West Midland Bird Club

The 2007 Breeding Season was confusing I suspect both to the birds and observers. The warm weather during April encouraged an early start for all our species at Bodenham.

The Video Box proved a great success with our visitors and gave everybody a real insight to the activities in a nest box. The pair of Blue Tits raised 6 out of 9 chicks; the reason for this will become clearer later in this summary.

Early observations in early April showed that a very high 96% of boxes were occupied against 90% in 2006. A total of 394 eggs being laid (the highest so far) of which 96.6% hatched against 90.9% in 2006. However some species then had great difficulty feeding their young particularly Blue Tits and Great Tits due to a distinct shortage of Winter Moth caterpillars which are a very important food for both young Blue Tits and Great Tits. This caused severe brood reductions. The cold spell which arrived on the 9th of May exasperated the situation further. Two complete broods of Blue Tits were lost as well as the brood of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers found by Steve Dodd during his RSPB survey.

Overall chick survival rate fell to 69.4% against 85.2% in 2006. The reductions in Blue Tits and Great Tits broods being the main cause. Nuthatches, Coal Tits, Tree Creepers and Robins were less affected. The Swallows, Spotted Flycatchers arrived on cue and bred successfully. Our resident pair of Kingfishers 2 pairs of Goldcrests were observed breeding for the first time at Bodenham. We also had late broods of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins fledging in mid July. Another unusual occurrence at Bodenham

In addition to the boxes and the artificial aid sites which are reported in detail in the attached report. The following species also bred successfully:

• 5 pairs of Blackbirds
• 2 pairs of Blackcaps
• 1 pairs of Bullfinches
• 1 pairs of Buzzards
• 1 pairs of Carrion Crows
• 3 pairs of Coots
• 5 pairs of Chaffinches
• 2 pairs of Dunnocks
• 5 pairs of Greenfinches
• 2 pairs of Goldcrests
• 3 pairs of House Martins
• 1 pairs of Kingfishers
• 1 pairs of Little owls
• 2 pairs of Linnets
• 2 pairs of Long-tailed Tits
• 2 pairs of Mallards
• 3 pairs of MistleThrushes
• 3 pairs of Pheasants
• 2 pairs of Pies Wagtails (additional to the report)
• 3 pairs of Red Legged Partridges
• 3 pairs of Swallows (additional to the report)
• 2 pairs of Whitethroats
• 2 pairs of Wrens (additional to the report)

We are indebted to Dave and Norma Kelsey and all the staff at Bodeham Arboretum for their help and observations during the season.Thank you all.

Brian Rickett
Project Manager, West Midland Bird Club, Kidderminster Branch.