Wednesday 23 May 2012

Cudworth Common

Where have all the Meadow Pipits gone? This site usually supports around 6 pairs, but this spring I haven't seen any breeding birds. There are however, about 5 breeding pairs of Skylarks.
It would appear that the Mute Swans are without any cygnets! Even worse I witnessed a dog heading towards a Redshank nest I found last week. Before I or the owner could restrain it an egg was bitten into, now there are two left. The owner was most apologetic. On a more positive note there was an Avocet and pair of Cuckoo's sat on telegraph wires together.
On the north side of the Symphony factory were 2 Ringed Plovers, several pairs of Lapwings with young, a pair of Grey Partridge and 5 Hares.

2 comments:

Martin Wells said...

The number of Meadow Pipits on the moors have crashed, perhaps by more than 50%. I was talking to Brian Penistone yesterday and he only had three pairs on a walk from Snailsden Res. to Windleden Edge. I havn't found such a drastic fall, but numbers are well down on what they usually are at this time of year.

Cliff Gorman said...

Thanks for that Martin - it doesn't look good for them