| Known site no | 10 km square | Site name | Grid reference | Number singing 1999 |
| SO66 | Kyrewood | SO608671 | 1 | |
| SO73 | Castlemorton Common | SO791396 | 1 | |
| SO73 | Gadbury Bank | SO793316 | 3 | |
| SO73 | Welland | SO793397 | 2 | |
| 3 | SO74 | Assarts Rd Malvern Wells | SO786476 | 0 |
| 1 | SO74 | Coombe Hill, Coddington | SO724422 | 0 |
| 5 | SO74 | Langdale Wood | SO791425 | 9 |
| SO74 | Malvern, Great | SO783459 | 2 | |
| SO74 | Malvern, Leigh Sinton Rd | SO774491 | 1 | |
| 4 | SO74 | Malvern Link | SO786476 | 0 |
| 2 | SO74 | Whitmans Hill Coppice | SO751478 | 0 |
| SO75 | Easinghope Farm, Broadwas | SO743574 | 2 | |
| SO76 | Hockham's Farm, Martley | SO763630 | 1 | |
| 9 | SO83 | Boat House, Tewkesbury | SO880315 | 1 |
| 10 | SO83 | Brockeridge Common | SO885380 | 1 |
| 7 | SO83 | Forthampton | SO858326 | 1 |
| 8 | SO83 | near Ripple | SO878379 | 0 |
| 11 | SO83 | near Tewkesbury | SO887387 | 0 |
| 6 | SO83 | Swinley Green | SO840322 | 0 |
| SO83 | Upper Strensham | SO893395 | 1 | |
| SO84 | Brotheridge Green | SO827413 | 2 | |
| 18 | SO84 | Church Cover, Croome | SO887453 | 0 |
| 12 | SO84 | Deblin's Green | SO824492 | 0 |
| 21 | SO84 | Defford Airfield | SO893450 | 2 |
| 16 | SO84 | High Green | SO879452 | 1 |
| 19 | SO84 | Marsh Common | SO893423 | 3 |
| 14 | SO84 | Menagerie Wood, Croome | SO874444 | 1 |
| 22 | SO84 | Narrow Wood, Wadborough | SO898478 | 1 |
| SO84 | Northmoor Common | SO861472 | 1 | |
| 13 | SO84 | Old Hills | SO829483 | 1 |
| 20 | SO84 | Salt Baths covert, Croome | SO893436 | 0 |
| 15 | SO84 | Trout Pools Covert, Croome | SO875459 | 1 |
| SO84 | Upton-on-Severn | SO845405 | 2 | |
| 17 | SO84 | Viners Plantation, Croome | SO878472 | 0 |
| SO84 | Wadborough Railway | SO893479 | 1 | |
| 25 | SO86 | Bowling Green Inn | SO863621 | 0 |
| 24 | SO86 | Hawford Wood | SO844604 | 0 |
| 23 | SO86 | Monkwood | SO804608 | 1 |
| 26 | SO86 | Westwood Park | SO885635 | 0 |
| SO87 | Burlish Top, Kidderminster | SO805738 | 1 | |
| 27 | SO87 | Wilden Marsh | SO825773 | 0 |
| 28 | SO93 | Long Green, Ashchurch | SO945334 | 0 |
| 29 | SO93 | Westmancote | SO946380 | 0 |
| 32 | SO94 | Caldewell Mill, Wadborough | SO913481 | 1 |
| 30 | SO94 | Croome Perry Wood | SO900463 | 0 |
| 33 | SO94 | Deerfold Wood, Wadborough | SO914477 | 1 |
| 36 | SO94 | Defford | SO924433 | 0 |
| 35 | SO94 | Dufty Coppice, Wadborough | SO919485 | 0 |
| 38 | SO94 | Lodge Wood, Drakes Broughton | SO927480 | 0 |
| 31 | SO94 | North Covert, Strensham | SO911409 | 0 |
| 34 | SO94 | Strensham Waterworks | SO918400 | 4 |
| 37 | SO94 | Tiddesley Wood | SO927452 | 0 |
| 41 | SO95 | Bow Wood | SO943557 | 0 |
| 39 | SO95 | Fillet Wood, Sale Green | SO925580 | 0 |
| 42 | SO95 | Grafton Wood | SO973562 | 0 |
| 43 | SO95 | Lower Kite's Wood | SO978565 | 0 |
| 44 | SO95 | Round Hill Wood | SO985583 | 0 |
| 40 | SO95 | Trench Wood | SO925585 | 0 |
| 45 | SO96 | Goose Hill Woods | SO935608 | 0 |
| SO96 | Upton Warren | S0937676 | 2 | |
| SP03 | Bow Meadow Farm | SP066357 | 2 | |
| SP03 | Peasebrook Farm | SP077372 | 1 | |
| SP03 | Wormington Brake | SP055363 | 3 | |
| 46 | SP04 | Wood Norton Woods | SP015472 | 0 |
| SP06 | Conduit Coppice, Redditch | SP093678 | 1 |
| Total 5910x10 km square (or part) | 1976 | 1980 | 1998 | 1999 |
| SO 56 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| SO 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 73 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| SO 74 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 12 |
| SO 75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| SO 76 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 83 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| SO 84 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| SO 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 86 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 87 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SO 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 94 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 6 |
