Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 24

BTO LAPWING SURVEY

As you can see from the table very few lapwings were found breeding in Worcestershire in 1998. I gather that the national results are even worse that expected

This was a repeat survey of tetrads covered in 1987 - see Worcestershire Record November 1997. I had hoped to give the results for 1987 for comparison but so far, despite several searches of mounds of paper in my loft, I can't find my 1987 file. BTO will of course publish the national results in due course

The decline in lapwings is related to agricultural practice, especially the lack of bare ground for nesting amongst crops in spring (due to widespread autumn sowing), lack of nearby damp feeding sites, and probably shortage of invertebrate food in intensively cultivated areas. Dave & Jane Scott (near Larford) and John Tilt (near Grafton Flyford) told me of successful breeding lapwings in maize stubble followed by maize. This regime, although quite intensive seem to provide a suitable window of habitat for lapwings to breed. The only lapwing chicks I saw this year were amongst very young sugarbeet.