Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Fast declining summer resident. The East of England long-term trend is decreasing -97%*. (Red list).
The first sighting was at MCP Wetlands NR on 21st April, but the fi rst male ‘purring’ was not heard until one week later, at Waterloo Thorns. Th e largest concentration was at Strawberry Hill Farm, where there were eight singing males during the summer. Elsewhere, two males were singing from the same site at MCP Wetlands NR on 6th May and at Folly Wood, Lidlington on 14th May. By 23rd May only one male was purring in Folly Wood. Th e location in the Marston Moretaine area continued to be visited by observers reporting two birds until 3rd August. The final record of the year was of one at MCP Wetlands NR on 28th August.
In total seven sites (up from six in 2023) produced records of purring males. The chart on the next page plots the status over the years.
