Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Very common and increasing resident. Included in 64.9% of BirdTrack lists. The East of England long-term trend is increasing +168%*. The long-term trend for Bedfordshire is also increasing +157%*. (Green list).
The largest gathering was of 3,020 at Blunham Bridges on 11th June. In a series of counts of birds departing from the Priory CP roost, the highs were 2,000 on 16th November and 1,400 on 13th October. At Broom South Quarry there were 800 at roost there on 27th August, 1,000 on 15th November, and 750 on three counts during December. Elsewhere, there were 700 at Coronation ClP on 27th July and 500 at Wardown Park on 1st February. They were in 80% of gardens during the Summer Garden Bird Survey, equalling the record high, and mirroring the huge increase across the county.
