Surfbirds News

November 10, 2009

Tawny Owls - Autumn Survey 2009

The BTO has teamed up with the BBC’s Autumnwatch team in a bid to map Britain’s Tawny Owls as part of the 2007-11 bird Atlas project. We are asking people to go out on calm evenings over the next few weeks and listen for Tawny Owls and then more importantly report them to us.

The BTO is in the middle of its most ambitious project to-date, the 2007-11 Bird Atlas. The aim of the project? To carry out the biggest stock-take of Britain’s birds ever. All species of birds will be counted in both summer and winter and every 10km square from the Isles of Scilly to Shetland will be covered.

Tawny Owl © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries.

Owing to their nocturnal habits and secretive nature, Tawny Owls can be difficult to survey using traditional BTO monitoring schemes. These are usually carried out during the daytime and do not cover this species well. Current distribution is taken from the last breeding atlas completed in 1991, so we don’t have an up-to-date picture.

This is where the BTO Tawny Owl survey comes in. By getting people to go out into their gardens and surrounding countryside to listen for Tawny Owls calling, and then reporting them on the survey form, they will help plug any gaps in the information we already have and provide a complete picture of the Tawny Owl’s distribution in Britain and Ireland.

At this time of the year the majority of birds have stopped singing. However, this is the time of the year when the Tawny Owl is at its most vocal, and on still evenings the classic shivering ‘hoot’ of the males and the answering ‘kewvick’ calls of the females can be heard as they reaffirm pair bonds, strengthen their hold on a territory and ward off any interlopers. All in readiness for the forthcoming breeding season, which, for Tawny Owl can begin in early March.

All your records of Tawny Owl from throughout the year can be entered onto BirdTrack where they will contribute to our knowledge of distribution. To report your Tawny Owl click here

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:14 PM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2009

BTO - EDF Energy Business Bird Challenge 2010

- the competition to find the best business sites for conservation, birds, and people.

The Business Bird Challenge is a celebration of the partnership between business and the environment. This fiercely contested competition attracts a wide variety of companies keen to show that they are actively involved in innovative and effective conservation initiatives; attracting lots of species of bird; and involving local people in nature conservation.

Don't hide your achievements ...... take up the Challenge

A wide variety of companies enter the Challenge. Sites range from working quarries, power stations and oil refineries, to research establishments, company headquarters and restored nature reserves. Categories include Wetland, Quarry, Land Management, but are tailored to allow for the largest diversity of participants, so that each site has a good opportunity to win. The Challenge is not just for big businesses, it is about maximising the potential of business sites for birds and other wildlife whatever the size.

Black Redstart at home at Dungeness Power Station © Andrew Lawson, from the surfbirds galleries.

"Bird Species are a good indicator of the health or state of development of sites and entering a quarry site in to the BTO Challenge not only allows the development of that site to be gauged, but also allows the quarry to be placed in context with other similar sites. the opportunity to out-shine your peers is also rewarding"

David Park - Lafarge, Restoration Manager North

"The Challenge is a great way to demonstrate our role in delivering improvements in biodiversity, but also a tremendous way of involving our employees and reconising the efforts of all the volunteers that help with so much of the conservation work and monitoring."

Andy Brown - Anglian Water, Climate Change & Env. Performance Manager

Take up the challenge. Download a form here.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:08 AM | Comments (0)

October 3, 2009

Glossy Ibis influx into the UK

This September has seen the country’s largest-ever influx of Glossy Ibis, with at least 37 individuals recorded across Britain and Ireland. Interestingly some of these birds were ringed, Doñana in southern Spain being their likely origin. If you are lucky enough to see one of the ringed birds, please report the details to the BTO Ringing Scheme.

At least five of the Glossy Ibises in the recent influx into the country are colour-ringed and have been reported at several different sites. But tracking their movements has been rather difficult, as reports are rather fragmented.

Glossy Ibis, Avon © Gary Thoburn, from the surfbirds galleries

The BTO are keen to be able to put together a complete history of these colour-ringed birds, but need your help. So far we have a few records of PJP, MVP, HH4, MR3 and NJF but there must be more out there.

So if you've managed to read a colour ring on a Glossy Ibis recently then please get in touch with Mark Grantham at the BTO (mark.grantham@bto.org) with details of the code, place and dates seen. Once we have more complete details we will release the full story.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2009

Organic farming: good for birds?

The latest research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) sheds new light on the benefits of organic farming for birds. Published today in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters, the results from the latest research suggest that organic farming might not hold all the answers when it comes to reversing the declines shown by some farmland birds.

Tree Sparrows © Leszle Nehezy, from the surfbirds galleries

There is a lot of evidence that shows that natural biodiversity tends to be higher on organic farms than that found on those that use conventional farming methods. During the winters of 2000/01 and 2002/03, 48 paired organic and conventional farms were surveyed once a month for farmland bird species, to help determine how these birds use the different farms. The results show that, whilst the total abundance of most farmland birds was higher on the organic farms during these winters, for birds that feed largely on cereal grain and are partly reliant on winter stubbles, this was not the case. It is these species, birds like the Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting and Skylark that are experiencing the biggest declines.

Dr Dan Chamberlain, of the BTO and lead author of the scientific paper, commented, “Organic farming has clear benefits for a range of species but some aspects of organic farming may not currently provide significant benefits to bird species that are limited by winter seed availability. Once harvesting is completed, it is general practice for farmers on organic farms to plough in the stubbles to prevent an over-winter weed burden, making this resource unavailable to birds.” He added, “However, the recent reduction in stubbles on conventional farms, and the phasing-out of set-aside, could result in organic farms becoming more heavily used by some granivorous species - only future monitoring will tell.”

A pdf of the full paper is available from http://www.bto2.org/downloads/images/news/organic_farming.pdf

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:54 PM | Comments (0)

August 17, 2009

BTO Summer Bird Count 2009

To support the BTO's 'Out of Africa' appeal, the BTO has moved the annual bird count into the much warmer, summer months, which I am sure those of you who have previousy braved their New Year counts will be glad to hear.

Following on from the worrying news that the Cuckoo and other African migrants including the Yellow Wagtail and the Wood Warbler, have been added to the Birds for Conservation Concern red list, we are even more determined to raise funds to investigate what could be responsible for these declines.

Wood Warbler © Sean R Cole, from the surfbirds galleries

If you would like to support the Summer Bird Count or want to encourage your friends and family to join in, read on. It would really help our appeal and you may even catch a last glimpse of some of our migrant species before they head back to Africa for the winter.

The Summer Bird Count 2009 is a fantastic way to combine something you enjoy with raising valuable funds. By taking part you can help species like the Cuckoo, so get ready to start counting. Choose a day between 28th August and 14th September 2009, a location to birdwatch (this could be your garden, on your holiday or a day trip), and then approach your generous friends and family for sponsorship.

Use your BTO Bird Count form to note down any sponsorship you are promised and also to keep a record of what you see on the day. If you and/ or a friend would like to join us for the Bird Count 2009 then you can download your forms by clicking here.

However you choose to take part, be it a day out walking or by making it into a family outing, the more bird species you see, the more money you raise to help us research and aid the conservation of our much loved migrants!

If you don't feel able to ask for sponsorship and would rather make a donation instead then please feel free to do so.

Remember, all your sightings are useful to us. Why not add them into BirdTrack and make your birdwatching count.

Don't forget to return your form and sponsorship money by Friday 9 October to be entered into the Grand Prize Draw for a superb pair of Swarovski 8 x 32 EL’s.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:46 AM | Comments (0)

August 10, 2009

British Bird Atlas: the halfway stage!

The biggest ever stocktake of Britain’s birds reaches the halfway mark on Friday 31 July. Over three million observations for the Bird Atlas have been collected so far.

As the fieldwork for the second summer season of the Bird Atlas ends, 16,000 volunteers will be celebrating the halfway stage in this massive project. With the completion of the first two years of this four-year project, this is an ideal opportunity to assess how the survey has gone so far, and to plan the next two years of work, to ensure complete coverage of Britain and Ireland by 31 July 2011.

Corn Bunting, sadly experiencing range contraction © Adrian Webb, from the surfbirds galleries

Volunteers have trekked along the coastline, trudged over moorlands, scaled mountains, walked through villages, towns and cities, visited forests and viewed our lakes all in a quest to map the distribution of birds in Britain and Ireland for both the winter and the breeding season. The statistics are impressive too with 1.6 million Roving Records submitted and another 1.6 million records have come in from the BTO/RSPB/BWI BirdTrack project; and on top of this, timed counts have been carried out in over 97,000 2km x 2km squares by dedicated volunteers.

Dawn Balmer, Atlas Organiser at the British Trust for Ornithology said, “We are on target to achieve our coverage aims, with 68% of our timed counts completed for winter and 65% completed for the breeding season. Although this sounds very positive, there are still many areas that need a considerable amount of effort over the next two years. These tend to be areas where fewer people live, remote areas or difficult terrain to cover. Places in Britain such as Islay & Jura, Shetland, Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Isle of Man, North Cornwall, and Montgomeryshire all need help from birdwatchers. We urge more birdwatchers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to get involved in the project to build on what has already been achieved here.”

Now that the halfway stage has been reached, the BTO want to encourage all birdwatchers to send in any outstanding records for the Atlas, so that the current coverage can be assessed. This will help to inform plans for the remaining two years of fieldwork. Already many changes in species distribution are emerging, such as the spread east of the Raven and the range expansions of Cetti’s Warbler and Marsh Harrier, but some worrying pictures are also coming to light, like the range contractions of Corn Bunting and Turtle Dove.

For more information on how you can help and to see just where help is most needed, visit www.birdatlas.net

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:39 PM | Comments (0)

July 29, 2009

Urban birds are lazy

Results of a study, just published by the British Trust for Ornithology’s Garden Ecology Team, have revealed that urban birds are lazy, arriving to feed at bird tables later in the morning than their rural counterparts. BTO researchers lay the blame for this behaviour on the waste heat that escapes from buildings and factories and warms up our urban areas by several degrees.

