Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Scarce, but under-recorded breeding species and regular summer migrant. The England long-term trend is decreasing -17%. (Green list).
Breeding was confirmed at four sites, was probable at seven sites and possible at 12.
The earliest was one at Waterloo Thorns on 11th April, which was six days earlier than the ten-year average arrival date. Singles then continued to arrive during April, culminating in a count of nine at Coronation ClP on 30th April. There were daily records in May, with most counts being in the range of one to three, the exceptions being nine at Rookery North ClP on the 7th, five there and at MCP Wetlands NR on the 8th, which were presumably the same, four at Rookery North ClP on the 11th, six at MCP Wetlands NR on the 18th, and five at Rookery North ClP on both the 29th and 30th.
Throughout June to September, counts continued to be in the range of one to three, with exceptions being five at Sandy Smith NR on 25th June, six near Blunham on 22nd July and four (including two juveniles) at Th e Lodge on 26th August. Th e last of the year, and the only October record, was one at Manor Farm, Beeston on the 17th, which was six days later than the ten-year average latest.
