A New Year begins...

2025 wrapped up

Rather than write a lengthy review of 2025 I thought I'd simply summarise in a paragraph or two...

Despite misgivings about the future of the site at the start of the year, 2025 proved to be one of, if not the, best years on record with 134 species recorded over the whole year - 3 up on last year.

An additional 7 new species were added over the course of the year taking the all-time total to 163 species.  March saw the addition of a smart summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebe followed on 13th April by a distant Purple Heron part of an influx into the country that week.  An overdue Crossbill became the first known record for the site on 6th July with many more arriving later in the year.  September saw the addition of a stunning male Redstart on 14th followed by the discovery of a Dartford Warbler on 21st - one of several that appeared in the County from autumn onwards.  The year saved the best to last however with a Pectoral Sandpiper found on 1st October that lingered a few days and then a Lapland Bunting on 4th November.  If accepted, the latter would be a first for the County.

The year also saw the addition of two new 'escapees' that fall short of truly wild status: an Alexandrine Parakeet on 13th Jan and a Bar-headed Goose on 21st May.  Both very smart birds and worthy of note regardless of their status.

2026 here we go...but first a rant!

Once again the New Year presents a very different site from that of January 2025.  Much of the worked gravel areas and open water have gone with just 3 key pools remaining.  These are also subject to reduction by pumping and still their future remains uncertain.  Elsewhere most of the land has been returned to arable/sheep-grazing fields, divided up by new fencing and presumably eventually hedgerow planting.

All of this means that it is likely that the site will not be as attractive to birds as it once was but while areas continue to be disturbed and worked there is hope.  Whether Little Ringed Plovers and Sand Martins will still find areas to nest in remains to be seen but based on other restored sites around St Albans it seems unlikely.

As well as the so-called 'restoration' work another dynamic seems to be at play.  The latest tool in the developer's arsenal - Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) credits - have meant that areas such as Stanborough GPs may well form part of a 'BNG Habitat Bank'. Developers elsewhere (anywhere!) can purchase 'offsite' BNG units thereby fulfilling their obligations to increase biodiversity.  They must be able to demonstrate a minimum 10% uplift in biodiversity (not much really) so to make it even easier it is best if the banked habitat is degraded first so its low biodiversity can be quickly and cheaply 'upgraded'.  The lower the biodiversity the higher the value to a prospective developer looking to offset the destruction elsewhere caused by their development.  Such cynical calculations may well be the justification for the degrading of Stanborough GPs witnessed over the last few years, rather than the embracing of its already excellent biodiversity.

Perhaps the ray of hope is that, in time, the biodiversity of the site will be uplifted, but I suspect in a very 'managed' way producing a shadow biodiversity, a poor imitation of a truly re-wilded state.  Some hope may also be held in the identification of the site in the new Local Nature Recovery Strategy as ear-marked for wetland habitats.  Only time will tell but history is not encouraging on this front and I, for one, struggle to feel too optimistic!​

And so to the birds...

Adult Yellow-legged Gull on 10th Jan

Many of the birds present at the end of 2025 are still on site, including at least one Jack Snipe and some Common Snipe too.  Three Wigeon appeared on 10th and rose to 7 on 12th.  An adult Yellow-legged Gull was a nice find in the gull flock on 10th and was followed by a first-winter bird on 16th.  The same day also saw the French-ringed Great Black-backed Gull first seen at Coursers GPs further south join the gulls in the sheep field.  A species that was not recorded at Stanborough last year and in generally very scarce in the County.

The 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull & the Great Black-backed Gull ringed in northern France in May 2024.

Another highlight of the New Year so far has been the continuing presence of Crossbills in Symondshyde Great Wood.  With good numbers still present in the woods it means they occasionally venture into Stanborough GPs boundaries with a flyover flock of at least 10 on 13th and at least 3 birds in trees bordering the site on 16th.  As they gather to leave for their breeding grounds I'm sure there'll be more records for the site too.

Male Crossbill atop a pine bordering the site on 16th Jan

At least 2 Barn Owls are in the box while a Green Sandpiper has been frequenting the site as has a Little Grebe.  Other site faithfuls include up to 5 pairs of Stonechat over the whole site and a flock of c.100 Lapwing roosting on the workings.  As yet Golden Plover are yet to appear in any numbers but this seems true of other regular sites too.  A family party of 3 Mute Swans has been visiting regularly and, while wildfowl numbers are almost non-existent, a flock of at least 60 Teal were present on the middle pool on 16th.

​To date, the site year list has reached 60 species with plenty more (hopefully) still to come.  Late January can see the start of late winter movements as birds get ready to depart - perhaps evidenced today (16th) in the increase in Meadow Pipits on site.