Starling © Major Gilbert, from the surfbirds galleries

Why should urban populations of a particular species arrive later after dawn than their rural counterparts? Interestingly, there are a number of factors which may operate differently between the two habitats. Urban areas are well known for the degree of light pollution associated with them, in the form of street and security lighting. If this light pollution was influencing the urban populations then you would expect to see earlier emergence in urban areas rather than later emergence. Another factor operating in urban areas is heat pollution, with waste heat escaping from factories, residential properties and other buildings. This waste heat can increase the temperature in urban areas by as much as 8°C, particularly in our larger cities, creating what is known as an ‘urban heat island effect’. With higher overnight temperatures in urban areas, it seems likely that small birds roosting in these areas would need to use a smaller amount of their fat reserves than would be the case for birds roosting within the wider countryside. With fewer reserves lost overnight, urban populations could afford to be more leisurely come the morning, the need to replenish reserves less urgent than for birds that had spent a colder night elsewhere.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:07 PM | Comments (0)

July 18, 2009

2008 Breeding Bird Survey results

Latest BBS figures reveal a positive story for three of our smallest breeding birds – Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and Long-tailed Tit.

However, the declines in long-distance migrants remain apparent. Over 3,200 BBS squares were surveyed in 2008, allowing us to produce UK population trends for 105 of our breeding bird species. For many of these we can also produce population trends for the separate countries in the UK, and even in different regions of England, allowing us to compare local and national trends.

Goldcrest © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

Follow the link to download the full report. www.bto.org/bbs/results/BBSreport08.pdf

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:39 AM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2009

House Martin survey 2009

It has been a mixed year so far for our House Martins. In some areas birds arrived back at their nest sites early, in a few cases during the first week of April, with nest building beginning immediately. In other areas they still haven’t returned.

House Martin © Nigel Blake, from the surfbirds galleries

There have been two distinct arrivals of birds this year. Birds that left Africa early had the weather on their side and seemed to have little trouble getting here, good numbers were reported passing south coast watchpoints during the first week of April and by the second week a pair were reported nest building as far north as Scotland. This didn’t last and the main arrival of birds from mid-April to mid-May were held up by bad weather in southern Europe. With an improvement in the weather the second wave of birds started to arrive, and, during the last week in May this coincided with a big movement of Painted Lady butterflies also from southern Europe.

Please tell the BTO about your House Martins and how they are doing by completing the House Martin survey form.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:49 AM | Comments (0)

May 12, 2009

First UK ‘stock-take’ for reptiles and amphibians

A national ‘stock-take’ of the reptiles and amphibians in the UK’s gardens has been launched. Called Reptiles and Amphibians in your Garden, this national project is being undertaken by The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Froglife and The Herpetological Conservation Trust (HCT). The survey will bring together an army of amateur wildlife watchers including birdwatchers, gardeners, hands-on conservation volunteers and the general public.

The results will contribute to knowledge of where frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards are found nationally and allow scientists a better insight to how important gardens are for their conservation. The results will also be used to understand how amphibian and reptile populations may be responding to a variety of threats, including habitat loss, disease and garden chemicals.

Grass Snake © John Devries, from the surfbirds galleries

Although people may think of amphibians and reptiles as creatures that occur only in the countryside, the 13 species native to Britain can all, to differing degrees, inhabit gardens. Some gardens can harbour hundreds of common frogs, and others can house large populations of slow-worms (a legless lizard).

Grass snakes can also be prevalent in some urban areas, where they dip in and out of ponds looking for amphibian prey.

Volunteers are needed to complete a simple recording form, marking off species they have seen and answering straightforward questions about their gardens, such as whether they have a pond, whether they use pesticides or whether or not they have a compost heap.

“This is the largest survey of these species focused on gardens in Britain and has been designed to compliment other studies that are tracking the fate of amphibians and reptiles in the British countryside.” said John Baker from The HCT.

Mike Toms, Head of Garden Ecology at the BTO, commented “The BTO’s army of 16,000 Garden BirdWatchers are perfectly placed to keep an eye out for reptiles and amphibians within their gardens; in fact, many already keep records of these species as part of their regular weekly recording.” “This stock-take will be a benchmark in our understanding of these animals in urban areas, and the results will guide the advice we give to the public on what they can do to help these unique and charismatic animals in our backyards.” said Daniel Piec, Froglife Head of Conservation.

Of the UK’s 13 species of amphibians and reptiles, 10 species are listed on the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) ‘watchlist’.

For your ‘Reptiles and Amphibians in your Garden’ pack please call the BTO’s Garden Ecology Team on 01842-750050 or email: gbw@bto.org

FIVE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES THAT COULD BE FOUND IN YOUR GARDEN:

Common Frog: (Rana temporaria). Found throughout the UK. Generally widespread but has declined in many parts of the wider countryside.

Common Toad: (Bufo bufo). Found throughout lowland Britain. Widespread but less commonly encountered in many southern and eastern areas.

Smooth Newt: (Lissotriton vulgaris). Found throughout the UK. A common and widespread inhabitant of many garden ponds.

Slow-worm: (Anguis fragilis). Found throughout much of Britain. Although still abundant in some areas, in many others it has declined because of habitat loss.

Grass Snake: (Natrix natrix). Found throughout much of lowland Britain but scarcer in the north. The species has declined because of habitat loss.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)

May 3, 2009

Jays head for the Highlands

Early results from the Bird Atlas 2007-11, the biggest ever bird survey carried out in the UK, show that Jays are moving north. Normally seen across most of Britain, but traditionally absent from northern Scotland, more of these birds are taking up residence in the Highlands.

The Jays particularly favour oak woodlands and are well know for their acorn hoarding habits, burying several thousand acorns in the autumn and retrieving them when food is scarce later in the cold winter months. Some of these go unfound and go on to grow young oaks the following spring. It is this talent that make Jays so important for the distribution of some oak species.

Jay © Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

An increased prevalence of mature oak trees and the associated crop of acorns may be one of the reasons why Jays are becoming more attracted to the Highlands. The maturing dense conifer plantations that provide secure nesting sites may also be helping their spread.

With a pinkish buff body, conspicuous white rump and electric blue patches in the wings, the Jay is the most colourful member of the crow family. Despite this, they are quite difficult to see and are often only spotted when dashing between the trees, uttering a loud, raucous kraah call of alarm as they go.

If you would like to help discover more interesting facts about the birds in Scotland, why not get involved in Bird Atlas 2007-11, which starts up again in April for the 2009 breeding season. Log onto www.birdatlas.net where you can easily submit Roving Records for any Jays you come across, or any other interesting species. To find out more about the Bird Atlas in Scotland please contact: bob.swann@bto.org

Key Facts

The Jay is a member of the crow family, along with the Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Rook, Chough and Magpie. It is unique in being the only member in this family that is not extensively black. With its overall pinky-buff colouration, bright blue wing flash and black moustache, it is a striking and beautiful bird. It is estimated that there are around 160,000 breeding pairs in the UK.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:32 AM | Comments (0)

Help find Britain's most secretive family

Tawny, Barn and Little Owls belong to one of the most secretive of Britain’s bird families, and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) needs help in finding them for the largest ever survey of the distribution of birds in Britain and Ireland.

Because of their largely nocturnal habits and their secretive behaviour, owls are one of the most difficult of bird families to survey. The British Trust for Ornithology needs your help to find out where these birds breed and how well they are doing. Hearing a Tawny Owl hooting in the autumn is a sure sign that these birds are setting up a territory, this is when the distinctive ‘kee-wick’ calls are most often heard. Spring is the time of year that these owls start to lay eggs and it will be towards the end of May before we start seeing fluffy owls recently fledged from the nest. You can help the Bird Atlas project by recording the breeding status of Tawny Owls in your area.

Barn Owl © Paul Goode, from the surfbirds galleries

Along with Tawny Owl, we’re also looking for records of Barn Owl and Little Owl. Together, these three common species of owl are under-recorded for the survey due to their nocturnal and crepuscular (twilight) behaviour. Barn Owls tend to be most active at dawn and dusk and the sight of one hunting over rough grassland during the summer months is the sort of evidence we are looking for. You may even have a pair nesting on a nearby farm and can confirm local breeding.

Little Owl is the smallest of the owls that are found in Britain and can often be seen sat on fence posts, farm machinery or on top of farm buildings during the daytime. By recording any Little Owls that you see, you will help the BTO get a clearer picture of their distribution.

The Bird Atlas project started recording for its second breeding season on 1 April and we’re looking for records of these widespread yet secretive owls. Recording the breeding evidence is a vital part of the Atlas fieldwork – you need all your detective skills to hand! Listening for birds regularly calling, looking for birds carrying food or chancing upon a recently fledged youngster are all ways you can contribute to the Atlas.

You can enter your records online at www.birdatlas.net (register and follow links to Roving Records) or by requesting a form from BTO. In addition to the common owls, all other species you see in the breeding season can be recorded, and by gathering records over a four-year period we will be able to compile comprehensive species maps and start to investigate changes in distributions since the last Breeding Atlas in 1988-91. For information on how to record breeding evidence see, http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/taking_part/bevidenceowls.htm

Key facts

Tawny Owls are largely a bird of woodland but can be found in parks and large gardens. First clutches laid: 23 Mar (5 Mar - 4 May), number of broods: 1

Barn Owls are a bird of farmland and can often be seen hunting over the rough edges of agricultural land. First clutches laid: 6 May (30 Mar - 4 Jul), number of broods: 2

Little Owls frequent farmland and parks interspersed with older trees. First clutches laid: 23 Apr (11 Apr - 8 May), number of broods: 1(2) (Tawny and Little Owl are both absent from Ireland.)

For more information on all of these owls visit www.bto.org/birdfacts

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:25 AM | Comments (0)

March 14, 2009

Boom times for Long-tailed Tits

Whilst 2008 saw another poor breeding season for many birds, it proved to be a bumper year for Long-tailed Tits.

The latest results to emerge from the BTO’s Garden BirdWatch survey have revealed a massive increase in the use of gardens by Long-tailed Tits, a species that often visits gardens in extended family parties. The results, together with information drawn in from other BTO work, suggest that the Long-tailed Tit population has been boosted by a run of mild winters and a fantastic breeding season. During the last week of 2008 some 43% of the gardens covered by the survey held visiting Long-tailed Tits, compared to just 25% at the same time the previous year.

Long-tailed Tit © David Hutton, from the surfbirds galleries

BTO research highlights a trend towards earlier egg laying by Long-tailed Tits, most likely in response to climatic changes, and this may have helped the birds avoid the damaging effects of the early summer rains that hit some of our other nesting species. This trend, plus a run of mild winters has allowed the population to increase and we are now seeing more of these birds using our gardens, visiting to feed on peanut fragments, fats and small seeds. Long-tailed Tits are small birds, weighing less than 10g. As such, they are particularly susceptible to severe weather and population numbers can crash dramatically during cold snaps. This is why the recent run of mild winters has helped them. Of course, the very cold snap earlier this year may have been very bad news for the tits, so it is important for garden birdwatchers to keep a close eye on their gardens over the coming months to see if, by turning to garden handouts, the Long-tailed Tits have been helped to survive the worst of the winter weather.

