Unusual abundance of breeding Reed Buntings on moorland in 2002

Reed Buntings are red-listed as Birds of Conservation Concern and have undergone widespread declines. As part of ongoing monitoring on the Haweswater Estate and during upland surveys throughout the Lake District by the RSPB, Reed Buntings have been found in unusual abundance on moorland survey plots this spring. Birds have been located in quite small rush beds and once in bracken amongst grazed grassland at several locations up to an altitude of 500 metres. The Haweswater plots have been surveyed three times since 1988 and Reed Buntings have not been recorded before. They have also been located at further sites in more typical habitats in new locations. This seems a little surprising in view of the species’ present status and we wonder if this has been noted in other areas, and would urge observers to fill in record cards for all sightings. So far the Haweswater surveys have generated three new tetrad registrations for this species since the Breeding Atlas. Could it be that the amount of rank vegetation last summer and the absence of grazing animals to trample nests during the foot-and-mouth event resulted in an above-average breeding season last year and an abundance of birds this summer? Whitethroat and Linnet have also been located in untypical habitat in heather associated with bracken and gorse in the southern Lakes and again we would urge observers to record likely range expansions.