The BTO Bird Atlas project is recruiting at the moment (http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/).
Unlike many other surveys where there is a fairly small sample of grid squares to be monitored, this survey is a free for all with the whole of the UK up for grabs, and I expect a mad dash has already taken place for grid squares on prime habitat, nature reserves and migration hotspots! (However, birders can still contribute by making "roving" sightings in any of the grid squares)
I arrived at the "grab a tetrad" party fairly late, but even so was surprised to see much of the North Baddesley / Romsey / Southampton and Winchester areas almost fully subscribed. Even the fairly innoculous looking grid square that my house falls in was snapped up! However, the few remaining squares in my area did have some reasonable sites. Skidmore was still up for grabs, but felt that I haven't been there that often to be able to do the square maximum justice, and would hate to incur the wrath of any veteran local patch birders there! So I chose my square (SU42a) which includes a small section of Emer Bog, and Body Farm (small colony of House Sparrows ;) ). Plus Great Covert which has Nightjar and Woodcock, a couple of fields that have a small population of Lapwings, and a few turf fields that are always patrolled by Crows, Wagtails, occasional gulls etc. Down side is a housing estate on the east side which I will need to walk through at some stage. Surveying starts in November this year, and continues for 4 years.
So own up.. who got Baddesley Common?! And more importantly, who got Toothill/ Hoe Lane!!
I also looked north to the Hampshire Downs area, and it was a different picture here sadly, though hardly surprising as I average 1 human being per visit to parts of the Wallops, Grately, Chilbolton etc. SU23, where I go for a few walks only had 2 grids taken, so I volunteered for another 2 squares. With each square being 2kmx2km this will be fairly heavy going to cover the area, but it is always good to put something back into this hobby. SU23 is now up to 5 squares, so getting near the 8 squares required to give it a representative sample of sightings.
Spent some time on Birdforums, earlier in the week. Amazed at the hostile sniping, and aggresion that takes place in the rare bird forum compared to eveyrwhere else.. Not sure what conclusions can be drawn there! Did get accused by someone who's job is "trader in dead animals" of bullying him on the Bats forum.. Thought that was the least I could do in the brief time before he was banned!
As for birds.. had brief scans while passing a couple of areas.. Nothing in the Great Covert area (except for 1 Buzzard), and nothing on a rain swept Danebury Hill (that's right, absolutely nothing!). Returned to Danebury on the way home from a work trip, and only had a couple of Buzzards and a fairly large gathering of swallows.
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