Worcestershire Record No. 26 April 2009 pp. 45-46

Steve Davies

As my interest in this species has developed, I have visited any areas that I suspect may still hold breeding Corn Buntings. Some of the sites listed in Table 1 are well-known to subscribers to the Worcesterbirding website which receives regular reports on this species presence at Shenstone. Other sites may not be so well-known. Some of these records have come from my study site at Wick, while a few have been picked up on Timed Tetrad Visits (TTVs) during BTO Atlas fieldwork.

Interestingly, while enjoying the song of the male Corn Bunting as detailed in the first registration of the above list, I also recorded the song of a Wood Warbler Phylloscopos sibilatrix in Fenny Rough (SO867751). There can’t be many locations where hearing songs from these two species could be possible. I digress!

How many Corn Buntings are there still breeding in Worcestershire? Clearly there is a need to know. I would very much like to formulate an accurate status for the species. If you know of any remaining breeding populations or areas where they are known to overwinter I’d be extremely grateful if you could please pass on the information. Or maybe you could increase the numbers at the locations that I have mentioned above. I would also welcome records from the past and any anecdotal accounts of their presence on farmland.

e-mail:stevendavies907@btinternet.com