As Amy Lewis, Garden BirdWatch Development Officer, commented “These are remarkable birds and it’s great to see them doing so well. Whilst it’s nice to have some good news for a change the recent snow and ice may have hit them hard. We need people to join in and help us monitor their numbers this spring so that we can chart how they’ve fared. Garden BirdWatch is a nationally important project and is easy and fun to do.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:21 PM | Comments (0)

Kingfisher killed by credit crunch!

A Kingfisher, one of Britain’s most colourful birds, has become the first avian victim of the credit crunch, reports the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Kingfisher SB35872 was fitted with a BTO ring in December 2007, at Higham Marshes in Kent. For the next year it regularly flew through a local factory, using it to roost at night. Conveniently, the factory was open seven days a week, and the factory workers enjoyed the frequent flashes of cobalt blue as the bird flew through on its regular fishing trips. The credit crunch has now forced the factory to close for three days every week, and whilst closed recently SB35872 became trapped inside. It was found dead on Thursday last week when the factory reopened – a sad demise for such a stunning bird.

Mark Grantham, Research Ecologist in the BTO Ringing Scheme, said “We receive around 500 reports of ringed birds every month from members of the public but this is the first one we have received of a bird hit by the credit crunch. Had this bird not been carrying a BTO ring we would be none the wiser.” He added, “If anyone does find a dead bird with a ring on its leg, by reporting it to us here at the BTO, not only will they be contributing to scientific research, they will be making a real difference to our understanding of the lives of birds.”

Anyone finding a ringed bird should report it online at www.ring.ac or by calling the BTO on 01842 750050.

Kingfisher © Sean Gray, from the surfbirds galleries

The Kingfisher is the sole member of its family to be found in Britain. As its name suggests, fish form the main part of its diet. The average lifespan for a Kingfisher is two years, though the oldest bird recorded in Britain is four and a half years. In Europe, the oldest was a Belgian bird which reached 21 years. It is widely distributed in Britain south of the Humber, though migrants from the Continent are found in winter. In the 100 years since ringing began in Britain & Ireland, ringed Kingfishers have been found here from Germany (4), Netherlands and France.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:15 PM | Comments (0)

February 3, 2009

Help chart marine pollution in the North Sea

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are asking keen-eyed beach walkers to tell them about dead Fulmars on east coast tide-lines. Large numbers have died in recent weeks, possibly because of the weather conditions. The stomach contents of these birds are used to track marine plastics pollution in the North Sea.

The recent run of winter weather has resulted in large numbers of Fulmars, a seabird that breeds on coastal cliffs and islands around the North Sea, being seen along the east coast of Britain. The increase in these birds was first noticed in The Netherlands, with more birds being washed up there in the last week than for the whole of last year. During periods of cold weather, northern birds can be pushed to unsuitable feeding areas further south, where they face starvation. In Britain we have already seen large numbers of Fulmars at some seawatching sites; 316 were counted passing Spurn Head in East Yorkshire last week, including thirteen ‘blue’ Fulmars, the northern colour phase of the Fulmar.

Fulmar © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

The British Trust for Ornithology is now asking people to look out for dead Fulmars along the east coast of Britain, and is particularly keen to hear of large concentrations of dead birds. The BTO can then make arrangements for these birds to be collected and for their stomachs to be analysed for plastics. To report any concentrations of dead Fulmars, please contact the BTO at info@bto.org

The BTO is also asking people to look out for any metal rings that these birds might be carrying on their legs. These will help to determine their origins and provide a lot of information about the individuals concerned. These should be reported to the BTO online at www.ring.ac, or to the BTO Ringing Office, telephone 01842 750050.

A member of the Petrel family, the Fulmar is a little larger than a Common Gull, is white below and pale grey above, and can be identified by the unique ‘tubes’ that are found on top of the beak. The wings of the fulmar are much longer, narrower and stiffer than those of the Common Gull, and are ideal for a life spent at sea.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:17 AM | Comments (0)

It's better to be little!

The British Trust for Ornithology has just published the results of the first UK-wide surveys of Ringed Plovers and Little Ringed Plovers since 1984. There’s good news for Little Ringed Plovers (almost doubling numbers) but there were disappointing numbers of Ringed Plover (dropping from an estimated 8617 pairs to 5438 pairs)

If you are a birdwatcher in the UK, one of the key identification problems to learn is the difference between a Little Ringed Plover and a Ringed Plover. However, this may have become easier – the Little Ringed Plover may be the one with the smile on its face! Life is much better for Little Ringed Plovers than it is for Ringed Plovers. (The Little Ringed Plover can be distinguished from the Ringed Plover by its yellow eye-rings, no orange on the bill and no white bar in the wing).

Little Ringed Plover © Zbyszek Kajzer, from the surfbirds galleries

Little Ringed Plovers first bred in the UK in 1938, since when they have been well protected by conservationists. They often nest on nature reserves, and also at gravel pits, on industrial sites and on the shingle banks of rivers. According to the last BTO survey in 1984, the estimated population was between 608 and 631 pairs, but the 2007 survey came up with a figure of 1115 pairs. The core range of the species remains from southeast England, through the Midlands and into the northwest, but the species has spread further into Wales, northern England, and south and east Scotland since 1984.

UK numbers of Ringed Plover have fallen from an estimated 8617 pairs in 1984 to 5438 pairs in 2007. The falls have not been uniformly spread across the UK:

England – down by 47%
Wales – down by 6%
Scotland – down by 41%
Northern Ireland – down by 66%

The biggest concentrations of Ringed Plovers are in Scotland, particularly the machair habitat of the Uists and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. (Machair is an area of flat sandy plain behind the beach on wind-blown northwest coasts). In other regions, Ringed Plovers are found nesting on sand and shingle beaches. These coastal areas are being squeezed as sea levels rise and nesting birds are susceptible to disturbance by holidaymakers and their dogs.

Greg Conway, national organizer of the 2007 survey said: “Whilst we are delighted that there is good news for Little Ringed Plovers, we are really concerned about Ringed Plovers. These birds are an important feature of six of the UK’s Special Protection Areas, five in Scotland and one in England, and we need to understand how numbers can be falling so rapidly, despite the protection that they are being given.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:12 AM | Comments (0)

Ducks taking a dive on World Wetlands Day

Wetlands are special places. On February 2 2009, people will be focusing on the world’s wetlands as part of World Wetland Day, the date marking the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands thirty-eight years ago. The day represents an opportunity to celebrate and promote the values and benefits of wetland sites around the globe.

Pochard © Graham Catley, from the surfbirds galleries

In the UK, many wetlands are of outstanding international importance for waterbirds – resulting in regular monitoring through the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), a partnership between the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). Nationally, more than 3,000 WeBS volunteers enjoy the special atmosphere of over 2,000 wetland sites during monthly counts. This monitoring helps maintain up-to-date wintering population trends of many species, and ensures that the most important wetland sites are identified, protected and managed appropriately.

By way of example, the most recent Wetland Bird Survey report, Waterbirds in the UK 2006/07, illustrates a national decline in Pochard numbers first highlighted in the mid 1990s. The Pochard is a familiar diving duck of reservoirs, gravel-pits and lakes, frequently seen in flocks and often mixed with Tufted Ducks. Very few Pochards breed in the UK, with most birds arriving from further east in Europe and Russia to spend the winter here. Declines in our wintering numbers have been most pronounced in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, with a smaller fall in England too. These changes may reflect problems at individual wintering sites or on the breeding grounds, or represent a redistribution of birds in response to climate change, or a combination of all of these factors.

Chas Holt, WeBS National Organiser at the BTO, said, “The decline evident in wintering numbers of Pochards is just one example of the importance of annual monitoring of our wetlands. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of WeBS volunteers, such changes in waterbird populations can be identified and future research suitably directed. Their counts will also help to show how Pochard distribution may have been affected by the coldest winter experienced in the UK for over a decade.”

David Stroud, Senior Ornithologist with JNCC noted, "It is important to find out whether Pochard numbers have really declined overall or whether their distribution has changed and birds that used to come to the UK are now staying in other countries. The Ramsar Convention encourages countries to work together on the conservation and monitoring of shared migratory species such as the Pochard. To this end the UK contributes its counts to the International Waterbird Census so as to develop this bigger picture."

Richard Hearn, Head of Species Monitoring at WWT said “As well as the Pochard, similar declines in other duck species such as Mallard, Goldeneye and Goosander have also been observed in the UK in recent years. Elucidating the influence of short-stopping on these observed trends is an important priority for the effective conservation of these species. This requires increased coordination and collation of counts at a flyway level and better monitoring of breeding success and survival rates. Understanding the influence of short-stopping, and thus whether these populations are in decline or redistributing (or both), will allow more effective prioritisation of appropriate conservation action. We also need to better understand whether redistribution itself could result in a downturn in numbers, for example due to a lack of protected sites within the new range.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:07 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2009

Look after your Robin this winter

Like most small birds, Robins are lucky if they manage to reach their second birthday. While some fail to survive the winter cold, others fall prey to predators (for example cat or Sparrowhawk), fly into windows or get killed by motor traffic. The BTO has produced a new leaflet to help concerned garden birdwatchers to counter at least one of the many risks that Robins face, namely Sparrowhawk predation.

The return of the Sparrowhawk to our gardens has not been welcomed by everyone. Some see the Sparrowhawk as a threat to populations of smaller birds, despite the lack of any scientific evidence to support this view. However, the sight of a Sparrowhawk standing astride a recently killed Robin is an unwelcome one in many gardens. In order to allay some of the concerns that people may have about this native predator, the British Trust for Ornithology’s Garden BirdWatch Team has produced a free leaflet on the subject.

Robin © Marc Read, from the surfbirds galleries

Mike Toms, BTO Garden BirdWatch Organiser, commented “Most of what we know about Sparrowhawks and how they interact with their prey is tucked away in obscure publications. By making this information more widely available through our leaflet we hope to make people better informed.”

Paul Stancliffe, part of the BTO Garden BirdWatch Team, added “The leaflet includes a few tips that garden birdwatchers can adopt to help tip the odds in favour of smaller birds should they so wish. For example, placing your bird table close to evergreen or thorny bushes gives small birds somewhere to hide if a Sparrowhawk appears.”

