Bird Atlas - Breeding Season update

The York Region's first breeding season for the Atlas was as successful as the winter season. Currently online metrics show 96 tetrads covered, 79 of which have had two visits recorded. Some tetrads have had data returned on paper forms so the real total should pass the hundred mark.

I am sure that there are data left to be entered, so please input your results as soon as you can. The BTO are using them for preliminary analyses already.

I anticipate that data validation functionality will be implemented on the system before the next season starts so I should be able to let you know some of the highlights then. Star bird that I am aware of so far is a Golden Oriole record on Yearsley Common. But of course the Atlas is about the common as well as the unusual.

I hope to post soon on the plans for the second winter season that starts in November.

Breeding Bird Survey 2008

2008 has been another excellent year for numbers of squares covered in the region. I now have results from 30 squares and we could top the record of 31 set last year if some of the outstanding squares come in. 79 species were recorded this year and nearly 5,600 individuals counted. Highlights include a Little Grebe, 954 Woodpigeons, 5 Yellow and 5 Grey Wagtails, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Nuthatches and 3 Siskins.

The WBBS is a similar survey where transects run alongside rivers or canals. I have results for 2 of the 4 sites in the region with one other to come, one site unfortunately wasn't covered this year.

And this has been done at the same time as work on the Atlas - well done to everyone involved.