Peterborough Bird Club annual report Goldcrest Regulus regulus | A | Common resident 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Common resident breeder, common passage migrant and common winter migrant. Seen throughout the area and reported in most months of the year. The peak count was of 18 singing in Southey Wood on 17 Mar (GRH), 19 at Deeping Lakes NR on 28 Oct (RB, WB) and 20+ at Ferry Meadows CP on 24 Oct (DG). The first juvenile was noted on 19 Sep in Ferry Meadows CP (DG). Image © Phil Ackerman. Click for bigger version
2002	Common resident breeder, common passage migrant and common winter migrant. This species is under-recorded in the PBC area. Notable counts included 25 at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 28 Sep (RMP) and 20 there on 19 Oct (MH). For the third year in a row, no birds were recorded during June and July; this may reflect a lack of recording or a general fluctuation in the population.
2001	Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter migrant. Southey Wood hogged the peak counts of our smallest bird, with at least 30 birds recorded there 3 Jan and 11 Nov (GRH). Elsewhere, easily the largest counts were 15 at Prior’s Fen GP (in two flocks) 24 Oct (SPD) and 11 at Morborne Hill 13 Oct (BHS). The species was widely recorded in smaller numbers in the rest of the region, though similarly to 2000, there were no records from the end of May to mid-August.
2000	Common resident. Generally well-distributed, but an absence of records from mid-May to mid-September is surprising [but perhaps due to a lack of observer effort in Goldcrest habitat then]. Multiple records came from Bainton GP with six on 1 Jan, Orton BP with ten on 5 Feb, six at Baston Fen NR on 24 Oct and 12 at Morborne Hill on 12 Oct. There were three singing birds in Peterborough city centre (Lady Lodge and Council Offices) during the breeding season.
1999	Common resident. Widely distributed with records from Woodston, Elton, Deeping Lakes NR, Market Deeping, Longthorpe, Ferry Meadows CP, Bainton, Orton BP, Morborne Hill, Belham Wood, Maxey GP, Baston & Langtoft GP, Crowtree Farm (Farcet Fen), Castor Hanglands NNR, Parnwell and Southey Wood. Several singing birds were noted in Central Park on 11 Aug, the day of the total eclipse.
1998	Common resident. Southey Wood appears to be this species' stronghold, with good numbers noted regularly there throughout the year. Four near Stowe on 10 Jan included a ringed bird. Two nests at Milton Park were destroyed by predators, possibly Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis. Other birds were noted at Bainton GP, Ferry Meadows CP, Morborne Hill, Deeping St James, Belham Wood, Thorpe Wood, Market Deeping, Baston & Langtoft GP and Longthorpe.
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