Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Declining summer resident. Included in 4.2% of BirdTrack lists. The East of England long term trend is decreasing -67%*. (Red list).
The first reports were on 10th April at Stewartby Lake and Strawberry Hill Farm, three days earlier than the ten-year average arrival date. As in 2023, just three records were received from the south and south-west of the county, with two from Woburn and one from Dunstable. There was an apparent increase in reports from central, east and north Bedfordshire. Unusual sightings included one being mobbed by Lapwings at Broom East on 14th May and one being chased off by a Meadow Pipit at Brogborough Tip & Pools on 9th June. Courtship display was observed at Willington GP on 17th May, where three males and a female were reported. Courtship flights involving two males and a female were noted at Broom East on 25th May, at Priory CP on 27th May and Brogborough Tip & Pools on 9th June. Just one record of a female ‘bubbling’ came from Strawberry Hill Farm on 15th May. There was one record of a juvenile on 18th July at Broom East. During June, there were 172 records submitted, compared with 129 in 2023 and 143 in 2022. The last record was on 4th August at Broom East.
