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The Czech Republic lies on the historically fast changing western margin of the Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) distribution range. Population numbers of the Common Rosefinch in northwestern and central Europe have been declining in the last two decades and the occupied areas have been contracting. In 2022, census of the species took place in 11 regions of its predominant occurrence in the Czech Republic. Based on the census data and systematically collected data reported by local ornithologists, we estimated the Common Rosefinch abundance at 300-550 pairs for the period 2020-2022. It shows a decline of 60-85% compared to the population size in the 1990s. There are certain regional differences, though. The species has already disappeared from many localities in the foothills of east-Bohemian mountains, while in the Ostrava region its population appears to be stable during the recent few years. The decline in the Czech Republic is probably related to the same pattern observed in the neighbouring countries. The most likely reasons for the observed trend are climate change, deteriorating conditions at migration routes and wintering sites, or the natural population dynamics of the core population in eastern Europe and Asia. The decrease of suitable habitats probably accelerates the decline in the foothills of Czech borderland mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following study attempts to analyse an aspect of Czechoslovakian-German relations during the so called "Second Republic" (October 1938 - March 1939) that has until now stayed out of researchers' interests, namely the entries in the so-called station chronicles. This almost unknown source provides us a specific point of view on the atmosphere of the given period because of its combination of institutional and personal characteristics. The most focused part are the weeks in autumn 1938, when Czechoslovakia was forced to withdraw large parts of its area to Germany which led to massive and simultaneously chaotic changes that the railway transport had to react on. Extraordinary efforts were requested in both personal and freight traffic. The aim of the study is to consider these entries as lieu de mémoire and to find answers on following questions: Is it possible to read about the feelings of the people in these entries, or are they written strictly objectively? How are the Germans described, as enemies with no hope for future, or as colleagues suffering under the same circumstances? For the purpose of the study, chronicles both from border and inland regions have been used to detect eventual differences that might be compared as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]