THERE are many things that go on in the South West that are reported, but seldom do we hear of the dramatic decline of our migratory birds like cuckoos and nightingales that have seen their populations crash by a thumping great 70 per cent in the last few decades.

Most of our migratory birds tend to arrive in Britain around April, after nesting and hopefully raising a brood successfully here, they usually depart around October.

Ornithologists have found that species such as the once common turtle dove, willow warbler and redstart are struggling to find enough food in the weeks before they set off in the spring to fly to the UK.

It’s fairly well accepted that the migratory bird population in the UK fluctuates annually by as much as one third in some species, depending on the wet-season rainfall levels in Africa and vegetation which is measured from satellite images.

Once common species of birds such as the turtle dove, have seen their population fall by 85 per cent since 1966. Conservationists are searching for an explanation, with some rightly blaming farming practices in the UK including the removal of hedgerows and the widespread use of pesticides.

It’s vitally important that we encourage the successful breeding of wild birds on all of our wildlife habitats in this country and that they should be well managed with helpful advice if needed.

Clearly, while some farmers have an excellent track record for conservation, others are not the least bit enthusiastic.

I would support more legislation for closer collaboration with land managers, both on designated conservation sites and across the wider farmed countryside, even if it meant we, the tax payer, having to foot the bill.

MIKE FRY Moorland Crescent, Upton, Poole