BOELE A, HUSTINGS F, VAN BRUGGEN J, KOFFIJBERG K, VERGEER J, PLATE C & VAN DER MEIJ T (2015) Rare and colonial breeding birds in the Netherlands in 2012-2013. LIMOSA 88 (4): 173-191.

This paper reviews numbers and trends of rare and colonial breeding birds in the Netherlands in 2012-13. Data were derived from a national monitoring scheme, coordinated by Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, as part of a governmental ecological monitoring scheme. It is carried out in close collaboration with Statistics Netherlands (CBS, trend analyses) and focuses on 17 colonial breeding birds and about 100 scarce and rare breeding birds. Fieldwork is conducted according to standardised methods, mainly by dedicated birdwatchers, assisted by species' specialists or species working groups. Counts in the Wadden Sea are part of the trilateral TMAP-scheme. For many species, data presented here refer to censuses of the national breeding population. Other species are only monitored in key sites, including all Natura 2000 sites. Table 1 lists population figures and trends of all species concerned, with details on coverage.
Highlights among breeding birds in 2012 and 2013 included Smew (2-3 pairs of unknown origin), Atlantic Great Cormorant of the subspecies carbo (2-3), European Shag (1- 2, one individual ringed in Scotland), Red Kite (1-2, first sign of structural settlement since the 1970s), White-tailed Eagle (4-5), Little Crake (2-3 accepted by the rarities committee), Baillon's Crake (19-37, benefitting from newly developed breeding sites), Common Crane (5-9, further prospecting pairs at new sites), Whiskered Tern (11-26), Eurasian Eagle Owl (11-16), European Bee-eater (2-3), Eurasian Hoopoe (1 successful pair in 2012 in Limburg) and Cetti's Warbler (estimate 550-750, full coverage becoming increasingly difficult due to rapid expansion).
Many thriving species continued their increase (often also their expansion in range) in 2012-13, e.g. Great White Egret, Peregrine Falcon, Mediterranean Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, European Nightjar, Middle Spotted Woodpecker and Northern Raven. Besides, relatively large numbers of Spotted Crakes were reported in both years, and good numbers of Corn Crakes in 2012. Earlier increases in Great Cormorant and Purple Heron have recently stabilised. The previous increase in Little Egret also stopped, as recent cold winters lead to increased winter mortality and a subsequent decline in the breeding population and range.
For species showing long term declines the situation hardly changed. Pied Avocet seems to stabilise at low level after a decline in the past decade. Populations of e.g. Hen Harrier, Ruff, Short-eared Owl and Eurasian Wryneck have become very small. A pronounced range contraction (and decrease) continued in Fieldfare, Eurasian Penduline Tit and European Serin, whereas Black Grouse (reinforcement with birds from elsewhere failed), Crested Lark and Corn Bunting (no records in 2013, for the first time in history) are likely to disappear as breeding birds very soon. Below-average numbers in 2012-13 were recorded in Sandwich Tern (only Wadden Sea, normal numbers in Delta area), Western Barn Owl (low abundance of voles in combination with weather conditions) and Sand Martin (after peak year 2011). Grey Heron, and locally also Common Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail, suffered from the recent series of colder winters.

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