Good News! (1 Viewer)

[Himalaya]

There has been quite a bit of good news with regards to some breeding birds in Britain:-

1. Cattle Egrets have bred in Sussex and Norfolk this year for the first time. In Sussex I believe quite a few pairs bred and they are not too far from where they bred in Hampshire last year. Could be same birds moving or could be a new lot hopefully.

2. 3 pairs of Great White Egrets have bred at Holkham, Norfolk raising 6 young. I knew they bred somewhere in Norfolk in 2017 but thought that was a one off. They are expanding here.

3. Common Cranes breeding in Lincolnshire. The first time in 400 years?

4. Black Winged Stilts breeding at WWT Stear Marshes in Somerset - the most western record ever.

5. Pallid Harrier have bred in France at a place not that far form the English Channel. I know it is not the UK but it is not that far and still an excellent record!

Have I missed anything ?

 

[aeshna5]

First ever Savi's Warblers bred in Wales.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Bitterns at Newport Wetlands Centre.

Rich

 

[Himalaya]

Apparently Zitting Cisticola have bred at Alderney ?

 

[Himalaya]

Cattle Egrets have bred at a second location in Essex this year - Abberton reservoir.

 

[Deb Burhinus]

There has been quite a bit of good news with regards to some breeding birds in Britain:-



Have I missed anything ?

Red-back Shrike in Scotland - pair with nestlings
Marsh Warblers - Foula
Purple Heron nested again at Dungeness (no updates)
Spoonbills also did well this year.

Sign of the warming times.

 

[Paul Longland]

Apparently Zitting Cisticola have bred at Alderney ?

interesting. always had these down as a possible colonist akin to Cetti's but despite how common they are across the channel it always seemed that that short stretch of water was a bridge (or lack of) too far for them. Obviously as a resident, non migratory species colonisation is less likely than for some others such as stilts, egrets etc.
Will be interesting to see if this is a one off or the start of a trend.

 

[Nutcracker]

The crossing to Alderney is only about half the width of the Channel at its narrowest, that'll make the crossing significantly easier for them!

 

[KenM]

....and not forgetting Black-winged Kites having bred for the first time in Belgium this year....just a skip and a jump from Blighty! :eek!:

 

[Dave Ball]

...just a skip and a jump from Blighty! :eek!:

Yeah, they might be fine with the skip and the jump, but can they manage the hop as well, Ken?

 

[Himalaya]

Did they raise young ?

....and not forgetting Black-winged Kites having bred for the first time in Belgium this year....just a skip and a jump from Blighty! :eek!:

 

[Himalaya]

Are they not similar to Cetti's in the sense they are not really that migratory?

interesting. always had these down as a possible colonist akin to Cetti's but despite how common they are across the channel it always seemed that that short stretch of water was a bridge (or lack of) too far for them. Obviously as a resident, non migratory species colonisation is less likely than for some others such as stilts, egrets etc.
Will be interesting to see if this is a one off or the start of a trend.

 

[Himalaya]

Any updates on Purple Herons at Dungeness?

Spoombills bred in Suffolk too.

Red-back Shrike in Scotland - pair with nestlings
Marsh Warblers - Foula
Purple Heron nested again at Dungeness (no updates)
Spoonbills also did well this year.

Sign of the warming times.

 

[Nutcracker]

Did they raise young ?

No - they gave up after a combination of bad weather and disturbance. Not sure if they ever got past nest-building stage (I forget which thread it is in, maybe the European Rarities thread?).

 

[MJB]

Yeah, they might be fine with the skip and the jump, but can they manage the hop as well, Ken?

They've made it to Cyprus, not a very short crossing...
MJB

 

[Deb Burhinus]

5. Pallid Harrier have bred in France at a place not that far form the English Channel. I know it is not the UK but it is not that far and still an excellent record!

Do you have a link for any info on this? The possibility of Pallid breeding in France was raised in another thread.

I don’t personally have any updates on Dungeness (without phoning people!) - it might well be public info is being suppressed due to Covid and the consequential lack of staff/volunteers to monitor them - the last time I saw breeding PH at Dungeness some years ago, they were having to be closely monitored to prevent disturbance and tracks down to the reed bed were closed.

interesting. always had these down as a possible colonist akin to Cetti's but despite how common they are across the channel it always seemed that that short stretch of water was a bridge (or lack of) too far for them...
Will be interesting to see if this is a one off or the start of a trend.

They might make it if they don’t try and sing at the same time :-O

 

[DMW]

Apparently Zitting Cisticola have bred at Alderney ?

The species has bred in Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney in recent years. It's been good year for records in the CI.

 

[DMW]

Yeah, they might be fine with the skip and the jump, but can they manage the hop as well, Ken?

Yes...3 records in the CI. Only a matter of time for the UK!

 

[Paul Chapman]

Do you have a link for any info on this? The possibility of Pallid breeding in France was raised in another thread.

https://www.birdguides.com/news/pal...d Harrier has bred in,a female of the species.

All the best

 

[Himalaya]

Spoonbills breeding successfully in Orkney in 2018? That is a big jump North and possibly the most Northern breeding record ever ?