PBC: Lapwing

Peterborough Bird Club annual report
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus | A | Common resident

1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003

2003

Common resident breeder, passage and winter migrant.
The large numbers present on the Nene Washes at the end of 2002 remained into early Jan until pushed off by deep floods; 10,000 were present on 2 Jan with another peak of 10,050 on 16 Feb (RSPB). Numbers fell by the end of the month, with 1,042 remaining on 21 Mar.
During the second winter period, numbers were generally lower on the Nene Washes, with 6,000 on arable at Ring's End on 24 Nov (RSPB). Elsewhere, notable counts included 1,500 at Baston & Langtoft GP on 10 Aug (WB), 1,500 at Deeping High Bank on 9 Nov (RB, WB) and 2,000 at Market Deeping on 13 Nov (PA).
During the breeding season, 369 pairs recorded on the Nene Washes. This was a new record high and 67 pairs higher than in 2002. Nest predation study work on 22 nests revealed that 21 hatched (RSPB). Reports of displaying birds received from Baston Fen NR, Crowtree (Farcet Fen), Elton and Hampton West Lake. Confirmed breeding reports at Serpentine BP, Deeping Lakes NR and Hampton West Lake.

Summary of breeding Lapwings on Nene Washes 2002/03

	2002	2003
High Wash	6	13
RSPB Low Wash	198	200
Eldernell Wash	23	63
March Farmers	71	90
Ring's End	4	3
Total:	302	369

2002

Common resident breeder, passage and winter migrant..
During the first winter period, up to 6,500 were present on the Nene Washes between 3-13 Feb (RSPB et al), decreasing to c2,500 by 3 Mar (RSPB). A flock of 300 were at Fletton BP on 9 Feb (BHS) and 230+ there on 18 Feb (SPD). All other reports during this period were of flocks less than 100 birds.
The autumn and second winter period saw a large build-up on the Nene Washes during November, from 3,000 on 9 Nov to 12,000 on 15 Nov to 21,000 on 19 Nov and peaking at 31,000 (though possibly 35,000 actually present) from 26 Nov-4 Dec (RSPB et al). This is a new site record and almost twice as large as the 2001 peak and must have been a truly awesome sight.
Hard weather arrived and by 9 Dec only 4,650 remained (RSPB); however, mild weather at the end of the year saw an increase to at least 13,500 (JT et al). Other notable counts included 1,300 at Deeping High Bank on 1 Oct (PNW), approximately 2,000 at Prior’s Fen GP on 7 Nov and 1,000+ at Yaxley on 24 Nov (KW).
Breeding: 302 pairs distributed on the Nene Washes (see table above); however, breeding was disrupted by hard weather in mid-April, resulting in many lost clutches and a number of pairs moving off the reserve. Set-aside on Garner's Arable held nine pairs. Elsewhere breeding records were received from Elton, Fletton BP, King’s Dyke NR and Prior’s Fen GP.

2001

Common resident breeder, passage and winter migrant.
Under-recorded between Jan–Mar. Peak counts included 7,100 on the Nene Washes 12 Feb (RSPB). Other flocks were of 100–200 birds recorded from Ferry Meadows CP, Nassington, Ramsey Fen, Elton and Baston Fen NR.
Breeding season: 271 pairs estimated on the Nene Washes on 11 May (RSPB). Elsewhere, (potential) breeding activity noted at White Fen (Benwick) 25 Feb and Hampton Lakes 23 Apr. Displaying was also noted at Deeping Lakes NR 26 Apr with three chicks seen at Deeping High Bank 7 May (TW), two broods of three young each at King’s Dyke NR 16 May (GW), two broods at Prior’s Fen GP 31 May with two young there 17 Jul (GW). All records of birds during the breeding season are welcome for this declining species.
Post-breeding dispersal involved 1,000 on the Nene Washes from late June. Away from the Nene Washes, 14 at Elton 13 Jun and 18 at Wansford on the 18th. Thereafter, large numbers built up at Prior’s Fen GP peaking at 3,200 on 23 Aug (SPD). Elsewhere, 2,000 at Baston & Langtoft GP 7 Oct (AD), 1,000 at Fletton BP 26 Sep (CD) and 920 at Borough Fen 17–31 Oct (DB), 600 at Langtoft 28 Oct (RS), 410 at Fletton BP 4 Oct (BHS) and 400 at Newborough 26 Sep (DB). Smaller numbers were seen at Ferry Meadows CP, Elton, Thurlby Fen, Flag Fen, Deeping Lakes NR, Northborough, Conington and Morborne Hill.
In December, a massive 17,000 estimated on the Nene Washes 6 Dec (RSPB) stayed until a cold spell dispersed them mid-month. Up to 1,000 Fletton BP 9–10 Dec (SPD, BHS), with flocks of fewer than 100 at Deeping St James, Beeby's BP, Castor, Elton and Orton BP.