Sparrowhawks feed on a wide variety of small birds. Whilst this hasn’t automatically led to a decrease in our garden birds (the majority of these smaller birds are doing quite well), Sparrowhawks will and do take individual birds in our gardens.

Here are some tips that may help to keep the birds in your garden safe and healthy.

1. If a Sparrowhawk regularly visits the garden, try moving your bird table and hanging feeders periodically to different parts of the garden. This can help to take away the element of surprise, one of the main strategies a Sparrowhawk uses to capture its prey. Sparrowhawks like to follow a regular route through a garden, using the available cover to get close to feeding birds.

2. Feed your birds on a bird table close to cover, into which they can dive at the first sign of danger. Thick evergreen and thorny bushes are ideal.

3. Provide food on a regular basis, so that small birds can rely on there being food in your garden. In this way they can time their visits in a way that reduces the risk of being caught by a predator.

For a free BTO leaflet on Sparrowhawks and their interactions with garden birds, telephone 01842 750050 and ask for the GBW Team, or write to SPARROWHAWK LEAFLET, GBW, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU or email gbw@bto.org.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:22 PM | Comments (0)

December 29, 2008

BirdTrack vacancy at the BTO

The BTO is looking for a birder to take up an exciting challenge! We’re wanting to recruit a dynamic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable birder to take on the running of one of our most popular surveys. BirdTrack (www.bto.org/birdtrack) is the online bird recording scheme designed to increase the personal, local and national value of your sightings. Participants are asked to enter lists of birds recorded on a birding trip or outing, and can also use the system to enter casual records. The records can then be used by individuals for their own personal use, or by county bird recorders, or to feed into national monitoring and conservation efforts.

The key attributes we’re looking for are an excellent background knowledge of birds and birding, the ability to enthuse other birders to make full use of BirdTrack, lots of ideas for developing BirdTrack in the future, and experience in using a wide range of computing technology, especially database systems and website design.

The job will be based at the BTO’s headquarters in Thetford, and the full job particulars can be found at www.bto.org/vacancies/index.htm. For an informal chat about what the job might entail, contact Andy Musgrove or Mark Grantham at the BTO on 01842 750050. (Please quote ref BT/SB-01 in any correspondence).

You can really see how your BirdTrack records count, and the maps below show the winter distribution of Buzzard in the last winter Atlas in 1981-84 (left) and BirdTrack records submitted during the first winter's fieldwork from November to February (right).

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:38 AM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2008

Mapping Britain & Ireland’s birds – can you help to plug the gaps?

From 1 November, over 10,000 birdwatchers will start fieldwork for the second year of the Bird Atlas project and will build on the success of the first year.

Already, exciting changes in patterns of distribution are emerging for a number of species in both winter and the breeding season. Stonechats have increased in the east, Nuthatches are creeping north and there is a hint that breeding Lapwings are disappearing from the west and south-west.

Little Owl © Kit Day, from the surfbirds galleries

As we approach the second winter of a four year project, birdwatchers will be looking for species missed during the first winter from their local area and also moving further afield to look for birds in new areas.

Dawn Balmer, Atlas Coordinator is appealing for more help this winter. “We need more pairs of eyes this year, especially to help us to spot birds that are secretive. Seeing species such as Water Rail, Little Owl, Woodcock, Kingfisher or Hawfinch brightens a day’s birdwatching – and these are exactly the sorts of records we want to know about.”

Birds like the Little Owl are present across much of England, are scarcer in Wales, rare in Scotland and absent from Ireland. They can easily be missed and are often seen when you least expect to find them! Anyone who sees a Little Owl after 1 November can send in a record online or on paper and contribute to the Atlas. The provisional map from the first winter (right) shows very few Little Owls recorded in Wales and some unexpected holes in many English counties – have they been under-recorded or not there anymore? Help us to discover the answer.

Dawn Balmer, Atlas Coordinator commented “The first winter went really well and we hope birdwatchers will get involved again this year. We need help in all areas, but especially in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Getting records from the remoter areas has always been difficult, especially in the challenging winter months. Atlasing is great fun and all birdwatchers can get involved.”

The Bird Atlas wants records of all species from all areas of Britain and Ireland. If you can confidently identify the common birds around you then please help out with Roving Records. More details can be found on the website www.birdatlas.net or by requesting a form from BTO.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:53 AM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2008

Migrant birds in hot water

Climate change is a major threat to migratory waterbirds, according to a new report by the British Trust for Ornithology and Wetlands International. Of 235 species of migratory waterbird occurring in Europe and Africa, all except one are experiencing some threat from climate change, and nine species face severe threats that could cause extinction.

The world climate is changing as a result of human activities. In Britain, during the 20th Century, annual average temperatures rose by almost 1 ºC. By 2080, temperature is expected to rise by 2 to 3.5ºC and sea-level by between –2 and 86 cm. The fingerprints of climate change are visible throughout the world.

Sanderling © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

The report, launched today in Madagascar at the 4th Meeting of the Parties of the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, highlights the need for international co-operation when it comes to helping migratory species cope with climate change and other environmental problems. When animals migrate, they often traverse political boundaries that have no inherent meaning to them, but which dramatically influence them due to the great differences that exist between countries in conservation policy. International co-operation is often required to reduce the many pressures they face.

With warmer temperatures, many birds are finding their current living conditions increasingly unsuitable. Some are shifting their ranges towards cooler climates. However, species such as the Crowned Cormorant, confined to the extreme southern coast of Africa, need land to nest on and are prevented from moving poleward by the presence of the sea. A similar situation exists for those species that breed in the high Arctic, such as the Sanderling.

Changing wader distributions

Since the mid-1980s seven of nine species of wader occurring in internationally important numbers have moved in an eastwards direction along the winter isotherms with increasing mean winter temperature (Austin & Rehfisch 2005). Between 1980 and 2001, the weighted centres of the over-wintering populations of seven species of wader in north-west Europe have undergone marked shifts in a northerly or north-easterly direction. Species such as Curlew, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit have shifted their distributions by more than 50 miles (Maclean et al. in review).

For the full report click here

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:05 AM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2008

Are your bird feeders empty?

The British Trust for Ornithology says that feeding our garden birds now could help them through the winter. Scientific research has shown that feeding the birds during the summer months can have far reaching benefits, one of which is a better chance of surviving the harsher winter months. By providing a reliable source of food now you will be giving young, inexperienced birds a great start in life, so that they will be in good shape when the weather turns colder.

Blue Tit © John Judge, from the surfbirds galleries

The summer months can be a tough time for young birds, as they become independent of their parents. Finding a regular source of food is vitally important for these inexperienced youngsters, saving them some searching and foraging time. Putting food out in our gardens can make all the difference. Once a reliable source of food has been found it is visited again and again so it is important to continue feeding. During extremes in the weather this food source becomes even more important. Prolonged spells of wet, cool and windy weather can make invertebrate food such as caterpillars very difficult to find, and birds such as Blue and Great Tits will come in search of an alternative. Conversely during hot, dry weather, Blackbirds and Starlings find it difficult to find earthworms and grubs that live in the soil, as they burrow deeper underground; a supplementary food source can be vital for them.

Hot weather can also make water difficult to find, as small pools and puddles begin to dry up. All birds need a daily supply of fresh, clean water, both for drinking and bathing. Bathing is particularly important, as it helps to keep the feathers in tip-top condition.

Paul Stancliffe, of the Garden BirdWatch Team at the British Trust for Ornithology, commented, “The benefits of feeding the birds during the winter months are obvious, but feeding them over the summer can be just as important. It is great to know that not only are we helping them now, we are also giving them a head start for the winter months. This could mean more birds surviving to go on to breed next spring and that has to be a good thing, not only for the birds, but also for garden birdwatchers.”

Since 1995, the BTO have been monitoring birds in our gardens throughout the year through its Garden BirdWatch survey, and have a wealth of information on how and why birds use them. Using this knowledge they have put together a free leaflet about summer feeding. The leaflet outlines the different kinds of food that can be put out during the summer months and the different kinds of birds that will benefit. For a free copy of the summer feeding leaflet please telephone 01842 750050 and ask for the GBW team, or write to GBW, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:17 AM | Comments (0)

July 18, 2008

More Chatting and less Warbling in the Welsh valleys

Latest results from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) show that the distinctive orange-and-black Stonechat has increased by 338% in Wales since 1994. The BBS is the primary source of information about our countryside birds, and results from the 2007 survey show that while Stonechats are increasing, woodland birds such as Willow Warbler and Goldcrest are doing less well in Wales than in the rest of the UK.

Meteoric rise of Stonechats in Wales

In the 1980s Stonechats were confined to the western fringes of the UK, driven by harsh winters and habitat fragmentation to coastal heathlands warmed by the Gulf Stream. Now their populations are recovering across the UK, and numbers in their Welsh strongholds are skyrocketing – Stonechat numbers increased by 338% since 1994, and continued to rise between 2006 and 2007. Is this an indication of climate change?

Stonechat © Kit Day, from the surfbirds galleries

Woodland birds Willow Warbler and Goldcrest down in Wales.

The woodland species Willow Warbler and Goldcrest, both birds of conservation concern, declined significantly in Wales by 20% and 33% respectively since 1994, despite increasing, or remaining stable, in the UK as a whole. Many woodland birds are declining generally, perhaps due to increasing numbers of deer browsing the forest under-story, or forest management practices changing the structure of our woodlands. However, it’s not all bad news for woodland birds in Wales – Long-tailed Tit (+58%) and Treecreeper (+60%) showed significant increases in Wales, despite no significant changes in the UK overall.

We need more birdwatchers!

We are able to follow the fortunes of birds in Wales thanks to volunteer birdwatchers, who walked a collective 1,500 km for the BBS in 2007, and counted over 76 thousand individual birds of 134 species. These counts are essential for keeping track of Welsh bird populations, but there are many birds for which we don’t have enough information to monitor in Wales. Welsh birdwatchers suspect that the Stonechat’s cousin, the Whinchat, is in serious decline in Wales, but to find out, we need more birdwatchers to cover BBS squares in Wales! We’d urge anyone interested in taking part next year to find out more at www.bto.org/bbs.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:42 AM | Comments (0)

Woodland birds show biggest declines

Latest results from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) put our woodland birds at the top of the list of declining species. The BBS is the primary source of information about our countryside birds, and now shows that Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher and Willow Tit have all declined by over 50% since the start of the survey in 1994.

