During the springs of 2022/23 rookeries were surveyed across the county by a number of volunteers as a contribution to the Welsh Ornithological Society's Welsh rookery survey. It has taken some time to check all the nest counts from visits to some 400 previously known rookery locations in more than 300 tetrads (2km x 2km squares). Based on maximum nest-counts, a
minimum total of 6,679 nests was
recorded from 213 occupied rookeries
which produced an average of 31.4 nests
per rookery.
The distribution of rookeries recorded and
the distribution of previously known, but now unoccupied, rookery locations at
six-figure grid reference level is shown on the map below.
At least 64 of the rookeries
checked have records dating back to the 1930s/40s. Quite a few of these had not
been occupied for many years. Almost certainly some had moved to other
locations.
Although many of the now unoccupied rookeries are likely to be due to multiple local movements to new locations over time, it is evident from the map that there are some fairly large gaps where rookeries are missing, notably in central and eastern parts of the county. The total number of nests recorded in 2022/23 represents a decline in the population of at least 19-27% since the last county-wide rookery survey which was almost 50 years ago back in 1975.
Locations of rookeries in 2022/23
Red dots = occupied rookeries.
Black dots = previously known rookeries unoccupied in 2022/23.
A big thanks to everyone who contributed records and made it possible to undertake a complete county-wide survey. Here is a link to the full report.