2000

Common winter visitor and migrant; uncommon resident away from Nene Washes.
In the first winter period at the Nene Washes, 5,000 were noted from 22 Jan through February, decreasing to 917 by 12 Mar. Elsewhere, large flocks were few and far between, with 500 at Bainton GP 1 Jan, and 100 at Ferry Meadows CP 20 Jan.
On the Nene Washes RSPB reserve, 230 pairs were present before all displaced by flooding on 5 Apr. After the flood, 252 pairs returned, with 45 attempting to breed on adjacent farmland. Low productivity on the reserve was noted due to predation by Stoats Mustela erminea and Carrion Crows. Elsewhere, there were five pairs in the Ben Johnson and Swaddywell GP area, three pairs Helpston, two pairs Castor and one at Marholm; two pairs were seen displaying at Elton and Baston Fen NR, six broods at Hampton, at least two broods at King’s Dyke NR, and two also at Fletton BP.
Post-breeding groups included up to 350 at the Nene Washes from late June, rising to 1,500 by late August. At Deeping High Bank, 100+ from 17 Jun, increasing to 800 on 30 Jul. At Baston & Langtoft GP, up to 265 by 25 Aug. From September, larger totals were at Newborough 270 on 27 Sep, 400+ at Castor 2 Nov, 1,500 Drysides GP 10 Nov, 1,000 Borough Fen on 10 Nov, and 1,000 Deeping High Bank. Up to 5,000 were on arable farmland north of March Farmers/Ring's End in November, with 7,000 on the Nene Washes RSPB reserve during early December, decreasing to 3,450 by 18 Dec due to the hard weather.

1999

Common winter visitor and migrant; uncommon resident away from Nene Washes.
In the first winter period at the Nene Washes, 12,000 was the peak count in January. Elsewhere, 450 at Ferry Meadows CP 4th and 11 Jan, and 600 at Bainton GP 15 Feb.
The total washes population was 272 pairs (170 in 1998), including 184 pairs on the RSPB reserve. Of 68 pairs monitored, 50 hatched, one deserted and 17 were predated. Other breeding sites included a pair to the south of the reserve, two pairs north of Drysides BP, two pairs to the north of the High Wash and two pairs near Holme Fen. At Hampton Lakes, birds were seen with young on 3 May. In July, 120+ were seen at Baston & Langtoft GP with a further 120 at Fletton BP. In September, 3,000 were on the Nene Washes 5 Sep.
In the second winter period, flocks of 20-500 were seen. Larger groups were 660 at Baston Fen 10 Oct, 800 east at Sibson 13 Dec, 618 at Eye 7 Nov, 700 at Borough Fen 4th and 9 Nov, and 5,000 at Helpston 28 Nov. The peak count was 13,000 on the Nene Washes in November.

1998

Common resident, winter visitor.
Large flocks included 500 at Ferry Meadows CP (17 Jan), 200 between Helpston and Maxey (31 Jan), 300 at Baston & Langtoft GP (8 Aug), c150 at Nassington (30 Aug), 700 at Baston Fen NR (12 Sep) with 400 there on 25 Oct and 487 at Crowland on 20 Dec. A few pairs bred at Hampton and there was one young fledged at Baston & Langtoft GP.
Nene Washes: The first two weeks of January saw numbers rise to 21,000, but a cold snap reduced this to 8,100 (18 Jan). These numbers remained through February, with a large departure by early March. Pre-flood, the majority of our breeding birds were incubating (27 Mar), with an estimated 100 pairs on the reserve.
The flood was devastating. Many pairs moved onto surrounding arable land and soon re-laid, with 77 pairs on Feldale to the south and 40 on the north side. Post-flood, 121 pairs re-nested on the reserve. There were 16 nests actually along the drove-side, of which 13 hatched, two were predated and one deserted, indicating high hatching success of 81%. The rest of the washes held a further 49 pairs. The lateness of breeding meant that some young did not fly until the end of August.
Numbers built up to an estimated 10,000 in December.