Willow Tit © Sue Tranter, from the surfbirds galleries

People power:

Nearly 3,000 volunteer birdwatchers got up very early in the morning to take part in the annual Breeding Bird Survey in 2007, and counted over a million individual birds of 220 species throughout the UK. Here are some of the results of their work:

Woodland birds decline

BBS volunteers found that many woodland birds have decreased since the start of the survey in 1994, but those with the most specialist habitat requirements (some of which are also long-distance migrants), have shown the most dramatic declines, notably Willow Tit (down 77%), Spotted Flycatcher (down 59%), Wood Warbler (down 57%) and Pied Flycatcher (down 54%). This is not due to loss of habitat, as overall we probably have more woodland than ever, but the tree composition and age structure of our woods have changed. Deer have increased in numbers, browsing away the forest under-story on which the birds depend, and forest management practices are changing the structure of our woodlands.

Stonechat, Nuthatch and Buzzard expand across the UK

It’s not all bad news, and some species are increasing in numbers. Many of the species showing the biggest increases are also expanding across the UK, notably Stonechat (up 278%), Nuthatch (up 71%) and Buzzard (up 56%). Buzzards are spreading from their western strongholds, thanks to reduced persecution and the recovery of rabbit populations from the effects of myxomatosis. Stonechats are also spreading back eastwards from the temperate western coastal areas, and Nuthatches, previously found only in England and Wales, are increasingly breeding in Scotland. Is this an indication of climate change? The 2007-11 Bird Atlas, organised by BTO (with BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club), will track the geographical spread of these species, as BBS monitors changes in numbers.

Life looking up for Grasshopper Warblers

The secretive Grasshopper Warbler is more often heard than seen, identified by a mechanical-sounding song that has been compared to a spinning reel on a fishing rod. They had been lost from many areas by the 1980s, and are red-listed due to population declines. However, BBS results now show that life is looking up for Grasshopper Warblers, which have increased by 68% since the survey started in 1994, and also increased by 24% between 2006 and 2007.

More information can be found at www.bto.org/bbs, and the report can be downloaded from www.bto.org/bbs/results/BBSreport07.pdf

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:36 AM | Comments (0)

July 7, 2008

Please give House Martins a chance

BTO scientists are pleading with Britain’s homeowners to be tolerant of the mess made by House Martins, especially this year, as numbers seem to be down on normal levels.

Welcome or unwelcome?

House Martins breed under the eaves of houses and other buildings. Many people really treasure these summer visitors, waiting anxiously for their arrival in April or May, and marvelling as they dive into their nests, made of mud and lined with feathers. For these people, finding discarded eggshell and piles of droppings under a nest is a sign of a successful breeding season, even before the first begging youngster pops its head out of the entrance hole.

For other people, House Martins are a nuisance. In an attempt to avoid having to cope with a bit of mess, some people knock down House Martin nests – even in the breeding season, when there are youngsters inside. This is illegal. For some hints on how to live at peace with your House Martins, please see note 2 below.

House Martin © Steve Robinson, from the surfbirds galleries.

Having travelled thousands of miles from equatorial Africa and apparently having faced some really horrible spring weather in southern Europe, it seems just a little unfair that a pair of House Martins will find that last year’s nest has been knocked down by house-proud homeowners. If birds can re-use a nest from a previous year then they save themselves up to ten days of work. More information on nest building is given in note 1 below.

New BTO survey

As part of the new national Bird Atlas project, BTO scientists are keen to know where House Martins are breeding this year. They would also like to know whether there are fewer nests this year than last year.

Mark Grantham, who runs BirdTrack writes: “All summer we’ve been receiving emails and phone calls from recorders, wondering where their House Martins are and concerned at the lack of birds at traditional breeding sites. It appears that a few House Martins arrived quite early, in mid-March, but the main influx of birds was a good week later than in recent years. All our birds have arrived now and most will be hatching chicks, so it does look like we're missing a lot of our breeding birds.”

Notes about House Martins

1. Most House Martins breed under the eaves of houses and other buildings. They often breed in groups and nests are sometimes joined together in terraces. Mud is collected from the edges of puddles and streams. Birds rarely travel more than 150 metres to collect mud. If they can re-use a nest from a previous year then they save themselves up to ten days of work.

2. Living at peace with your House Martins: Place a large seed tray on your patio, under the nest, to catch most of the droppings. Then clean it out periodically. Grow a climbing plant, such as wisteria, over a patio door and under the nest, so the plant catches the droppings.
If the House Martins choose a really problematic nest site, put up something to deter them during the winter, in the hope that they will move somewhere more convenient in the spring. It is illegal to tamper with a bird’s nest during the breeding season.

3. To get involved in the House Martin Survey, visit www.bto.org and click on the House Martin link or phone 01842 750050 and ask for a survey form. Volunteers will be asked to count the nests on their houses and to look for evidence that chicks have been produced; discarded eggshells and piles of fresh droppings. Additional nest counts from 2007 will be exceptionally valuable.

4. If you want to tell the BTO about House Martins in your neighbourhood (ie birds that are not nesting on your house) you can ask for an Atlas Roving Record form. Phone 01842 750050 and we will send one out to you. These forms can be used to tell us about other birds too: any sighting, from a Goldcrest to a Golden Eagle, can contribute to the national Bird Atlas.

5. Facts and Figures: A pair takes a couple of days to repair a nest from last year but up to 18 days to build a new one. The female usually lays four or five eggs – and will have two broods during the summer. Average incubation is 16 days and chicks stay in nest for about 22 days.
House Martins feed mainly on flies and aphids.

See http://www.bto.org/birdfacts/index.htm for more facts and figures

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:52 PM | Comments (0)

June 11, 2008

Potatoes come to rescue of Yellow Wagtails

The British Trust for Ornithology has recently published results from the latest study into the breeding success of the Yellow Wagtail. In his article – Spuds they like – James Gilroy explains that potatoes are coming to the rescue of this amber-listed species of conservation concern.

Yellow Wagtails migrate to Britain from West Africa to breed during the summer months – the first birds should be returning any day now. They were once a familiar bird, feeding at the feet of grazing animals in pasture and wet meadows, but the number of Yellow Wagtails has declined by an estimated 65% in the UK since 1970. The results of a Lincolnshire study undertaken by James Gilroy of the University of East Anglia are published in the latest BTO News (the membership magazine of the British Trust for Ornithology).

Yellow Wagtail © Nigel Blake, from the surfbirds galleries

According to Dr Gilroy’s research, Yellow Wagtails need to have two nesting attempts each year if they are to raise sufficient youngsters to stem the decline in numbers. Yellow Wagtails nest on the ground; raising their first broods in autumn-sown cereal crops but switching to other crops in June and July, when cereal crops become too tall and impenetrable.

As Dr Gilroy explains: “When Yellow Wagtails first return to arable farmland from their African winter quarters in April, they tend to establish territories in autumn-sown cereal fields. During the early summer, winter-wheat crops shoot from 20 cm up to at least 70 cm in just a few short weeks. Pairs that are already nesting in cereal fields will stay there until the chicks fledge but any birds looking to establish new nests will prefer to switch to non-cereal crops, including peas, field beans and potatoes, the last being by far the most preferred crop. The loose canopy of a potato field appears to be ideal habitat, providing easy access to the ground as well as allowing adequate concealment of nests.”

Overall breeding success in the study was relatively low, with 59% of attempts failing completely. Ground nesters suffer predation by mammal and birds. In this study, rates of predation were highest in field beans, where nests were often poorly concealed. With low rates of chick production, the recovery of the Yellow Wagtail is heavily dependent on the number of broods that can be attempted in a single season. At the current level of productivity, and given that most second broods seem to only occur in potatoes, the availability of this crop could determine the fate of this species.

James Gilroy concludes that, “Yellow Wagtail is currently amber listed as a bird of conservation concern. Given that there has been a marked decline since the 1980s, potato crops could be crucial to the future breeding.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:54 AM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2008

Stour-Orwell Species Turnover Project

Stour-Orwell birders - have you seen colour-ringed birds? The BTO needs your help!

A large number of Dunlin and Redshank are being colour marked on the Stour-Orwell this winter. This exciting new study will help to determine just how many birds use this important area for resting and feeding, and help to protect other sites that are used by waterbirds.

Currently, flagship conservation sites such as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that are important for birds, are identified and designated using the peak numbers of birds present. Particularly during the migration period, this method can greatly underestimate the total number of birds using the site, because there is the daily arrival and departure of individuals.

The study launched in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Newton & Wright Ringing Group and Natural England, aims to significantly increase our understanding of just how important estuaries like the Stour-Orwell are for wintering waterbirds. Over the winter a large number of Dunlin and Redshank are being fitted with individual combinations of brightly coloured rings, allowing each bird to be individually recognized. We are trying to encourage visitors to submit sightings of colour-marked birds. All visitors to estuaries this winter can provide an invaluable contribution to this work. To find out more or to submit a sighting, click here:
http://www.bto.org/research/wetland/turnover.htm

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:38 AM | Comments (0)

January 6, 2008

Can you spot a Mistle Thrush this Christmas?

While the Robin is the bird that usually springs to mind at this time of the year, spare a thought for the Mistle Thrush this winter.

Whilst everyone will be seeing Robins around this time, (how many of your Christmas cards depict a Robin?), the Mistle Thrush will largely go unnoticed. It is at this time of the year that this larger cousin of the more familiar Song Thrush comes into its own. It is one of our earliest breeding birds. Male Mistle Thrushes can often be heard in full song over the Christmas period, often from the top of the highest tree around, not stopping even during wild and windy weather, lending weight to its old name of ‘storm cock’.

Mistle Thrush, Northumberland, © John Malloy , from the Surfbirds galleries

All is not well with this devourer of mistletoe; its scientific name ‘viscivorus’ comes from its penchant for mistletoe berries, viscum (mistletoe) and vorare (to devour). The bird has been undergoing a steady decline, leading to it being included on the amber list of birds of conservation concern. British Trust for Ornithology led research has shown that the population has fallen by 35% over the last twenty-five years.

Mistle Thrushes feed on soft fruits and berries during the winter months, and will often vigorously defend large clumps of mistletoe and well laden hollies from all-comers with the distinctive football-rattle like call, as it chases off another raider, can often be heard. This habit not only ensures them a steady supply of food but is also proven to give them a head start in the breeding season. Birds that guard berries have been shown to produce bigger and earlier clutches than those that do not.

