Uncommon breeding residents.

KestreIs were persecuted by gamekeepers in the nineteenth century until their chief diet of small mammals began to be appreciated, especially after the great vole plagues of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it was then generally left alone by ‘keepers, and numbers began to increase. One however was found on a Gamekeepers, “gibbet” in a spinney near Box Wood in 1965.

From the 1930’s there was an increase in urban breeding and this probably helped the species survive better the effects of Organochlorine Pesticides which caused another decline in their numbers in rural areas between 1959 and 1963. They were also affected by the bad winter of 1962/1963.

Foster (1914) described Kestrels as, “common near Stevenage, nesting in big woods”. Gladwin (1985) referred to there being 60 records for the Stevenage area in 1975 and 14 pairs in the 10 kilometre square (TL22) surrounding the town in 1978.

They were confirmed as breeding from three of Stevenage’s tetrads in both the 1973 and 1992 Breeding Atlases and, from two in the 2012 Atlas (the tetrads covering Pin Green and Aston.)

A pair was seen displaying over Aston Allotments on 13 April 2016 and recently fledged birds were seen at Aston End in 2024.

A, “nestling” ringed at Kimpton Mill on 7 June 2011 was found dead near Stevenage on 25 August 2011.

The 2012 Winter Atlas recorded their presence from nine of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

At Watery Grove their presence during the breeding season was recorded from 1977 onwards, with one breeding territory being held in 1979. 

Some unusual records: two young birds were seen on the roof of Astonbury Manor House on 11 June 1978; a female roosted under the eaves of Astonbury Manor House during January and February 1979; a pair nested in a straw stack at Astonbury Farm in 1979 rearing three young; two seen roosting in one of Stevenage’s Tower Blocks in November and December 1981; two juvenile birds seen, “dust bathing” Dene Lane, Aston on 15 July 2008.

Very rare winter visitor and passage migrant.

Two records: one was trapped at Box Wood in March 1932 and, a male seen at Norton Green on 2 December 1993.

Passage migrant and summer visitor that has bred.

The Hobby had declined in Britain by the end of the nineteenth century mainly due to persecution by gamekeepers, egg collecting and the loss of suitable habitat. They are now increasing again in southern England.

Prior to 1967 when they began breeding again in Hertfordshire the last known instance of breeding in the county came from Box Wood in 1884. The Hertfordshire Natural History Society’s Bird Notes of 1896 recorded that Mr Frank Latchmore of Hitchin had Hobby eggs taken some years before from Stevenage. Foster (1914) reported that the Hobby was well known by a ‘keeper to visit a locality near Stevenage but, that it had not been seen for a few years. One was reported as being shot at Box Wood in February 1932, this however seems an unlikely date as generally they do not arrive in Britain until April or May.

Although a possible bird was seen passing high over Fishers Green on 8 August 1980, the first definite modern record of a Hobby at Stevenage also fittingly came from Box Wood on 19 September 1981, when one was seen mobbing a Buzzard (Buteo buteo).

Mostly single birds are recorded almost annually during spring and autumn migration. The earliest of the spring was seen on 21 March 2021 at an unrecorded location and, the latest of the autumn was seen on 22 September 2006 at an unrecorded location.

Summer records have come from: Astonbury Wood (15 August 2025); Chells (5 June 2021); Coreys Mill (16 June 2003); Derby Way (18 June 2010); Fairlands Valley Park (19 June 2017, 1 June 2022 and 2 June 2025); Jackdaw Close (12 July 2005); Lonsdale Road (13 July 1994); Railway Station (20 June 1990); Stanley Road (8 June and 21 July 2021); Tilekiln Wood area (12 July 2017).

Breeding was confirmed in 1982 when four birds, including two juveniles, were seen daily from 25 August. A pair was seen feeding a juvenile at Chesfield on 24 August 2025.

The 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from the tetrad covering Broadwater and, Knebworth. The 1992 Atlas considered breeding as probable in two of Stevenage’s tetrads, and possible from one. The 2012 Atlas considered breeding as possible from the tetrad covering Norton Green.

Rare visitor and, uncommon resident.

Prior to 2008 when they began roosting at Southgate House (now known as Vista Tower) in the Town Centre, Peregrines were rare visitors, with two records: one seen flying north near Stevenage on 27 February 2000 and, one seen on 9 January 2007. 

Between 19 September 2008, and 29 January 2009, an escaped juvenile bird, with a jess on one leg roosted regularly on the lettering on the north side of Southgate House in the Town Centre, favoring the letters, “E” and, “O” of, “Southgate”. In 2011 a bird was also seen to roost on the lettering of, “Southgate” from 23 February to 28 March. What appeared to be the same bird (with a tether on its left leg) was seen roosting on the letter, “E” of Southgate from 29 October to 23 November 2011. A male was also seen on the letter, “E” of Southgate on 24 October 2013 and, one was seen over St George’s Way and roosting on the lettering on 6 January 2014.

