Green Sandpiper (Up to 1% of the British wintering population is hosted at Beddington)
The latest British Birds (Vol 104) contains the most recent overwinter population estimates of British Waterbirds with new 1% threshold figures. If an individual site contains 1% or more of a species wintering population then it is of conservation significance. At Beddington there are three species that fall into this category.
Greeen Sandpiper (1% threshold is 9): Upto 11 in the winter of 2007 (last published bird report)
Caspian Gull (1% threshold is 1): At least 4 in the winter months of 2007.
Lesser Black Backed Gull (1% threshold is 1,200): Highest count of 2580 in March 2007.
interesting stuff Peter, here on the other side of London we regularly get up to three overwintering Common Sandpipers on the Lower Lea, the 1% threshold for this species is 1, so this is good news for a site that is continually threatened with development
ReplyDeleteregards Nick Tanner
Hi Nick,
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have these indicators to 'prove' the value- all helps in conservation.