During Victorian times it was believed that the seed of the mistletoe would only germinate if it first passed through the body of a Mistle Thrush. This may hold some truth, as some seeds do indeed germinate more quickly if they have passed through a birds gut. If, as some suggest, mistletoe and holly are in short supply this year, Mistle Thrushes will turn to gardens in search of other berries.

You might have mistletoe in your home, but will you have its bird namesake in your garden? Keep an eye out for this big, bold and beautiful thrush this Christmas.

If you are concerned about the decline of the Mistle Thrush and would like to learn more about this fascinating bird, including information on how to tell the difference between the Mistle and Song Thrush, please contact the BTO on 01842 750050 and ask for the Garden BirdWatch team, or email gbw@bto.org or write to GBW team, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:16 AM | Comments (0)

November 30, 2007

Birds count cost of awful summer

Of the 25 bird species monitored by BTO bird ringers, seven had their worst breeding season ever. One of the worst hit was the Blue Tit. During the summer, bird ringers were catching only half the number of juvenile Blue Tits as would have been expected in an average year, the appalling weather of May, June and July having taken its toll.

The seven biggest losers in 2007 (all with their worst ever productivity) were:

Blue Tit (48% below the long-term average)
Great Tit (33% below normal)
Reed Warbler (27% below normal)
Whitethroat (25% below normal)
Willow Warbler (19% below normal)

Treecreepers and Willow Tits were also at their lowest levels (55% and 63% below average) but, as only small numbers are caught, these figures may be unrepresentative.

Blue Tit © John Judge, one of the worst hit, from the surfbirds galleries

There is one positive story though: Long-tailed Tits had their highest ever productivity this year, showing an increase of 48% on the long-term average. They are early nesters – building nests in February and March – and may well have taken full advantage of the great April weather.

The British Trust for Ornithology has been measuring bird productivity for 25 years, using the Constant Effort Sites Scheme, funded under the BTO/JNCC partnership. Trained, volunteer bird ringers around the country put up the same nets in the same sites on twelve occasions every summer. By looking at how many adult and how many juvenile birds are caught, they can get a very good idea of how successful the breeding season has been.

Mark Grantham, who runs the Constant Effort Scheme, said: “For resident birds, such as Blue and Great Tits, it will be interesting to see how they cope with the poor season. Most may well be able to bounce back next year, but it is more serious for the migratory species (Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler). These are already suffering problems both on migration and in Africa, so a poor breeding season just adds to their plight.”

Some Blue Tits in southern England fledged before the bad weather started but, from stories told to BTO staff by birdwatchers from around the country, it seems as if most Blue Tits were not quite this early and that many died in nest boxes. As Mark explains: “The cold, wet weather over the early summer will have made life incredibly tough for adults that still had hungry youngsters in boxes. Each Blue Tit chick (up to 12 in a box) will need around 100 caterpillars every day, and finding enough caterpillars in the poor weather we’ve seen is no mean feat.”

Newly-fledged, fluffy juveniles experienced problems too:

• Young birds have far fewer* feathers than their parents and get wet and cold much more easily
• In wet weather, caterpillars are washed off leaves, making finding food much harder – especially as youngsters have little idea of how to fend for themselves.

(* important to get out of the nest as quickly as possible, to avoid predation. Youngsters grow extra feathers a few weeks after they leave the nest)

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007

Sour note for the Skylark

With up to five times as many nesting pairs as winter wheat, set-aside has given Skylarks something to sing about. The British Trust for Ornithology is concerned that removal of rotational set-aside will reverse the good work of recent years and impede efforts to stop declines for farmland birds.

As conservationists now contemplate the loss of set-aside within British farmland, BTO scientists provide evidence of the benefits of set-aside to a wide range of farmland species – but Skylarks in particular. Set-aside delivers three big benefits for Skylarks - winter food in stubbles, nest sites in summer fallows and food for chicks.

Skylark © Adrian Webb

Winter food: Research by the BTO has shown that Skylark populations can only be maintained through the winter if 20% of agricultural land is available as food-rich stubble, much of which has been provided through the existence of rotational set-aside.

Nesting opportunities: For ground-nesting Skylarks, set-aside fields provide great cover in which to hide nests. Nesting densities are up to five times higher in set-aside than they are in winter wheat.

Food for chicks: Rotational set-aside is a good feeding habitat, with plenty of accessible insects to feed to chicks and a rich crop of seeds for newly-fledged youngsters. Set-aside supported four to five times as many Skylarks as winter wheat, with similar foraging advantages for other species.

Juliet Vickery (Head of Terrestrial Ecology Unit of the BTO) said “Set-aside might not have been designed as a conservation measure for farmland birds but our research has shown that it has provided a real lifeline for birds such as Skylarks, Yellowhammers and Lapwings. We can only ensure that there is continued space for these birds in modern agricultural businesses if scientists and policy makers work together to modify agri-environment schemes in ways that can deliver similar benefits.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:49 PM | Comments (0)

July 19, 2007

More than half of our Turtle Doves are missing

Latest results from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) reveal even bleaker news for Turtle Doves. Even though a record total of 2,600 birdwatchers took part in the Breeding Bird Survey last year, few could find Turtle Doves on their survey sites.

Volunteer birdwatchers involved with the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey in the summer of 2006, counted more than one million birds on 3,295 1-km squares throughout the UK, recording 223 bird species. This year, there is good news for Reed Bunting, but bad news for our only migratory dove, the Turtle Dove. Some of our small-bodied resident birds were adversely affected by colder-than-normal weather during winter 2005/06. More details about these species are given below.

Turtle Dove, copyright Bill Jackson

THE GENERAL PICTURE

• A record total of 2,647 birdwatchers surveyed 3,295 survey sites across the UK, from the Scilly Isles in the south to Shetland in the north. This record coverage enabled the scheme to monitor the changing numbers of 103 bird species, nearly half of those that regularly breed in the UK.

• The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is administered by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) from its headquarters in Thetford, Norfolk. Across the UK, voluntary Regional Organisers play a vital role in coordinating the efforts of local birdwatchers. Volunteer birdwatchers are assigned 1-km squares that they visit three times in the season. Having got up very early in the morning, each volunteer spends about two hours counting all the birds they see and hear along their chosen 2-km route.

• The BBS started in 1994. This carefully designed, yet simple survey has attracted many participants. The good level of coverage throughout the UK means that we are able to report separately on changes in bird populations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and in the nine English Government Office Regions, as well as for the UK overall.

• Of sixteen widespread species that are red-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC), based on long-term population trends, eleven declined significantly on BBS squares between 1994 and 2006 (see Notes to Editors). Four red-listed species (Song Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Tree Sparrow and Reed Bunting) have increased significantly in the same time period.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS FOLLOW

Images to use alongside this story can be obtained from BTO by e-mailing images@bto.org
(this service is available outside office hours)

Reed Bunting – a sign of hope

Numbers of the red-listed Reed Bunting increased by 9% between 2005 and 2006 and are now up by 39% since 1994. This is a far cry from the situation thirty years ago when this species began a period of steep decline during which numbers more than halved between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s. In common with its close relative, the Yellowhammer, these declines were largely driven by reductions in winter seed food availability caused by agricultural intensification. Recent changes in land management encouraged by Government funded agri-environment schemes may now be benefiting this species, which gives us hope for other farmland species that have undergone similar declines in recent years.

Migratory dove in trouble.

Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove may be everywhere today, but Turtle Dove numbers have dropped by 61% in just 12 years. Not only has the Turtle Dove disappeared from many parts of the country, such as southwest and northern England, it has become increasingly hard to find in its arable stronghold of East Anglia. In common with many long-distance migrants, numbers returning to our shores each spring are heavily influenced by conditions on the wintering grounds in Sub-Saharan Africa and migratory routes. Hunting during this migration period and changes in agricultural practice at home may all be contributing to the decline. Reductions in the quantity of weed seeds during the breeding season have led to a much shorter period of time in which young doves can be raised.

A brief return to colder winter temperatures causes a decline in small songbird numbers

Colder-than-average temperatures during the winter of 2005/06 (at least by our modern standards) led to a fall in the numbers of several small-bodied, resident bird species, such as Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, Wren, Goldcrest, Stonechat and Grey Wagtail, between 2005 and 2006. Thankfully, these declines were modest in comparison with those experienced during the arctic winters of 1962/63 and the late-1970s and numbers will presumably recover quickly, given a successful breeding season and the warmer conditions in the winter of 2006/07.

Ring-necked Parakeet added to the list of common birds

Ring-necked Parakeets, a species that was only added to the British List in 1983, have increased to such an extent, that for the first time, we are able to monitor their changing numbers using the Breeding Bird Survey, a scheme which is designed to keep track of the population changes of our common and widespread breeding bird species. From its heartland in Surrey and Kent, the Ring-necked Parakeet has gradually spread westwards along the Thames Valley, and was recorded on 87 survey sites in 2006, compared to only four at the start of the survey in 1994. Numbers on these survey sites have increased more than four-fold over this period. The current UK population of Ring-necked Parakeets originates from birds that escaped from captivity. This gregarious and aggressive species competes with other hole-nesting birds that are native to the UK.

Red-listed species

It is particularly important to monitor the fortunes of red-listed species of conservation concern. For eleven species, BBS results reveal declines between 1994 and 2006.

Willow Tit -69%
Starling -27%
Turtle Dove -61%
Linnet -24%
Corn Bunting -39%
Yellowhammer -16%
Grey Partridge -37%
Skylark -15%
Spotted Flycatcher -29%
House Sparrow -6%
Bullfinch -28%

Four red-listed species increased over the period: 1994-2006.

Tree Sparrow 97%
Reed Bunting 39%
Grasshopper Warbler 49%
Song Thrush 17%

Tree Sparrow, good news from the BBS, copyright Sean Cole

The full report can be viewed at www.bto.org/bbs/results/BBSreport06.pdf

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:28 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2007

The birds and the bees

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has teamed up with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to help discover more about Britain’s bumblebees. By enlisting the help of the BTO’s army of 16,000 Garden BirdWatchers, researchers at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust hope to track the changing fortunes of these endearing creatures.

Although the sight and sound of bumblebees, droning methodically from flower to flower, is a quintessential part of a summer’s day, many of our bumblebee species appear to be in decline, their distributions contracting rapidly. At the same time, a number of species (including one recent coloniser from France) are expanding and researchers are keen to find out the extent of such changes.

