The annual BTO heronry census is underway again with reports already coming in of chicks in nests. However there are also quite a few reports of apparently abandoned heronries (including all of my regular sites) some clearly related to our recent storms. There have also been a number of sites around the Lough Neagh area (where a significant proportion of the NI population breed) which have been lost entirely or are experiencing a reduction in numbers.
That would suggest there are potentially a lot of herons looking for new homes. The BTO census involves annual resurveys of known sites but doesn't include searching for new sites (although a few are found each year by surveyors).
If you know of or find a nesting site, please check the location against known sites on the BTO system -https://app.bto.org/colonies/public/vacant-sites.jsp. If the site is unknown, or if you aren't sure if it is a new site, email me [ian.enlander(AT)hotmail.com] details including site area, grid ref (preferably 10 fig) and, if possible, best estimate of active nest totals.
You can find out more about the BTO heronry census at https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/heronries-census/about-heronries-census
The most recent report on the UK census is at https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/heronries_census_2024_summary_final.pdf
Many thanks,
Ian Enlander.
NI BTO Heronries Census regional organiser
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