Population trends in bird species at Dungeness, Kent

Most wintering wildfowl species increased in numbers on the Dungeness Reserve during the period 1969-87, particularly teal, gadwall and wigeon. Wigeon, teal and gadwall showed the fastest rates of increase. An exponential model provided a better fit to the data for smew and gadwall than a linear one. Populations were more or less as variable in number in the early years of management (1969-77) as in subsequent years (1978-86).
Of wintering and passage wader species, turnstone, redshank, black-tailed godwit and common sandpiper increased. Snipe showed a decline in abundance in spring. Numbers of black terns, the only non-wading migrant analysed, remained variable over the period.
Breeding tufted duck and great-crested grebe increased in numbers during the period 1969-86 whereas mallard declined. Black-headed gull numbers increased, as did exponentially-breeding common and sandwich terns. Of four passerine species analysed, only breeding reed warblers increased during the period 1968-86, whereas numbers of breeding sedge warbler and whitethroat remained stable. Wheatear numbers declined in early years but have increased since 1983.
Increases in species richness were documented in wintering and passage, and breeding species.