Bumblebee © Kip Loades

Despite the fact that these are familiar insects, there are surprisingly few bumblebee recorders and so our knowledge is lacking in some areas. In order to overcome this problem, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has enlisted the help of the 16,000 participants in the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. These observers spend time each week primarily recording the birds that use their gardens. However, they have more recently started contributing records of other animals, like mammals, amphibians and butterflies; so why not bumblebees!

Adding bumblebees to the list of species that they cover has been very well received, not least because their interests often cover all sorts of wildlife, and not just birds. To help Garden BirdWatchers identify the 14 species of bumblebee most likely to occur in gardens, the two organisations have, with the help of illustrator Tony Hopkins, produced an identification chart.

As Mike Toms, Garden BirdWatch Organiser, notes “We are delighted to be able to help with this work. Gardens are an important habitat for wildlife and, on average, provide far more flowers than agricultural land. This makes them ideal places in which to monitor the changing fortunes of our more widespread bumblebees.”

Professor David Goulson, co-founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, added “We are very pleased to be working with the BTO and enlisting the help of the thousands of members of Garden BirdWatch to find out more about the distributions of our bumblebees. Many bumblebees now rely heavily on gardens which provide them with an abundance of flowers through the season, something that is often lacking in the surrounding countryside. By raising awareness of bumblebees in gardens, we also hope to encourage more bee-friendly gardening.”

If you want to find out more about how you can help with this survey, please send off for a free information pack. This is available from Garden Bumblebee Pack (BTO), FREEPOST IH2784, Norfolk, IP24 2BR. Alternatively, send your name and address details to gbw@bto.org or telephone 01842-750050.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was founded with the aim of protecting bumblebees and their associated habitats through conservation and education. The Trust aims to prevent further declines, and to raise awareness of the problems bumblebees face.For more information on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust please visit http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/

There are 25 native species of bumblebee in Britain and Ireland. Three species have already become nationally extinct and five others are now designated as UK Biodiversity Action Plan species, in recognition of their precarious status; four others are scheduled for inclusion.

Click here to identify your garden bumblebee

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

French expedition finds Hampshire surprise in Senegal

Amazingly, two warblers ringed on the same day (21 August 2005) at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire, were recently caught at the same site in Djoudj National Park, Senegal, within a week of each other! These birds, a Sedge Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler, are both long-distance migrants, commuting between the UK and West Africa every year.

A recent expedition by French bird ringers to Senegal has turned up some rather interesting Hampshire birds. The expedition earlier this winter found birds from several sites along the south coast, showing how important a network of protected feeding sites is for migrating birds.

Grasshopper Warbler © Darren Robson

The real prize catch was a Grasshopper Warbler, as in over 95 years of ringing in Britain & Ireland, this is only the second time a Grasshopper Warbler ringed in this country has been found south of the Sahara. The first was a bird ringed in neighbouring Sussex in August 1992, recaught by ringers in Djoudj National Park in January 1993. Two birds have made the return journey though, both of which were coincidentally ringed in Djoudj National Park, being found within 40km of each other in Cumbria and Dumfries in 1993!

Also caught on the recent expedition were other Sedge Warblers from Walberswick, Suffolk; Ballycotton, Co Cork; Bardsey, Gwynedd and Icklesham, Sussex.

Mark Grantham of the BTO’s Ringing Unit commented, “This really shows how much there is still to learn about migration. Everyone can contribute as well, so Hampshire residents should double check any birds that the cat brings in or birds that hit the window! You never know, it might be another visitor from Senegal!” Anyone finding a ringed bird is urged to report it online at www.ring.ac

Barry Duffin, site manager at Hampshire County Council's Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, ringed both of these birds and added, “It’s great to know that all of our efforts locally are worthwhile, and this really does show how our protected habitats in Hampshire have a vital role to play in migration.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:47 PM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2006

Svensson reprint

The BTO is pleased to announce the availability of reprints of the seminal identification guide for ringers and serious birders Lars Svensson's Identification Guide to European Passerines.

Svensson (as it's known to most) has been an absolute essential in every ringers box for decades, and details the characteristics used in determining the age and sex of 229 species and subspecies (including all passerines regularly occurring in Europe). With recent advances in optics though, modern birders now have the opportunity to see many features that were once only seen by ringers. Think about it where else will you find out how to age that spring Arctic Warbler or sort out the wing formula of that tricky Eastern Lesser Whitethroat?

The guide was originally born out of a booklet first published in Swedish in 1964, with the first English-language edition of the current guide published in 1970. In those 35 years, we‚ve gone from brown to orange to blue and finally green, and it is this edition many may be familiar with. A new edition of the guide is in preparation, but this limited reprint is a great opportunity to get hold of the guide now.

To order your copy of Svensson, email sales@bto.org or contact Chris Morley at the BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU. Tel: 01842 750050.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:15 AM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2005

Avian Influenza and Birdwatchers

Over the last few weeks, many birdwatchers will have become aware of considerable media interest in the subject of avian influenza or 'bird flu', following outbreaks in central Asia and the Black Sea region of the highly pathogenic type of the H5N1 virus strain which developed within poultry.

Representatives of BTO, WWT, RSPB and JNCC have been involved in discussions with the relevant government agencies, principally to advise on the latest knowledge of the origins of birds wintering in the UK, migration routes and timing, and bird distributions within the UK. Such information is derived in large part from the hard work of volunteers working on schemes such as the BTO Ringing Scheme and the BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). We have also remained in close contact with international colleagues.

The overall assessment is that the chance of this strain of the virus being carried to the UK by a migrating bird is currently low (and perhaps much less than the chance of transmission via illegally imported poultry). In addition, even if the highly pathogenic form of H5N1 avian influenza did make it to the UK, it is important to note that there are no known cases of transmission from wild birds to humans. In south-east Asia, the virus has spread (infrequently) to humans as a result of people coming into close contact with infected poultry within the context of the confined proximities of poultry farms. Thus, the risk to human health from wild birds carrying avian influenza would currently appear to be very low.

Nevertheless, it is clearly sensible to keep the situation under review. A number of organisations are working together to deliver a national surveillance programme for wild birds on behalf of Defra (for further details see http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm.) This will include enhanced monitoring for sick or dead birds, coupled with a programme of taking faecal samples from a) apparently healthy live birds, and b) birds shot as part of legal wildfowling activities.

As part of this process, we would ask birdwatchers in the field to keep an eye out for any suspicious cases of large-scale mortality or sickness amongst wild birds. Waterbirds are potentially among the most vulnerable wild birds. Obviously, all birdwatchers encounter dead birds occasionally, almost all due to perfectly natural causes, so use your common sense. However, if you should come across an incident that seems out of the ordinary, this should be reported via the Defra Helpline on 08459 335577. Calls would then be referred to more local laboratories. Specialists at the labs would then make an assessment on what further action, if any, should be taken.

Although there have been no proven cases of humans catching the disease from wild birds, the virus is spread through nasal secretions and faeces so please do not touch sick birds or carcasses in the event of a suspicious die-off. Note that separate guidelines have been provided to ringers and these will be made available to anyone else who regularly handles wild birds. In general, however, to guard against a wide variety of illness including avian influenza it is always prudent to exercise basic hygiene (e.g. washing hands with soap, especially before eating) when coming into close contact with wild animals.

At a time when there is a lot of misinformation circulating on this issue, it is essential to keep matters in perspective and to sift fact from fiction. We reiterate that, to the best of our current knowledge, we consider the chance of wild birds bringing highly pathogenic H5N1 to the UK to be low and the potential for onwards transmission from wild birds to people to be very low. Obviously, however, we are continuing to monitor the situation and if there are any further developments we will communicate these widely, in the first instance via organisational web-sites.

BTO, WWT, RSPB, JNCC

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:53 AM | Comments (0)

July 12, 2005

Tawny Owl Survey 2005 - can you help?

This autumn BTO are running a Tawny Owl Survey (15 August - 15 October) and are looking for volunteers to help.

It is a repeat of the 1989 survey and requires a single 10 minute count in the centre of a tetrad after sunset.

The survey is being organised by the BTO network of Regional Representatives (RR). To find out who your RR is use the links below or contact me direct at BTO. Just email your RR to express your interest and you'll be allocated a tetrad (or more if you wish!) to cover.

England: http://www.bto.org/regional/england.htm
Scotland: http://www.bto.org/regional/scotland.htm
Wales: http://www.bto.org/regional/wales.htm

If you need any further information do let me know. It would be great to achieve good coverage this autumn to compare with the results from 1989. Have Tawny Owl numbers gone up or down since then?

Many thanks
Dawn Balmer

Email: dawn.balmer@bto.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:12 PM | Comments (0)

March 8, 2005

BTO's BirdTrack - What a difference a year makes!

During the first week of March last year, the first of the summer migrants were arriving on our shores during a period of high pressure and southerly winds. With the forecast for the week ahead of further cold weather, the prospect for birdwatchers seeing their first summer visitors is not good! Nevertheless, Dawn Balmer is urging us all to be on the lookout for new arrivals from Africa.

Last spring was quite exceptional, with an influx of Swallows in late February - about two weeks earlier than usual! These were quickly followed by Sand Martin on 1 March (Cornwall), Wheatear on 4 March (Kent), Sandwich Tern on 6 March (Kent), House Martin on 7 March (Cornwall, Devon) and Little Ringed Plover on 8 March (Slough and Wokingham).

Northern Wheatear from the Surfbirds Galleries by Steve Arlow

Do I stay or do I go?
Each winter a small number of summer visitors decide not to migrate to warmer climes but to spend the winter here. Our summer visitors are insectivorous, so they need a reliable source of insects during the breeding season. Staying in Britain and Ireland over the winter is tough; insects are hard to find and that’s why our migrants head south to southern Europe and Africa where there is a predictable surge of insects. The winter months are important times; many species renew their feathers through the process of moult so they have a fresh set of feathers to fly north again come the spring.

This winter a small number of Swallows have been reported with records widespread from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Pembrokeshire, Norfolk, Cheshire and Argyll. There have also been a few Sandwich Tern (Devon, Hampshire, Kent), Whimbrel (Cornwall, Dorset), Garganey (Somerset, Gloucestershire) and Common Sandpipers wintering here. It is well known that some Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps are recorded during the winter (though mostly originating from other parts of Europe) but this winter Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat have also been seen. (Where should these birds be? See Note 7)

Log your first sightings this spring
The organisers of BirdTrack are asking birdwatchers to submit their records of summer migrants to their website this spring so that the timing of spring arrival can be recorded and compared with previous years. BirdTrack is interested not just in first sightings of classic signs of spring like the Swallow and Wheatear but would like to keep track of all arrivals through the spring so the flow through the country can be mapped.

