The Lincolnshire Bird Club

I've been asked by RBBP if anyone can provide further details of Peafowl nesting in Nocton Wood as mentioned in the 2015 LBR. Numbers of males and females, do they breed every year? Are they expanding in population and area?

If anyone has any info about this site or others in Lincs please reply or if you wish pm me. Thanks!

Yes Phil,

There has been a self-sustaining population in Nocton Wood for at least thirty years. I see I recorded 10 birds in 2015. This year, on a heron nest count visit on 17 April, I counted 10 birds again but did not make a note of how many cocks and hens. I am going to be out of action for health reasons for some months so will ask Kevin Clark, the keeper, to make a count and let me know. Kevin has told me that when Paul Clarke sold the estate to James Dyson he had some of the birds trapped so that he could introduce them to his new estate, I believe in Surrey. Prior to that Kevin estimated the population at about forty birds.

John

Kevin Clarke has reported making three visits to Nocton Wood to count the peafowl in the last few days. His highest count was on Saturday, 10 June, comprising 5 cocks, 4 hens and 4 chicks estimated at about ten days old. As he says, there are likely to be other hen birds sitting and the flock is scattered through the wood at this time of year. It should be possible to get a clearer idea of the total number in a few months time.

John