Atlas listing (1 Viewer)

[Mike Pennington]

Carried out my first TTV in tetrad NO79V. Only recorded 9 species although the list did include sparrowhawk, GS woodpecker and bullfinch. Nearly died of boredom. I've seen more species in my garden today. Anybody seen less than 9 species during a TTV?

Yep, 7 in two different TTVs on Unst (HP60C and HP60D). But then it is the fact that everywhere is done, not just the good bits, which makes the Atlas so valuable.

But then I see Capercaillie71 had just 7 individuals in one of his tetrads - hope there's more there in summer!

 

[james d]

Thanks Mike. That makes me feel a little better. I wonder if Capercaillie71's tetrad was next to mine!? I hope not cos I've got other TTV's to do in the Deeside area.

 

[Adey Baker]

Have helped on 3 tetrads over the last couple of weekends (in SP49 somewhere - not quite sure which precise tetrads as my mate's doing the 'office' work!). Ironically, one of the best records was this morning after we'd finished the tetrad and were moving to another site (which we covered last weekend) - c170 Golden Plovers with c130 Lapwings and 4 Buzzards in one field. Probably the best count I've ever had for local Golden Plovers.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Just done 1 tetrad so far, but I've found nuthatch within half a mile of my house, something I wasn't expecting at all. Terrible admission - I've been astounded by the range of habitat that is within walking distance of my house, areas that I have never visited until now.
Doing another tetrad next week if weather is good, this time more countryside than town. Wonder what will surprise me then?

 

[Andrew]

Did SS91K yesterday and logged twenty seven species. Just south of Tiverton running alongside the River Exe and taking in various habitats. Quite enjoyable despite birds being nothing to shout about, best was a Kingfisher followed by two more submitted as 'extra'. Got two more tetrads to cover then may ask for a few more.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I did SD34E at Fleetwood yesterday which has very little land in it, so Goldfinch was perhaps more notable than the Eider and Red-throated Diver I also saw. Today I have done SD33S (Mythop) where a herd of 11 Whoopers was perhaps the best but other highlights included 3 Buzzards, Gadwall, Pochards, Tufties and Shelducks. A very pleasant couple of hours close to home.

Stephen.

 

[Surreybirder]

I've done two local tetrads (TTVs) so far... I'm not taking on too many as I am aware that I'll have to revisit them all 3 times. In Surrey we're aiming to do all tetrads (with 2 hour TTVs), so it's lucky we've got 4 years. On my home tetrad TQ34R, I've slowly built up my list to 50 species, with 10 extra sp for TQ34 as a whole. There have been no rarities in Surrey terms but a couple of surprises - Egyptian geese in two tetrads and a stonechat on my home patch (common in western Surrey but quite scarce in my bit).
Ken

 

[Capercaillie71]

But then I see Capercaillie71 had just 7 individuals in one of his tetrads - hope there's more there in summer!

Thanks Mike. That makes me feel a little better. I wonder if Capercaillie71's tetrad was next to mine!? I hope not cos I've got other TTV's to do in the Deeside area.

Seven individuals and only two species! That particular tetrad was wall-to-wall grouse moor, all above 300 metres. I covered the same tetrad for the NE Scotland breeding bird atlas in 2003 and found 10 species, so hopefully things will improve in the summer!

 

[james d]

Seven individuals and only two species! That particular tetrad was wall-to-wall grouse moor, all above 300 metres. I covered the same tetrad for the NE Scotland breeding bird atlas in 2003 and found 10 species, so hopefully things will improve in the summer!

My square was part conifer forest and part moor, which I also covered for the local atlas when I managed 26 species. It is interesting just how dramatically some of these areas do change between the seasons but I think I'm already looking forward to the Spring.

 

[Carlos Davies]

I finished my remaining three tetrads this weekend. Best find was a Long-eared Owl flushed from a hedgerow and flying straight towards me before turning round less than 10m away and flying off out of view. Bright orange eyes clearly visible. Only the third one I've ever found.

Other decent birds were 1 Woodcock (patch tick), 9 Grey Partridges, 4 Stonechats, 10 Corn Buntings and 1 Little Egret.

