There were several outlying pairs including at least one in Wiltshire, a suspected pair in central Hampshire and two territorial pairs present in Bedfordshire in the early summer, not far from the RSPB’s headquarters at Sandy. The Bedfordshire birds were monitored closely and remained through much of the summer but did not settle down to breed. The majority of pairs remain concentrated in a relatively small area with over 95% within 15 km of the site where the birds were originally released. A total of 14 young were taken from Chilterns’ nests under licence and transported to southern Scotland as part of a new re-introduction project.