Between 19 May 2014 and 12 November 2015 birds roosted on the lettering and, roof of Southgate House until renovation works began on the building, with two seen together at intervals from 14 January to 9 May 2015 and, again on 30 October and 8 November 2015. One was seen flying nearby on 3 December 2015 and, one circled around the building on 14 December 2016. These birds may have indicated nesting somewhere in North Hertfordshire.

After Southgate House was renovated and renamed Vista Tower in 2017 and, the pronounced lettering on which the birds had roosted was removed, mostly single birds have been seen roosting on the roof and, on the lighting on the north side of the building with records from every month of the year.  Two were seen mating there on 22 March 2025. The most recent record is one 22 November 2025.

A bird ringed, VDT at Hemel Hempstead was seen at Vista Tower in March 2025. A juvenile seen there on 1 April 2025 had been ringed, VSR at St Mary’s Church, Andover as a chick on 24 May 2024.

Remains and feathers found beneath Vista Tower since November 2022 have indicated the following prey: Teal (Anas crecca), Quail (Coturnix coturnix), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricana), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Jack Snipe (Lymnocrytes minimus), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), Redshank (Tringa tetanus), Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia), Stock Dove (Columba oenas), Collared Dove (Steptopelia decaocto), Swift (Apus, apus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major), Magpie (Pica pica), Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), House Martin (Delichon urbicum), Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Starling (Sturnus vulgaris); Blackbird (Turdus merula), Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), Redwing (Turdus iliacus), Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus).

They have also been seen roosting on the former Telephone Exchange in Bedwell where they were first recoded on 24 November 2017, when a male and female were seen. They were recorded there on six dates in 2018, on 2 January 2019, 4 November 2020, three dates during January 2021 and on four dates during September and October 2021, three dates in January and February 2023, on 9 November 2024, a pair on 12 March 2025, a juvenile on 20 April 2025, a juvenile female on 1 May 2025 and a 2^nd calendar year female on 6 July 2025. A juvenile bird that had been ringed at Hemel Hempstead in 2021 was seen there plucking a Feral Pigeon on 3 May 2022. The latest record is of one on 17 November 2025.

Prior to 2020 other records are from: Argyle Way (one on 25 February 2015); Asda Supermarket (one on 20 November 2019); Chells Manor (one seen catching a Pigeon off Gresley Way on 5 October 2017); Fairlands Valley Lakes (single birds on 11 May 2010, 5 September 2018); Fishers Green (one on 1 August 2013); Glaxo Site (one near on 28 and 29 November 2012); Leisure Park (one over on 20 February 2017); Norton Green Tip (an adult on 27 December 2008, one on 31 August 2013, one hunting Pigeons in a field next to the Tip on 15 March 2015, one on 29 April 2018); Old Town (three over the A602 on 14 August 2019: Watery Grove (one on 4 April 2019); single birds at unrecorded locations on 3 April 2012 and 29 December 2016.  

Since 2020 other records are from: Asda Supermarket (one on 19 January 2021 and two on 18 July 2023); Bedwell Crescent (one over on 22 November 2022 and one, possibly two over on 1 April 2025); Chells Manor (one flying over with a live Starling on 16 April 2022); Fairlands Valley Lakes (single birds on , 21 September 2020, 19 July 2021, 1 November 2021, 9 and 21 January 2022, 14 March 2022, 9 September 2022, 11 February 2023, 1 and 12 November 2023, 5 April 2024, 15 May 2024, 11 and 17 June 2024, 29 August 2024, 11 December 2024); Fairview Road (one flying over on 17 February 2025); Glaxo Site (one on 3 May 2022); Great Ashby (one circling towards on 19 August 2021); Hampson Park (one on 3 April 2023); Martins Wood (one over on 15 April 2020); Norton Green Tip (one on 21 March 2020); St George’s Way (one flying over on 28 January 2025); Stanley Road (single birds over on 26 June 2020, 11 July 2021 and 20 May 2025); a Stevenage Garden (single birds over on 27 January and 5 February 2021 and 22 November 2021); Swingate (birds seen perched on cranes during re-development on 27 and 28 September 2025); The Lytton Apartments, Lytton Way (13 and 29 November 2025); Town Centre Gardens (one on19 November 2021); Weston Road Cemetery (two over April 2020); one at an unrecorded location on 25 October 2022.

Local breeding was confirmed in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 at Little Wymondley.