| SO 95 | 50 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| SO 96 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| SO 97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 03 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| SP 04 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 05 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| SP 06 | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| SP 07 | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| SP 13 | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| SP 14 | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 88 | 70 | 42 | 59 |
| Survey report totals - see text | 92 | 66 | NA | NA |
Table 2 gives the results of the BTO surveys in 1976 and 1980 together with the response to a general appeal for records of nightingales in 1998 and the BTO 1999 survey The totals in the survey reports, Hudson (1979) and Davies (1982). are slightly different because the BTO received some information which escaped me, and Worcester & Hereford were lumped together, and slightly different boundaries were used. The downward trend remains the same and actually appears greater from the survey reports. . These results with illustrative maps were published in Worcestershire Wildlife News (Green 1994)
Although considerable efforts were made in the two BTO surveys it is likely that the totals are lower than the actual numbers of birds simply because it was difficult to visit every likely site in early summer in one year. Similarly the 1998 results are from a simple appeal for information made in Worcestershire Wildlife News, Worcestershire Record, and through press releases taken up by the media and local radio. The media take-up was good because we made use of the BTO's National Nightingale Appeal to gain publicity. It is quite likely than the actual county coverage was better in 1998 that in the earlier years!
The 1999 survey was based on visits to sites known to the BTO from earlier surveys, including our 1998 information. It was a "known sites" survey plus any further information we could obtain Once again we obtained quite good publicity via the press, radio and Worcestershire Wildlife News. A glance at the tables may suggest that the nightingale population of Worcestershire had increased between 1998 and 1999 but this is probably not so. The apparent increase is probably related to vagaries of reporting by the general public. However, there were several surprising records west of the Severn including the solitary birds which sang with vigour at Burlish Top, Kidderminster, and was reported by many people. The records near Kyre are also striking as they are a long way from their nearest neighbours.
In 1976 SO 95 way a key square with nightingales in most of the woods. In 1980 best woods were Trench (9), Goosehill (8), Grafton (6), Round Hill (5), Old Yew Hill Wood (5), Tiddesley Wood (9). Most birds now occur further south in SO84
It is obvious that the county's nightingale population, as estimated by singing males, has decreased by at least half over the 23 year period. Nightingales were once much commoner in Worcestershire but have long been less frequent in the NW and W of the Severn. They have gradually decreased, disappearing first from the N and W. For further historical information see my notes in Worcestershire Record No 5 November 1998.
Very many thanks to everyone who helped with this survey by visiting known sites and contacting me either via Worcestershire Wildlife Trust or BTO with records. The information gained, although rather depressing, does give a clear baseline for future surveys.
| DAVIES PG 1982 Nightingales in Britain in 1980 Bird Study 29:73-79
| GREEN GH 1980 Nightingales in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1980 p5
| GREEN GH 1981 Nightingales 1980. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1981 p5
| GREEN GH 1994 Focus on nightingales. Worcestershire Wildlife News No 69:14-15 April 1994
| HARTHAN AJ 1934 A census of nightingales in S Worcestershire British Birds 28:50-52.
| HARTHAN AJ 1946 The Birds of Worcestershire. Worcester: Littlebury
| HARTHAN AJ 1961 A revised list of Worcestershire Birds. Trans. Worcs. Nat. Club p 167
| HUDSON R 1979 Nightingales in Britain in 1976 Bird Study 26:204-2`12
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