Photographed by Geoff Bell
Song thrush in Princes Court, Bourne

by REX NEEDLE

ANNUAL SURVEYS by various organisations indicate that birds in England are in decline, both in numbers and in species. Birds once familiar in the countryside around Bourne are no longer to be seen and many of those we know from recent years are now on the list of endangered species.

Records from the 19th century show an abundance of wildlife in the woods and fields where such birds as the curlew, red grouse, woodcock, bittern and even the rare and beautiful hoopoe were frequently seen. Other unusual species were spotted such as the red-breasted merganser, the great snipe, peregrine falcon and great crested grebe but unfortunately the awareness of our environment was practically unknown and birds however rare were invariably shot and stuffed.

Today, most birds are protected by law but their decline continues through other factors, mainly the erosion of habitats through intensive agricultural practices including the use of chemicals as insecticides and herbicides. The birds we are used to seeing in our gardens, for instance, have declined by 20% in the past four years and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has warned that farmland birds are at their lowest ever level.

Ironically, we have more woodland than ever but larger deer populations have been blamed for eating away foliage and changes in the structure and management of forests have led to the decline. The steady disappearance of farmland birds has also shown a worrying trend with numbers of grey partridge, kestrel, lapwing, turtle dove, skylark, yellow wagtail, starling, linnet, yellowhammer and corn bunting all showing significant drop in numbers. Another evocative bird that has suffered is the cuckoo whose arrival from Africa normally heralds the onset of spring but their numbers have dropped by as much as 50 per cent in some areas.

Fortunately, there are still birds in our gardens and the countryside although the rarer species may be elusive and this feature is designed to show what can be seen by those with patience to watch and wait.

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Dunnock in Blackthorn Way

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Corn bunting in oil seed crop

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Yellowhammer in Mill Drove

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Blackcap in Bourne Wood

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Chiffchaff at Thurlby Fen

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Chaffinch near Dyke village

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Goldcrest near Dyke village

 

Photographed by Rex Needle
Seagulls and a grey heron following the plough

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Grey heron over Thurlby Slipe

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Buzzard over farmland at Thurlby.

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Long tailed tits near Dyke

 

Photographed by Rex Needle
Robin in Bourne Wood

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Robin in Mill Drove

 

Photographed by Stan McRae
Moorhens nesting on the Bourne Eau in South Street

 

Photographed by Rex Needle
Mute swans on the Bourne Eau

Photographed by Rex Needle
Black swan and cygnets at St Peter's Pool

 

Photographed by Rex Needle
Long-eared owl on the grass verge alongside the Stamford Road

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Sparrowhawk in Queen's Road

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Sparrowhawk with prey in Queens Road

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Sparrowhawk near Dyke village

Photographed by Tony Stubbs
Sparrowhawk in Saxon Way

Photographed in January 2015 by Geoff Bell
Jay in Bourne Wood

Photographed by Geoff Bell in September 2014
Wren in Queen's Road

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Green woodpecker near Dyke

Photographed by Geoff Bell
    House martin in Dyke village

Photographed by Geoff Bell
           Swallow in Dyke village

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
A flight or gulp of swallows near Dyke village

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Mallard and young on the Car Dyke

Photographed by Rex Needle
Mallard and young at St Peter's Pool

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Little owl off Mill Drove

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Whitethroat along the Car Dyke

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Little egret at Thurlby fen

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Turtle dove alongside the footpath to Dyke village

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Chaffinch in Meadow Drove

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Greenfinch in Meadow Drove

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Goldfinch in back garden

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Goldfinch and young on garden bird feeder

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Magpie in the treetops

Photographed by Geoff Bell
        Jackdaw in the back garden

 

Photographed by Michael de Caplain
Pheasant in the back hedge

Photographed by Rex Needle
Pheasant at the bird table

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Starling in the garden

Photographed by Geoff Bell
House sparrow in the garden

Photographed by Geoff Bell
    Blue tit  in the garden

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Blackbird with fledgling in the garden

 

Photographed by John Glen
Bullfinch in Meadow Drove

Photographed by Geoff Bell
        Red kite over Cawthorpe

Photographed by John Glen
Yellow wagtail in Mill Drove

 

Photographed in 2013 by Geoff Bell Photographed in February 2014 by Geoff Bell

Photographed in March 2014 by Geoff Bell

The elusive kingfisher, photographed perched above the Bourne Eau
through the security fence at the Abbey Lawn (above left) and again along the Bourne Eau behind
Baldock's Mill in South Street (above right) and finally in the shrubbery of The Cedars
retirement home after a tasty catch in the river nearby (below).

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Collared dove in the garden

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Wood pigeon landing in the garden

 

Photographed in February 2014 by Geoff Bell

A backyard bath for a visiting song thrush.

 

Photographed in January 2015 by Geoff Bell

Photographed in March 2015 by Geoff Bell

Pied wagtail in the garden

Nuthatch in Bourne Wood

 

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Reed bunting in Mill Drove

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Kestrel at Thurlby Fen

Photographed by Geoff Bell
Fieldfare at Thurlby Fen

See also

A conventicle of magpies

Birds of Bourne in past times

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