Depressing reading

There are series of depressing wildlife stories going about at the mo.

Puffins are doing badly, so scientists from the National Trust and Newcastle University are tagging birds to see where they are going to see if that will help explain why. You can hear and read more here.

Also some woodland birds have decline greatly a 30 year survey has shown. Much has been made of the decline of the cuckoo but Nightingales have fallen 95%!!! 16 other birds showed significant declines. There are other startling declines including Starling down 91%, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker down 82% and Willow Warbler down 52% (I know this is TOTALLY unscientific but I've heard a lot less this year). Although not all of the losers are migratory many are.

Birds that have done well include Collared Dove (not a surprise) and Wood Pigeon but one migrant to have done well is Blackcap.

The survey ended in 1999 but it provides the longest and most up-to-date trends anywhere in the UK.