Summer visitor and passage migrant. 

In the nineteenth century the Common Whitethroat was considered to be the commonest of Britain’s Warblers, nesting in field hedgerows, rough land, bramble patches and nettle beds. Since the 1950’s they have suffered considerable loss as a result of the removal of hedgerows, particularly in the arable farmland of the east and south east of England. In 1968 a worse fate befell them when they were badly affected by the drought in the Sahel zone of Africa. In 1969 the Common Bird Census revealed that 77% of the 1968 breeding population had failed to return to Britain and there was only one record for the Stevenage area that year. In 1976 and 1977 there were signs of a recovery but this was not sustained and a further drought in the Sahel in 1983/1984 caused the population to crash further to around 20% of what it was in the early 1960’s. The population gradually increased again until another sharp decline in 1991. The species is now increasing again.

A female was seen in a Raleigh Crescent Garden on 21 and 22 August 1965. Other records from the 1960’s came from Box Wood (1966 and 1967) and, Astonbury (1969).

A nest with young was found in Fairlands Valley near Whomerley Wood on 7 July 1970.

In the 1970s and 80s other records came from: Aston, Astonbury, Botany Bay, Box Wood, Broadhall Way, Fairlands Valley Lakes, Norton Green Tip, Railway Station, Ridlins Marsh, Roebuck, Symonds Green, Watery Grove, Wellfield Wood. Five were ringed at Box Wood in 1979.

In the 1990s they were recorded from: Edmonds Drive and, Norton Green Tip.

Since 2000 they have been recorded from: Aston Allotments, Astonbury Lane, Aston End, Bragbury End, Chells Manor, Fairlands Valley Lakes and Park, Fairview Road, Great Ashby Park, London Road, Norton Green Tip, Pryors Wood, Railway Station.

19 were seen at Norton Green Tip on 8 August 2015 and, two family parties with recently fledged young were seen there in 2017. In 2018 20 were seen at Norton Green Tip on 5 August and, breeding  was confirmed from there. Breeding was also confirmed in 2019.

The earliest spring arrival date is 8 April 2026 at Norton Green Tip and, the latest departure date is 29 September 2021 at Norton Green Tip.

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from five of Stevenage’s tetrads, the 1992 Atlas from seven and, the 2012 Atlas from six.