That's me done now until Jan./Feb. counts. Off for three weeks in Israel and Jordan on Friday:t:.

 

[davercox]

Quite amazing. In 10km square SX97 (where I live), the species count (116) after 19 days is already more than it was (112) for the whole four years of the last Winter Atlas.
And it includes 13 species (Mandarin, Gadwall, Pintail, Surf Scoter, Goosander, Little Egret, Avocet, Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Little Auk, Brambling) that have never been "atlas'ed" in this square before, neither breeding nor winter.
Well done boys and girls !

 

[davercox]

Did my first two tetrads yesterday - SX96 C and H, urban Torquay. Whoop-de-do.
A singing Blackcap brightened up the morning, and a superb Peregrine ditto the afternoon.

 

[Surreybirder]

I visited a tetrad near my home for the first time since the Atlas work started. I was only gathering 'roving records' but I saw 4 mandarins - two pairs took off from a small stream..... quite a surprise. That's why I enjoy Atlas work - you never know what you'll see.

 

[james d]

Quick question regarding "roving records". If you see a species that has already been recorded in the 10km square but not in the tetrad that you are in, is it still worth sending in to the Atlas. I guess the BTO view would be that, in an ideal world, it would be great to have full lists for every single tetrad in the UK. However, I wonder what is happening in the real world?

 

[Surreybirder]

Hi, James,
I don't know the answer in your part of the world, but several counties in the SE (obviously heavily populated ones) are aiming to cover every tetrad. It remains to be seen whether or not this is achieved... I don't see myself doing the TTV for all 25 tetrads in my 10 km square, for example, and so far I'm the only one who has entered any records for TQ34. But it should be possible to get roving records for most tetrads.
Ken

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I did SD33Z today, covering the Singleton area not too far from my house. Highlight was a couple of Jays, which are generally hard to come by in SD33, a couple of Stock Doves and a very large flock of Woodpigeons.

Stephen.

 

[Kev Rylands]

Quick question regarding "roving records". If you see a species that has already been recorded in the 10km square but not in the tetrad that you are in, is it still worth sending in to the Atlas. I guess the BTO view would be that, in an ideal world, it would be great to have full lists for every single tetrad in the UK. However, I wonder what is happening in the real world?

Hi James,

I don't think the BTO do require extra roving records of species already recorded in a 10km square, but as many counties are also undertaking tetrad rather than 10km surveys they would I'm sure be more than welcome.

Also for conservation purposes and the targeting of management advice, the more records the better. For example Defra environmental grants for farmland birds are only available if there are records of key species within 2km of the individual farm.

Cheers
Kev

 

[Mike Cook]

Completed NZ29A. The highest counts were 160 jackdaw and 125 starling but the best bit was among the larches of Blubbery Wood, where there was a nice mixed flock of siskin and brambling. There was also a buzzard, not reported in earlier atlases at all in NZ29. They are definitely becoming much more common on the east coast.

Whoops, now I'm in trouble. The data entry program says that 160 jackdaws is an "unusually high bird count". Are they getting the thumbscrews out down at the BTO? Well, maybe it was only 159 or maybe even 150 or 170, but it's a genuine mistake, honest!

Just three more tetrads to get done before the end of December.:t:

Mike

 

[Capercaillie71]

I finished my last two early winter visits yesterday. A flock of 180 linnets in some wild bird crop was a nice count for this part of the world.

The second tetrad was mostly conifer plantation and I had real difficulty with the counts here. A small group of coal tits would move through the canopy calling, or I would hear a couple of flyover siskin calls from above the canopy, but without seeing them I had no idea how many birds were involved (more than one but less than 10 probably). So my counts were educated guesses I'm afraid.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

I did SD33G on the outskirts of Blackpool today. Not untypically for a Blackpool tetrad the number of feral pigeons (over 200) led the website to query the number I had input. In terms of more unusual species a Sparrowhawk was welcome, but the best were Great Spotted Woodpecker and Grey Wagtail highlighting just how widespread these are in the area (only in winter in the latter case).

I was using an old map instead of printing off the one on the website and it didn't have a major road on it which I use almost every day...