Worcestershire Record No. 19 November 2005 p. 13
John Clarke
The size of the survey was reduced this year. Nevertheless, 22 pairs were located and all studied. 38 nests were successfully monitored – 24 were in nestboxes. The overall average clutch size was one of the lowest so far and nest failure rate was again higher than the national average. However, these factors appear to have been offset by the second highest fledging rate (number of young per pair) in the five years of the survey.
Observers reported the first bird on 1st May – much earlier than in previous years. However, it was still on its own on 10th May . It was eventually joined by a mate and they began building on about 20th May. Most birds did not arrive at the breeding sites until about 19th May, a few arriving in early June. The last reported sighting was of a small group of birds on 10th August.
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