Black grouse lek survey in Lothian and Borders, 2008

Black Grouse numbers in south-east Scotland fell by 69% between 1995/6 and 2005. In 2006-07, lek surveys were undertaken by the Southern Uplands Partnership, in an area occupying a rough triangle with Peebles, Selkirk and Moffat at its respective corners. This was considered to be the species local stronghold and the population here showed an apparent increase of 19% between the two years. In the spring of 2008, RSPB fieldworkers carried out a lek survey across 33 5km x 5km squares, chosen on the basis of historical records reported in The Breeding Birds of Southeast Scotland, 1988-94 (Murray <i>et al</i> 1998). These squares were outwith the core area surveyed by SUP in 2006/7, although one existing lek was checked here, and two new ones were discovered on its edge. In total, 18 leks were found comprising 1-7 Blackcock (mean = 2.7) and totalling 46 birds.