Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Common summer visitor. Included in 12.7% of BirdTrack lists. The East of England longterm trend is increasing +8%. The long-term trend for Bedfordshire is also increasing +13%. (Amber list).
Breeding was confirmed at Barton Hills, Brogborough Tip & Pools, Deepdale/Sandy Heath Quarry, East Hyde, Hill Farm Langford, Houghton Brook Pools, Meppershall, Myers Farm Potton, Pegnut Wood, the River Ivel at Blunham, Tithe Farm Potton and Warden Hill Everton. Probable breeding occurred at a further 19 sites, with records received during the breeding season from 153 sites, compared with 142 in 2023.
The first record of the year was at Broom East on 6th April, three days ahead of the ten-year average arrival date. There then followed one at Strawberry Hill Farm on the 7th and one at Broom GP on the 8th. From 12th April, records became more widespread, with three at Houghton Brook Pools on the 12th and four at Brogborough Tip & Pools on the 13th. The highest counts of the month were eight at Holme Mill on the 26th and eight at Havannah Farm, Eyeworth on the 28th. During May, migrants continued to arrive and numbers increased, peaking between the 12th–20th, when 22 were at Deepdale/Sandy Heath Quarry on the 12th; 14 were at Grovebury SP also on that day; 13 were at Strawberry Hill Farm on the 13th and ten at Old Warden on the 20th. In June, the first fledged juveniles were recorded, with diligent observers recording two broods at Houghton Brook Pools on the 21st, and three fl edged juveniles at Meppershall on the 27th. The highest counts of the month came from the former site, with 16 on the 21st and 14 on the 26th. Elsewhere, 14 were at Deepdale/Sandy Heath Quarry on the 6th, 13 were at Old Warden on the 17th, 12 were at Strawberry Hill Farm on the 7th and 11 at Girtford Meadows on the 9th. During July, records decreased significantly as singing activity declined; the only double-figure counts for the month were 12 at Houghton Brook Pools on the 17th, ten at Blunham Lakes on the 8th and ten along the cycle track between Sandy and Blunham, also on the 8th.
During August, seven were at Brogborough Tip & Pools on the 17th, when the observer noted two newly fledged broods. It is uncommon for Whitethroat to raise more than one brood in a season, so those may have been examples of double broods. There were six at Houghton Brook Pools on the 16th and counts of five at Chalton Solar Farm on the 15th, Brogborough Hill on the 28th and Sutton Hill on the 29th. In September, five were at Pegsdon Hills on the 3rd, four at Houghton Brook Pools on the 2nd and three at Myers Farm on the 6th. The only October record originated from Houghton Brook Pools on the 4th, four days after the ten-year average last date.
