Yes, that must be the right way to do it.
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Atlas listing (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Stephen Dunstan
- Start date
Yes, that must be the right way to do it.
markgrubb
Leading a life of quiet desperation
Remote atlas listing
Borders region in Scotland has only 100,000 population and yet covers 4800 sq km. That means 1200 tetrads and not a lot of birders to cover it.
Craik forest is over 10 miles by 10 miles, largely owned by the forestry commision and is about 10 miles from Hawick. A group of 10 of us went last weekend to the Duke of Edinburgh Award owned Craikhope Centre for 2 days to blitz some tetrads (the NT square it is in had no takers at all for this summer and last). Very comfortable too it was and at £60 a night for up to 23 good value.
The weekend showed some of the difficulties of surveying an area like this. The whole area was a conifer plantation with clear fell and wind fell and some areas of blanket bog and small areas of deciduous trees. Even with maps and permission to drive on the forest roads it was hard to work out where tetrads were exactly-there were unmarked roads and areas had been planted or felled since the maps had been made. A couple of guys had GPS which was great.It took ages to work out who went where and how we would drop off and pick people up. Neverthless it worked well and we completed 50 or so tetrads. Under rules for remote areas we were allowed to do one 2 hour survey instead of the early and late surveys usually done to complete work for the tetrads.
Birding was difficult and we were probably a week or two early to get good evidence of breeding. There was little evidence of breeding from meadow pipits and none from skylarks. Some of the tetrads had a single track through them and impenetrable forest on either side-most birds were picked up by song/call. Nevertheless it was good fun and the evenings were very sociable with a communally made meal and a few beers and swapping of tales.
Some tetrads only yielded 10 or so species but we had a lot of good birds. Highlights included waking each morning to the song of the resident redstart and tree pipit just outside. Best birding moment was 3 ospreys streaming past SW in 5 minutes one evening. Tree pipits were in good numbers as were spotted flycatchers(the Borders bird report totals 50 most years with no records from this area-I had 5 pairs and 2 singles so this kind of work gives a true perspective of bird populations). Other good birds included a couple of pairs of ravens, merlin, water rail, cuckoo, whinchat etc. A lack of goldcrest, stonechat and coal tit was noted by all
So an enjoyable weekend-though I'm not too bad at calls but it definitely reminded me that I need to revise and sharpen up on these skills
Borders region in Scotland has only 100,000 population and yet covers 4800 sq km. That means 1200 tetrads and not a lot of birders to cover it.
Craik forest is over 10 miles by 10 miles, largely owned by the forestry commision and is about 10 miles from Hawick. A group of 10 of us went last weekend to the Duke of Edinburgh Award owned Craikhope Centre for 2 days to blitz some tetrads (the NT square it is in had no takers at all for this summer and last). Very comfortable too it was and at £60 a night for up to 23 good value.
The weekend showed some of the difficulties of surveying an area like this. The whole area was a conifer plantation with clear fell and wind fell and some areas of blanket bog and small areas of deciduous trees. Even with maps and permission to drive on the forest roads it was hard to work out where tetrads were exactly-there were unmarked roads and areas had been planted or felled since the maps had been made. A couple of guys had GPS which was great.It took ages to work out who went where and how we would drop off and pick people up. Neverthless it worked well and we completed 50 or so tetrads. Under rules for remote areas we were allowed to do one 2 hour survey instead of the early and late surveys usually done to complete work for the tetrads.
Birding was difficult and we were probably a week or two early to get good evidence of breeding. There was little evidence of breeding from meadow pipits and none from skylarks. Some of the tetrads had a single track through them and impenetrable forest on either side-most birds were picked up by song/call. Nevertheless it was good fun and the evenings were very sociable with a communally made meal and a few beers and swapping of tales.
Some tetrads only yielded 10 or so species but we had a lot of good birds. Highlights included waking each morning to the song of the resident redstart and tree pipit just outside. Best birding moment was 3 ospreys streaming past SW in 5 minutes one evening. Tree pipits were in good numbers as were spotted flycatchers(the Borders bird report totals 50 most years with no records from this area-I had 5 pairs and 2 singles so this kind of work gives a true perspective of bird populations). Other good birds included a couple of pairs of ravens, merlin, water rail, cuckoo, whinchat etc. A lack of goldcrest, stonechat and coal tit was noted by all
So an enjoyable weekend-though I'm not too bad at calls but it definitely reminded me that I need to revise and sharpen up on these skills
Last edited:
joannec
Well-known member
Sounds delightful and seriously good work for you and your team, Mark. Well done and it sounds fun too.
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
Doesn't happen to me, the only glitch I have encountered is where if I accidentally omit certain species from my count results (pipits / wagtails from memory) the system won't let me add them in afterwards because it thinks they are already input.
Did a relatively unpromising tetrad including Kirkham prison yesterday and had an absorbing couple of hours including two singing Yellowhammers, two singing Reed Buntings and Jay and Goldcrest which are both scarce in the Fylde in summer.
Did a relatively unpromising tetrad including Kirkham prison yesterday and had an absorbing couple of hours including two singing Yellowhammers, two singing Reed Buntings and Jay and Goldcrest which are both scarce in the Fylde in summer.
joannec
Well-known member
If you go to view/edit records there is a box that says 'add a species'. It works for me whe I've accidently forgotten one.
