Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Since the fi rst county record in 1999, sightings have been annual, apart from 2012 and 2016. (Amber list).
The vast majority of records were from Stewartby Lake, Broom South Quarry, Broom East and Grovebury SP. At Stewartby Lake there was an adult and a second-calendar-year on 1st January, with the adult then seen several times until 27th January. Records of a first-winter in the roost on 3rd February, 17th February and 16th March were of presumably the same individual. There was then a long gap until November, with an adult there on the 15th, followed by a first-winter on the 25th and 28th. In December, three were present on the 1st, with then an adult and a first-winter on the 20th, two adults and a second-winter in the roost on the 23rd, a first-winter, second winter and third-winter roosting on the 30th and finally an adult on the 31st.
At Broom South Quarry there was one on 18th August, a second-calendar-year on 30th August and then a juvenile on 6th September. In October, there was an adult in the roost on the 18th, then a first-winter on the 26th and then an adult and a first-winter on the 27th. On 31st October there were two first-winters and two adults in the roost with presumably the same on 1st November. Then an adult and a regular first-winter were seen in the roost until 14th November.
At Broom East there was a regular second-winter between 2nd January and 24th March, which then relocated to Harrowden WM on the last date and then Priory CP on 31st March. Possibly another, or the same, was at Harrowden WM on 27th May. There was a third-winter seen regularly between 2nd October and 24th December. The earliest at Grovebury SP was an adult on 24th January, followed by a second-calendar-year on 27th January which, presumably the same, was joined by a third-calendar-year on 30th January. The third-calendar-year was present on 4th February, and on 6th February there were two, presumed to be the same as on 30th January. A first winter was present on 19th February. There was then a gap until July, with then a third-calendar year on the 9th and the 21st, one un-aged individual on the 23rd, followed by an adult on the 25th. There was one on 17th August, an adult in the roost on 2nd September and a first-calendar-year on the 3rd. In October, there were four, the largest group all year, at Broom South Quarry on the 31st, consisting of two adults and two first-winters. One of the adults lingered there until 14th November, with various other singles elsewhere during the month. In December, the peak was three at Stewartby Lake from the 1st, then for most of the month, with one still in the roost on the 31st.
