Winter Atlas - species targets

From the species point of view, many birds have been recorded in all 10km squares but some birds have not been recorded everywhere we might expect. I have listed the main gaps, although scarcer birds are needed in most places so I have not listed all these. Please hunt them out on Roving Records visits.

Wildfowl - pretty comprehensive in the Derwent Valley but look out for them everywhere. Notably, Greylags in SE56, SE67 and SE76; Canada Goose in SE73 and SE75; Teal in SE54.

Cormorant hasn't been recorded in SE67.
Buzzard not yet in SE66.
Coot not yet in SE56 or SE67.

Waders - some parts well covered, but look for them across the region.
Snipe needed in SE56 and SE67.
Woodcock needed in SE53, SE55 and SE56.
Herring Gull in SE57.

Owls - Short-eared and Long-eared in most places. Tawny Owl needed in SE53 and SE64. Little Owl in SE53.
Kingfisher in SE53, SE66, SE67 and SE76.
Green Woodpecker hasn't been recorded in SE54, SE56 or SE75.

Meadow Pipit needed in SE56 and SE67.
Grey Wagtail in SE56.
Blackcap & Chiffchaff have been recorded in 5 of the 10km squares only.

Marsh Tit needed in SE53, SE55 and SE73.
Willow Tit in SE55, SE56, SE67, SE73 and SE77.
Jay is missing from SE75.

Brambling from SE54 and SE77.
Siskin from SE73.
Linnet from SE56.
Redpoll from SE75.

Bird Atlas - Third Winter

The third winter season for the Atlas starts 1st November and ends 28th February 2010.

Having had a look at the numbers of records, tetrad coverage and species records, here are some of the priorities:

Roving Records

To boost numbers of species and records, please submit records from these 10km squares as a priority: SE53, SE56, SE64 and SE73. These also need attention as highlighted by the species richness indicators on the Atlas website: SE57, SE66, SE67 and SE75. Of course, records are welcome from anywhere but please consider visiting these areas.

Timed Tetrad Visits

We've done really well to achieve minimum coverage across the region already, and several tetrads are allocated for visits this (and the final) winter so there's more to come. My focus for this method is to even out the recording effort across the region as much as possible. So the following 10k squares are the priority order for new TTVs: SE77, SE75, SE53, SE76, SE67, SE56, SE66, SE64.

Please let me know if you want to take on a new tetrad or two. Remember that once a tetrad has been visited twice in a season, it is complete for that season. It is better to do the two in the same season if you can.

If you have only been able to visit a tetrad on one occasion in a previous winter, please try to complete it this time around with the second visit.

2009 Breeding Bird Survey - 26 and counting

Some while since my last post, I'm afraid. But a quick update on the BBS for this year. So far I have data for 26 squares. You may recall that last year we had a record (joint with 2007) of 31 squares, which is great as several of you are involved in the Atlas too. There are still a few people who I know have covered their square yet to submit data and also one or two who I am waiting to hear from, so there's still a chance of beating the record - that would be brilliant.

A note on the Atlas - I have been working out where to focus the efforts for the forthcoming winter and shall post shortly on this, once I have done a bit more analysis of likely species. Volunteers for more TTVs to even out the coverage and for Roving Records are most welcome.

Breeding Bird Survey 2008 - regional highlights

I thought that following extract from a BTO press release about the BBS from 16 July might be of interest to you:

"Yorkshire and the Humber is the only region in which Skylark (4%) has increased in numbers. Blackbird (57%), Carrion Crow (96%), Long-tailed Tit (64%), Moorhen (56%) and Reed Bunting (57%) have increased more than in other regions. Kestrel (-23%) and Magpie (-19%) have declined the most in this region, and it is the only one in which Whitethroat (-3%) has declined.

[Bird names in red and in amber denote the species is on the red or amber list respectively of Birds of Conservation Concern 3: 2009 ]

All the figures refer to the smoothed long-term trends covering the BBS period."

I received my copy of the report for 2008 in the post yesterday, it should be with you or on its way if you took part in the BBS last year.

Breeding Bird Survey

The Breeding Bird Survey season has now finished for 2009. Currently I have data from 16 squares submitted through the BBS-Online system. One or two of these are for one visit only.

The last two years have seen the York Region hit 30 squares covered, so we are half way there. Potentially we could achieve 35 squares, although in practice there are usually a handful that don't get covered for one reason or another.

The system is down for maintenance at the time of writing but will be back tomorrow. Please submit your data as soon as you can.

Garden BirdWatch Conference in Harrogate

The BTO's Garden BirdWatch will be coming to Harrogate on Saturday 27th June to launch the Ambassador scheme for the [Yorkshire] region and introduce the new volunteer representatives to local participants.

The launch will consist of a half day conference from 9.30am to 12.30pm at the St Roberts Conference Centre and will involve talks from Amy Lewis (BTO Garden BirdWatch Development Officer), the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and a speaker from a local badger group.

The day is free to attend and I can pass on details in the form of a pdf file if you drop me an email.

York Region's Newsletter

You should have received a Yorkshire (York) Region newsletter enclosed with the latest BTO News. If you haven't, please let me know. I can email you one in pdf format.