Lapwings in Plots
Continuing the recent theme of plovers, the BTO have an opportunity to monitor farms that contain Lapwing plots as a high level agri-environment option. This survey is being run from BTO headquarters. The data gathered will be vital in informing decisions about modifying options within Environmental Stewardship, the government's flagship agri-environment scheme.
If you are a BBS observer and the BTO have your email address then you will have been contacted last week to ask whether you would like to volunteer for this. If you do, please reply to the email by 5th March. The number of plots to be covered will depend on the number of volunteers.
If you volunteer, the BTO will look for a plot near to your BBS square so it can be done following on from your BBS visit. In all cases the landowner will have been contacted in advance by a member of BTO staff and will have agreed to the volunteer survey. The survey involves a 20 minute watch followed by a transect walk to flush birds and record evidence of breeding.