Irregular winter visitor and passage migrant.

Foster (1914) referred to flocks of many hundreds wintering in north Hertfordshire between October and April. Since then their numbers in Britain have decreased due to overgrazing and deterioration of the moorlands where they breed, and the intensification of agriculture on the arable farmland where they winter.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from the tetrads covering Lister Hospital, Pin Green and, Chells Manor. 

There is one autumn record of two flying over the Broadwater area and, calling on 6 August 1967, and four spring records from Norton Green Tip of, one on 21 March 2009, seven flying over on 9 April 2013, 14 flying low over on 30 March 2014 and, c.35 flying over on 2 April 2022.

The winter records for Stevenage are: 200 in the winter of 1941/2 between Knebworth, Datchworth and Bragbury End; up to 10 at Norton Green tip between 27 February and 15 March 1991; up to 30 seen with Lapwings (Vanellus, vanellus) along Watton Road between Bragbury End and Knebworth on 31 December 2001 and 1 January 2002; 25 flying over Mobbsbury School, Chells on 6 December 2004; 250 along Watton Road on 1 December 2005; 130 along Watton Road on 3 January 2009.