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
Hi Joanne,
Thanks for that. I probably wasn't clear but it is a glitch within that function I was referring to. It normally works fine, but not for some species.
Regards,
Stephen.
Thanks for that. I probably wasn't clear but it is a glitch within that function I was referring to. It normally works fine, but not for some species.
Regards,
Stephen.
On BirdTrack this has happened to me but only when I heard 55 singing wrens at a site. This may or may not actually be unusually high? Don't really think it is cos the circular route round the site is 5 miles long.
Stewart J.
Well-known member
Rooks, obviously these will have fledged when doing second count so impossible to determine number of nests occupied, consequently I thought it best to tick colony present box but not put a nest count in.
Anyone any thoughts?
Stewart
Anyone any thoughts?
Stewart
simon1930
Member
Where I've counted a rookery in my first visit I haven't entered anything for the colony count on the second visit. Not only have the birds fledged but the trees are now fully leaved! I'm sure that once you've entered the count, it is logged and it doesn't matter that you don't record it again on the second count. For example, you might have used a different route on the second visit and not even seen the rookery, in whch case you couldn't enter anything...
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
Did a Blackpool tetrad today and there were c700 Starlings roaming around in one flock already.
Stephen.
Stephen.
On Friday there I did three Tyrone tetrads. Plenty of blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warbler. Female sparrowhawk carrying prey into a small wood. I went over and heard the wee ones calling (like cats stuck in a tree as I've read it described) - a first for me.
Also it's great countryside round there and hardly a car on the road throughout the three miles, I actually follwed a hare for about 200 yards along the road.
Also it's great countryside round there and hardly a car on the road throughout the three miles, I actually follwed a hare for about 200 yards along the road.
joannec
Well-known member
That's a great confirmed breeding record to be able to include! I'd be really chuffed with that. :t:Well done.
Thanks, was pretty pleased with it myself!
If the nest site for local swifts is not easy to find, what other evidence of breeding is there? It's not possible to see food carrying, and to my eye, the juvs as they wizz past are indistinguishable from the adults! Are the 'close formation' groups that fly around screaming likely to be mixed adult and juvs and would that be sufficient evidence?
Surreybirder
Ken Noble
Mary, I think that the best way to get breeding evidence is to try and see them flying into nest holes. Apparently they tend to visit the nests to feed their young in the early morning and late evening. I don't think that 'screaming parties' can count as more than T, if you see them over the course of a week.
Ken
Ken
Hi,
Has anyone else noticed that you can now see breeding evidence in tetrads out of the survey period with the upgrade that happened yesterday on the BTO Website. A nice innitiative but I soon got suspicious when I started seeing that I had entered as seen by me the same 3 species as having been proved breeding in numerous tetrads that I have entered records for and couldn't remember doing so. Went back to my out of season records and yes I did enter those 3 species but only once overall and only in a total of 2 tetrads. Is this a widespread error or just my records?
Joan
Has anyone else noticed that you can now see breeding evidence in tetrads out of the survey period with the upgrade that happened yesterday on the BTO Website. A nice innitiative but I soon got suspicious when I started seeing that I had entered as seen by me the same 3 species as having been proved breeding in numerous tetrads that I have entered records for and couldn't remember doing so. Went back to my out of season records and yes I did enter those 3 species but only once overall and only in a total of 2 tetrads. Is this a widespread error or just my records?
Joan
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
I did a hugely enjoyable TTV in the Over Wyre area of Pilling today. The singing Quail was the undoubted highlight, but also Tree Sparrows, singing Corn Bunting and a Little Owl. The three Pinkfeet just outside the tetrad were a little more suspect, probably wild birds which had been injured in the past.
Stephen.
Stephen.
Surreybirder
Ken Noble
Question: a couple of days ago I heard bullfinches and saw a juvenile in an area where I have seen/heard them pretty consistently over the last few months. Is that sufficient to record them as FL (fledged young) or a bit dodgy? They are one of the trickier species to prove breeding for.
Ken
Ken
joannec
Well-known member
Hi Ken
Instructions from the Sussex RO say that you have to use your judgement in using the 'FL' code. Were the parents around, sounds like you heard them? Did it still have a gaping bill? Was it still dependent on the parents? Bullfinches, I'm informed are one of the species that they will be accepting breeding evidence for in August along with a few other late breeders (hobby and yellowhammer come to mind). I haven't been able to get confirmed breeding for bullfinches on my patch although I suspect pretty strongly that they are breeding but only managed 'T' so far. I think in your case I would put it down as 'FL' but then again.......you have to use your own judgement.
Instructions from the Sussex RO say that you have to use your judgement in using the 'FL' code. Were the parents around, sounds like you heard them? Did it still have a gaping bill? Was it still dependent on the parents? Bullfinches, I'm informed are one of the species that they will be accepting breeding evidence for in August along with a few other late breeders (hobby and yellowhammer come to mind). I haven't been able to get confirmed breeding for bullfinches on my patch although I suspect pretty strongly that they are breeding but only managed 'T' so far. I think in your case I would put it down as 'FL' but then again.......you have to use your own judgement.
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