Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Abundant winter visitor and passage migrant, with small numbers in summer; in most years a few pairs breed. Included in 16.2% of BirdTrack lists, compared to 13.3% in 2023. (Red list).
Breeding was confirmed at Whipsnade Zoo (1 pair), Luton North Industrial Estates (30–35 pairs), Toddington Road, Luton (1 pair) and Grovebury SP (2 pairs). The Luton North Industrial Estates were surveyed on 14th June when 18 nests were visible on factory roofs, all with two or three young. Based on visible nests it was estimated that the breeding population was 30–35 pairs. Breeding success there was evident on 7th August when 31 adults and 51 juveniles arrived at Houghton Brook Pools from the breeding areas. At the Toddington Road site a pair nested on the roof of a house, with the nest in the wedge between the pitched roof and the off -ridge chimney stack, raising three young to fledging.
During the first winter period there were 11 counts of 200 and over, with ten of those at Stewartby Lake. In January, there were 200 on the 1st, 700 on the 6th, 500 on the 13th and 262 on the 20th. In February, there were 385 on the 17th and 1,200 on the 24th, with then 340 on 9th March. In the second winter period there were 260 at Stewartby Lake on 20th December, 350 there on the 23rd and 400 on the 30th. The other high count in this period was of 200 at Grovebury SP on 13th November. A lack of access meant that there were no counts from Brogborough Lake.
