Worcestershire Record No. 4 May 1998 p. 14

NIGHTINGALES 1998

As readers may know the BTO launched a National Nightingale Appeal in May 1998 to raise funds for a repeat national nightingale survey in 1999, and to investigate the bird's habitat requirements. The reason for this intensive study is that the two BTO Atlases of breeding birds around 1970 and 1990 showed a decline of about 30% of the bird's range, and local information since that time suggests there has been a continuing decline. The last full national survey was done in 1980.

To prepare for the 1999 survey and to help with the Appeal, joint BTO/Worcestershire Wildlife Trust Press Releases asked for information this year. These were taken up by the local Press and Local Radio and we have received an interesting response to this and to a request in Worcestershire Wildlife News.

By early June I have received about 30 reports of individual singing nightingales which is perhaps better than expected. All these records are from the south of the county - Broadway area, Strensham, Drakes Broughton area, Malvern area. The only northerly record so far is of a bird singing behind a factory in Redditch.

If any reader heard Nightingales in Worcestershire in 1998 and haven't mentioned it to me yet, please give me a ring - don't assume I have bound to have been told! Also you may have heard more birds at a particular site than other observers.

The main fund-raiser for the BTO Appeal is a Nightingale CD containing a fascinating collection of old and new recordings - the first recording ever made, nightingale singing with cellist, nightingales with bombers flying overhead, and brilliant modern recordings. If you would like a CD I should be very pleased to sell you one for £10.