too, very tasty).

No Spot Fly though. I'd been in TF46 in the morning and checked out churchyards at Skendleby and Firsby, none there either.

Phil,
Good news re TF57.
Country churchyards have been my big disappointment this year when searching for Spotted Flycatchers. My detailed diary tells me that I have now visited exactly 30 different Lincolnshire churchyards, and several more than once, since mid-May (with an average of perhaps c. 20 minutes in each ), the latest ones so far just in July being :

24. Blankeney
25. Dorrington
26. Willoughby
27. South Thoresby
28. Tealby
29. Swinhope
30. Farforth

.....and out of those 30 churchyards, I 've not found/followed up a single churchyard nesting Sp Fly - and with only ONE actual churchyard sighting : Willoughby-by-Stow...21st June, and nesting in the neighbouring garden.. ( although I've had several sightings NEXT to Churchyards where the Sp Fly might have been originally seen in the churchyard ).

Why do I do it, then ? A good question, but churchyards look absolutely ideal habitats and rather like the optimism of the betting man, the NEXT one will be a winner. .... 'hope over experience', and as Alexander Pope wrote, " Hope springs eternal in the human breast ."

Freddy

Over the next week I have targeted 8 species to confirm from TA20 I am confident I can confirm at least 6 of these but that still isn't enough I dont think

Cheers Anthony

Hi Anthony

7 birds are needed in TA20 now to get to 75%. Good hunting. Only 3 needed in TF29 which borders TA20. I parked up in Grainsby this afternoon for a good long walk looking to add 3 birds. I was having no luck had walked for an hour and got caught in a rainstorm so sheltered under a Blackthorn hedge for 45 mins. While I was stood there a female Bullfinch and 2 juvs appeared in the hedge then a newly fledged Chiffchaff, all within a few feet. Two down 1 to go and both Partridges still unconfirmed aswell as Reed and Sedge Warbler.

I should add that TF39 (Covenham) is now over75%, thanks to input from Ian Kingswood and his pulli ringing!

Have added quite a lot of species to several northern squares over the last 3 days so an updated map may reduce over input into some areas?

Thanks Graham, we've now hit 75% in SE92, TA11, TA21 and SK89 thanks to the data you've submitted and TA01 and others are now looking much more achievable.

I'm out in TF45 tomorrow doing my last 2 ttvs and trying to add as many species confirmed as possible. The weather forecast looks excellent and we still need a lot more input in the southern Wash squares TF31,32,42 and 43 if anyone fancies a useful morning out. The missing species can be found on the Atlas homepage, under "My local gaps".

I've done an update of the map above which hopefully Andrew will post soon.