Atlas Breeding Season starts on Friday

In the York region we are well covered for tetrad visits already although one focus for the atlas is to complete those that are still outstanding.

However, the key focus is to capture breeding evidence for most species across the region; it is especially important to get the confirmed breeding evidence. It is easier to say what has been covered rather than where the gaps are.

The following species have confirmed breeding in all of the 10km squares in the region: Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow.

And here's a list of species that are almost complete across the region: Mallard - needs evidence in SE53, SE66; Lapwing - SE53, SE73; Barn Owl - SE56, SE57; Wren - SE73; Coal Tit - SE56, SE64; Jackdaw - SE53, SE66; Chaffinch - SE77.

All other species need breeding evidence in at least three 10km squares.

There are some tools on the website that will also help you to target the species which are missing from the squares or need a higher level of evidence: see previous posting about 'My Local Gaps' and 'Priority Squares'. 'Any square summary' is also a useful resource.

Bird Atlas final breeding season

The focus for the final breeding season is to get confirmed breeding evidence for many species across the region. There are some useful tools on the Atlas website:

• My Local Gaps will show you species that have been recorded but have not had breeding confirmed for each 10 km square.
• Priority squares will show species that have been recorded in neighbouring 10 km squares but not the square in question.

Both will open on the square in which you live, but you can move around to other squares to check them out.

A quick check shows that squares in the north need work on a greater proportion of species than some others.

In addition to this, there are some TTVs that need their breeding season visits.

Have great fun atlasing, let's get those breeding records.

YOC - The Sparrowhawk

The talk at the York Ornithological Club's March meeting is being given by Professor Ian Newton on The Sparrowhawk. Professor Newton is a world expert on birds of prey and migration. He is also Chairman of Council of the BTO and a past Chairman of the RSPB Council.

The meeting is on Tuesday 1st March at 7.30 p.m. at the Friends' Meeting House on Friargate, York.

Winter Bird Atlas final push

There are only a few days left now before the end of the last winter season for the Bird Atlas.

There's still time to put some more dots on the maps over this weekend. Please have a look at what's missing using the 'priority squares' and see what's already recorded in your patch with the 'any square summary' features on the website. Perhaps you have already got records in your notebooks that fill the gaps?

It's easy to submit records through BirdTrack or the Atlas website's Roving Records forms.

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved already.

Hands across countries...wings across the world.

The new reserve office and base at Bank Island has been opened today, as part of World Wetlands Day, by the Lord Mayor of York. There's an article in the The Press today here - http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8827011.York_bird_watching_facility_set_to_open/?ref=mr.

A message was sent around the world to the 26 countries where birds have been known to move to and from the Lower Derwent Valley from ringing.

There is a free family fun weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 5th and 6th February from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

When you visit, why not look out for some of those missing species from SE64 for the Bird Atlas?

One month to go for winter atlas records

There's just February now to go for us to get some of those last dots on the maps. Here's a summary of some of the species that might be possible but haven't yet been recorded by 10 km square. It doesn't include long shots, so record anything that's more unusual as well.



SE53 - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Marsh Tit, Oystercatcher, Tawny Owl;
SE54 - Green Woodpecker, Oystercatcher, Teal;
SE55 - Willow Tit;
SE56 - Coot, Chiffchaff, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Meadow Pipit, Willow Tit;
SE57 - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Corn Bunting, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull;

SE63 - Great Crested Grebe, Nuthatch;
SE64 - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Corn Bunting, Little Grebe, Nuthatch, Pochard, Ruff;
SE65 - Little Grebe;
SE66 - Chiffchaff, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Oystercatcher;
SE67 - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Coot, Corn Bunting, Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher;

SE73 - Blackcap, Brambling, Canada Goose!, Chiffchaff, Goosander, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Marsh Tit, Oystercatcher, Siskin;
SE74 - Great Crested Grebe, Nuthatch;
SE75 - Blackcap, Great Crested Grebe, Green Woodpecker;
SE76 - Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher;
SE77 - Brambling, Chiffchaff, Corn Bunting, Great Black-backed Gull;

Please hunt these out or, if you have the records to fill the gaps, submit your roving records.

New BTO branding

Today the BTO has implemented a new website with new branding. Have a look at it and see what you think. On the home page are a couple of videos that explain some of the thinking behind the changes.

Go to http://www.bto.org/