Dawn Balmer, the BirdTrack organiser who works at BTO said
"Most birdwatchers look forward to the start of March and hope to see their first summer migrants during the first two weeks of the month. With the current weather systems it is unlikely that we will get many migrants for a few weeks, unless there is a big change in the weather"

"Instead, birdwatchers will be enjoying the influx of Waxwings and watching flocks of Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling as they feed up ready for their departure back to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia later in the month. Birdwatchers are encouraged to enter their birdwatching records to BirdTrack and to contribute to local, regional and national bird recording".

1. BirdTrack is an online bird recording scheme BirdTrack organised by BTO on behalf of BTO, RSPB and BirdWatch Ireland.
2. To register for BirdTrack visit the BirdTrack website (www.birdtrack.net and click on the 'Register for BirdTrack' link). Registering is free.
3. Birdwatchers are encouraged to enter their birdwatching lists online to support species and site conservation at local, national and international scales.
4. We need to gather a large number of lists at all times of the year. Complete lists (all species seen and heard) are preferred but incomplete lists and casual records will also help build out understanding of populations.
5. Results produced by BirdTrack will help us to map the migration and movements of birds and monitor of scarce birds in Britain and Ireland. Maps are available from dawn.balmer@bto.org for use in publications.
6. BirdTrack follows on from the successful Migration Watch project that looked at spring migration in 2002-2004. BirdTrack will run all-year and gather information on spring and autumn migration. We know very little about the timing of arrival and departure of winter visitors and this is just one area where BirdTrack will provide useful information.
7. Most of our summer visitors winter in Africa, ranging from the tip of South Africa for Swallow to West Africa for the likes of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat. Information from bird ringing suggests that Willow Warbler winters in the Gulf of Guinea; around the Ivory Coast and Ghana. In contrast, Lesser Whitethroat is the only warbler to winter in East Africa with records from Egypt, Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia.

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:29 AM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2004

Mass invasion of Redwings

For birdwatchers up and down the country it has been one of the most exciting weekend of the year. One birdwatcher in Cheshire said that in 20 years of birding he has never seen anything like it. He is talking about the mass invasion of Redwing over the weekend of 9-10 October. The signs were all there on Friday 8th – some large counts of Redwing in the east, strong easterly wings and news of a build up of thrushes in Scandinavia.

The event in Cheshire involved perhaps as many as 100,000 Redwing recorded in just three hours, flying north-east on Saturday morning. It is likely that the Redwings entered Britain in the north east, crossed south-west overland and reached the Irish Channel and then perhaps re-orientated in a north-east direction. It is interesting that the largest counts submitted to BirdTrack over the weekend came from the western part of Britain with 40,000 in Lancashire, 1000 in South Gloucestershire, 250 in Merseyside, 250 in Berkshire, 200 in Herefordshire on Saturday. On Sunday, counts of 1000 came from Powys, 400 in Shropshire, 200 in Cheshire and 150 in Hampshire. Elsewhere, smaller numbers were recorded. Records suggest that Redwings entered Britain in a fairly narrow band, for example few were recorded on the Norfolk and Suffolk coast over the weekend, yet good numbers were in Yorkshire and further north.

In addition to Redwing, smaller numbers of Fieldfare and Brambling arrived on our shores. Goldcrests were arriving in a weak condition, particularly on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 5000 present at Spurn Point in East Riding of Yorkshire on Monday 11th. The discovery of a White’s Thrush at Easington Cemetery near Spurn on Sunday morning sent twitchers dashing from all over the country to try and see this sough-after species from Siberia. Most were rewarded with flight views, which showed off the distinctive under-wing pattern.

BirdTrack welcomes records of winter visitors such as Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling so that the timing and pattern of arrival can be mapped. BirdTrack is an online recording project that birdwatchers can use to store their records and at the same time contribute to local, regional and national monitoring of migration and the distribution of birds. Using the Internet allows birdwatchers to keep track of migration and movements at the speed they are happening.

To submit your records to BirdTrack, visit the website (www.birdtrack.net) and register as a recorder. Birdwatchers can register the sites they visit, and enter lists of the birds they seen and hear. Lists of all species seen and heard whilst out birdwatching will provide us with the best information, but casual sightings are also of value. For further information contact the BirdTrack Organiser (birdtrack@bto.org).

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:14 PM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2003

BTO Appeals to Birdwatchers

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is appealing to birdwatchers in the UK to do more for birds by taking part in Migration Watch this spring. Migration Watch is a web-based survey to chart the arrival of birds returning from Africa. What Migration Watch hopes to do is to record the arrival of the first migrants, track their flow through the country and see how quickly sites fill-up. Migrant birds face many threats on their long flights from Africa and if, as predicted, climate change leads to more extreme and windy spring weather they could find life even more difficult. Migration Watch will help the BTO to understand the effects of weather patterns upon important species such as Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher on the amber and red lists of conservation concern, respectively.

Thousands of people look forward to the arrival of birds like Swallows and Cuckoos each spring and we encourage them to report their sightings on our website. Taking part in Migration Watch is easy, its just a case of visiting the website (www.bto.org/migwatch), registering as a recorder and then recording your sightings using the specially designed webpages.

The best way to take part in Migration Watch is to choose a walk that you do on a regular basis on the way to work or while walking the dog, for instance and to make a note of the birds you see or hear each time. You could even record the birds you see from your garden for this survey. Migration Watch is not just about the first birds you see, so by regularly recording from a site we can build up a picture of the pattern of arrival and flow through the site. We hope that volunteers will keep watching until all of the summer migrants have arrived.

Migration Watch was piloted in 2002 and, thanks to the support of 2,500 keen birdwatchers, there are already exciting findings to view on the website. The animated maps showing the locations of migrants week-by-week are really good! 2002 was a strange year; many people noticed how late birds such as House Martins were. Sand storms in Morocco and heavy rain over much of Spain and Portugal held up many migrants. We were starting to think that there had been huge mortality when suddenly birds flooded in during late April.

The Migration Watch website opens on 16 February, although only the luckiest of birdwatchers will have anything to report that early. Once open, there will be daily bulletins of new arrivals, based on the information received in the previous 24 hours. To take part in Migration Watch, visit the website at www.bto.org/migwatch or send an e-mail to migrationwatch@bto.org for further details.

Migration Watch has been generously funded by the Swallow Appeal and Northumbrian Water Ltd.

Dawn Balmer

Migration Watch Organiser

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2003

Chris Mead Dies

The BTO announced the following press release today. Chris Mead was well known to birders in Britain and also around the world on the internet as he was a regular contributor to UKBN newsgroup

Chris Mead

1940-2003

It is with great sadness that we must announce the sudden death of Chris Mead, who died quietly in his sleep last night (15/16 January). For many people, the name of Chris Mead has been synonymous with the BTO and he was still providing help and advice up until yesterday evening. His services to the Trust and his knowledge of migration in particular will be sorely missed. An appreciation of his contribution to the world of ornithology will appear in the January/February issue of BTO News and on the web site.

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

January 1, 2003

BTO Garden BirdWatch

The successful launch of an internet version of the all-year BTO Garden BirdWatch has contributed to a massive rise in participants in December - over 600 new volunteers to provide weekly information on the birds moving in and out of our gardens. The information which they are finding out is fascinating!

Visit www.bto.org and click onto Garden BirdWatch. Things to look out for:

- animated maps showing the arrival of Blackcaps in November

- rapid decline in London House Sparrows, but not so marked elsewhere

- movements of greenfinches into gardens as autumn berries diappear

Why not join the scheme - either electronically or by sending a cheque for £12, made payable to BTO, to GBW (Surfbirds), BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

October 1, 2002

BTO Ringing News

On Saturday 7 September 2002 a catch of 26 Oystercatchers was made at Wainfleet, Lincolnshire which included one bird which was ringed at Snettisham, Norfolk on 13 August 1967! This bird sets a new Oystercatcher (and wader)longevity record for Britain and Ireland. A group photo was taken of the Oystercatcher along with all the team members present at the catch who were younger than the bird! See BTO web site or www.wwrg.org.uk

Most Oystercatchers which spend the autumn and winter on the Wash breed in Norway. When first caught this bird was a youngster, probably newly arrived from Scandinavia. Having had ring numbered ED00745 put on it probably spent its first eighteen months feeding on cockles and mussels on the Wash estuary. Since then it will probably have flown to Norway each year to raise a family. The bird was previously caught on 1 August 2000 at Friskney, just a couple of miles from Wainfleet.

The Wash Wader Ringing Group operates with canon nets and mist nets, around the shores of The Wash in both Norfolk and Lincolnshire, with the main aim of providing a better understanding of the waders using the Wash. The Group has been operating since 1959 and has built up a large and valuable database for study. Nearly 250,000 birds have been ringed in this time.

Ringing, as a practical science, can only be learnt working in the "field" with a qualified Trainer, of which there are over 300 in the country.

The BTO runs the Ringing Scheme and issues ringing permits under licence from the Government agencies. After undergoing a period of training, usually of two years or more, a successful Trainee can apply for a permit, allowing him or her to ring without direct supervision.

Part of the BTO Ringing Scheme is funded by a partnership of the BTO and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland). The Scheme also receives support from Duchas the Heritage Service - National Parks and Wildlife (Ireland). Volunteer ringers give freely of their time and expertise and also provide a substantial part of the Scheme's funding.

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)

BTO Garden Bird Survey

A detailed survey of birds using 277 gardens across the UK shows that for seven species: Great Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Pheasant last winter's numbers were higher than ever before.

David Glue, writing in the latest issue of BTO News, highlighted three reasons for the high figures: lack of key wild-fruits in the hedgerows and woodland, an increasing reliance upon gardens and improved seed-mixes and food provision.

Species at all-time low levels in 2001/2002 were House Sparrow, Starling, Reed Bunting and Black-headed Gull, the first three of which are Red-listed on the Birds of Conservation Concern list for 2002-2007.

Unusual visitors to Garden Bird Feeding Survey gardens included Red Kite, the 162nd species to be seen eating at volunteers' feeding stations in the 32 year history of the survey.

The BTO is always looking for volunteers to take part in its garden bird surveys. For an information pack about membership of Garden BirdWatch and to receive a free issue of Bird Table, the Garden BirdWatch magazine, please phone 01842 750050.

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)