Peterborough Bird Club annual report Ruff Philomachus pugnax | A | Fairly common 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Rare migrant breeder, common passage migrant and rare winter migrant but scarce away from the Nene Washes. Numbers increased on the Nene Washes during February, as passage birds began to arrive and flooding receded with a peak of 95 on 21 Mar (RSPB). Away from the Nene Washes, two birds were at Prior’s Fen GP on 6 Jan and 23 March. Spring passage saw a peak of 140 birds present on the Nene Washes on 9 Apr (KAF, SPD) with a single male at Baston Fen NR on 21 Apr (VF). During the second period, more sightings were received from locations away from the Nene Washes, with records from Car Dyke, Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR, Market Deeping, Northey, Prior’s Fen GP and Deeping Lakes NR. On the Nene Washes, up to 14 were present during August, 20 on 12 Oct and up to 13 birds during Dec (RSPB). Small numbers of birds were occasionally seen lekking on the Nene Washes but no breeding occurred.
2002	Rare migrant breeder, common passage migrant and rare winter migrant but scarce away from the Nene Washes. Regularly present on the Nene Washes during the first winter period with 11-30 at Eldernell from 14 Jan-8 Mar (RSPB) and 31 at Dog-in-a-Doublet on 24 Mar (CD). Spring and summer saw birds also at Baston & Langtoft GP, Ferry Meadows CP, Fletton BP, Prior’s Fen GP and Deeping Lakes NR. During the second winter period, a winter record of 276 at Eldernell was recorded on 15 Nov (RSPB, JT) with 230 still there on 27 Nov (MM, OM). In December, 150 were near Dog-in-a-Doublet on 2 Dec (BHS). All other records came from Prior’s Fen GP with 22 there on 17 Nov (SPD). During the breeding season, 12 birds were lekking on the Nene Washes on 25 Mar (BHS) with up to seven males and three reeves there between 26 Apr and 7 May (RSPB). No further proof of breeding..
2001	Rare migrant breeder, common passage migrant and rare winter migrant but scarce away from the Nene Washes. Up to 20 birds on the Nene Washes during Jan with 32 on 6 Feb and 45 on 1 Mar, rising dramatically to an impressive 200 on 14 Mar. Up to 15 lekking males and nine reeves present during Apr–May, but no conclusive evidence of nesting (RSPB). Up to 12 regularly seen on the washes during Jun, rising to 41 on 4 Jul, with 27 present to 9 Aug, 13 on 16 Sep and up to seven throughout Oct (RSPB). Prior’s Fen GP recorded birds from 13 Jul to 8 Oct, with peak counts of 28 on 13 Jul (GW) and 13 Aug (GW), 37 on 17th (GW) and 25 on 1 Sep (TH, JO). Deeping Lakes NR held one on 21 Jul (TW), two on 1 Sep (WB) and five at Fletton BP on 26 Sep (CD). Records for the second winter period only from the Nene Washes, with 26 during Nov, 20 on 6 Dec and two on 16th (RSPB) and 29th (SPD).
2000	Uncommon winter visitor and migrant to the Nene Washes, but scarce elsewhere. Has bred. In the first winter period at the Nene Washes, a minimum of 120 were noted 7 Jan, decreasing to 12 by 16th, rising again to 50 on 12 Mar, then falling to 21 on 31st. In April, up to 26 were present there 3-12 Apr, and in May, a group of 11 formed a brief lek on the RSPB reserve, with 1-3 remaining at the month's end. A single was seen 26-29 Sep, with up to 20 daily on the High Wash in July and up to 25 on the reserve during August. Elsewhere, Prior’s Fen GP had the best series of records, with 14 on 10 Aug, 11 on 23rd, 47 on 30th and an impressive 65 on 12 Sep. Baston & Langtoft GP recorded two on 20 Aug, three on 25th, six on 26th, eight on 30th before decreasing to six on 1 Sep, three on 2nd, two on 9th and 16th and four on 29th. King's Dyke had 16 on 27 Aug and a single at Deeping Lakes NR 28 Sep. In October, a single was at the Nene Washes on 27th, increasing rapidly to 120 by 4 Nov. Numbers decreased sharply, due to the rising of the floodwaters, leaving 38 by 19 Nov and 1-2 in December.
1999	Uncommon winter visitor and migrant to the Nene Washes, but scarce elsewhere. Has bred. Up to 98 were at the Nene Washes in the first winter period, with birds preferring Eldernell Wash and March Farmers set-aside land. One was at Hampton Lakes on several dates from late March to early April. Up to 20 were present on the Nene Washes for most of April, then eight (six males and two reeves) 1-9 May, with some lekking observed. A lone reeve was seen on a wader transect 27 May and 8 Jun, indicating a possible breeding attempt. Between 1-15 birds were seen there daily 27 Jun to 2 Aug, and then again regularly to the year's end. The only other autumn record was a single bird at Baston & Langtoft GP 26 Aug.
1998	Common winter visitor, migrant. Single birds were at Ferry Meadows CP on 23 Jul (DG) and at Baston & Langtoft GP on 19 Sep (TW). Nene Washes: Up to 65 were present through January, but only two in February, then up to 32 through March. Singles were noted 25-26 Apr and on 9 May. Two males and a female (21-31 May) could possibly have bred. Two were around through July, up to eight in August, rising to 29 (7 Sep), decreasing to one in early October then rising to four all month. November saw up to 72, but these had gone by early December, leaving 1-3, then eight (31 Dec).
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