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Beckmann, C., Herkenrath, P., Otto, J., Pennekamp, A., Pennekamp, U. & N. Ribbrock (2022): Brutbestand und Verbreitung der Feldlerche Alauda arvensis und der Wiesenschafstelze Motacilla flava flava im Kreis Recklinghausen. Charadrius 58 (1-4): 4-14
In 2017 and 2018, the Ornithological Working Group of Recklinghausen District mapped the populations of Skylark and Yellow Wagtail at Recklinghausen district, which is situated at the northern fringes of the urban conglomeration of the Ruhr area and the southern Münsterland. 73 % of the suitable grid cells were covered. 75 territories of Skylark and 148 of Yellow Wagtail were found. This results in a projected total number of 105 and 210 territories, respectively, equating to 0.38 and 0.76 territories per km2 of agricultural area. Both species are most common in the south of the district at the Vest ridge between the towns of Marl, Herten, Recklinghausen, Oer-Erkenschwick and Datteln as well as at the lower elevated area at Datteln and Waltrop. Here, the proportion of rich soils is higher, as opposed to the sandy soils at the north of the district. Also, some of the lowlands show higher densities. For example, the Hervester Bruch has the grid cell with the highest density of Yellow Wagtail. Overall, the den sities found are rather low compared with published densities, in particular for Skylark. At nine completely mapped grid cells of entirely agricultural land, we found a decrease of Skylark in five grid cells and roughly the same numbers at four, compared to the results of the Westphalian Bird Atlas in the late 1980s to mid-1990s. Yellow Wagtail, however, increased in six grid cells, remained stable in two and decreased in one. In line with most results for birds of agricultural lands in the wider context, the situation of Skylark at Recklinghausen district gives cause for concern.