BOOK REVIEW
Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Lancashire and North Merseyside 1997 - 2000
Robert Pyefinch and Peter Golborn
Several Society Members have a special
interest in this publication having taken part in the survey
work, which took place over a period of four years. It was a
massive undertaking to survey every tetrad in Lancashire and
North Merseyside, but it was achieved, no doubt thanks to great
personal effort by the two authors.
The result is a magnificent publication, of which the ornithological community in Lancashire can be justifiably proud. I can't do any better than quote the inside of the dust-jacket to demonstrate the scale of the achievement:-
'Between 1997 and 2000, over 300 field workers spent almost 10,000 hours monitoring the 931 'tetrads' that make up Lancashire and North Merseyside. They found and mapped the distribution of 146 breeding bird species, including the first successful breeding by Spoonbill in England since c.1668.
Our small region has the greatest diversity of breeding species than any other comparable area in the British Isles. The results are here, in this, the first Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Lancashire and North Merseyside.'
As hinted in the editorial, the Chorley area also probably has a greater diversity of breeding species than any other comparable area within the region!
In the book itself there is an introductory chapter detailing the geology, climate and land use of the region. This is followed by the accounts of all the species. Almost all are shown on a two-page spread. The left-hand page contains the species account, together with an estimate of the county and national populations. The right-hand page contains the distribution map, with a large circle representing breeding within a tetrad and a small circle indicating presence, with no proof of breeding.
The book concludes with a chapter looking towards the future, and several Appendices analysing the data produced by the survey, which will provide hours of fascinating reading for those who are statistically inclined.
The book is beautifully produced and is a must as a reference tool for any local birder. If you haven't already bought a copy, get yourself to Martin Mere or Leighton Moss where you should find it on sale in the shop - while stocks last, that is!