Thirty one million birds counted so far.

Last November saw the start of the biggest survey ever to take place in the UK. A new “Winter” atlas and a new “Breeding” atlas will result after 4 years fieldwork during 2007-2011.

The present Atlasses are 20 years old and fast becoming out of date. They are one of the main tools which conservationists use in their work to protect our environment. The need to update them is paramount. Thus the “British Trust for Ornithology” (BTO) alongside “BirdWatch Ireland” (BWI) and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) have begun this mammoth task. It is only going to succeed with the help from birders across the country. Now is your opportunity to take part in this exciting and essential project.

Anyone and everyone can send in Roving Records. Records of species you see around your garden and community. Contact John by e-mail for all the details and forms etc. mailto:jwoodland@btodv.fsnet.co.uk

During April-July, one of the primary aims of Atlas fieldwork, particularly Roving Records, will be to gather evidence of breeding for species in each 10-km square. There are three levels of breeding evidence: Possible, Probable and Confirmed. Each level has a number of categories that are indicators of breeding evidence; many are easy to record during day-to-day birdwatching and observation. All the forms and instructions have these breeding codes set out and we also have a handy pocket card with the codes on, let me know if you would like one. A few codes warrant further explanation:

• T (Permanent Territory) should be used for territorial behaviour, such as song, observed on at least two days, a week or more apart, at the same site.
• D (Courtship and Display) is to be used for those species that display during the breeding season; for example, Great Crested Grebes, seabirds, some species of wader, Woodpigeons. Song-flighting of a Skylark should be recorded as S (singing male present).

Wildfowl, for example, Goldeneye in southern Britain, pair up on the wintering grounds and display to each other; this should not be recorded as D because the birds are not in suitable nesting habitat.

Special care should be taken with the code DD (Distraction Display/feigning injury), this is mostly likely to be seen from waders pretending to have a broken wing to distract your attention from their eggs or chicks e.g. Ringed Plover.

The code FL (Fledged Young) refers to young (nidicolous species e.g. Blackbird, Robin) or downy young (nidifugous species e.g. Lapwing, Mallard). Records of independent juveniles should not be used because young birds often move a long way from their natal area, so sightings of juveniles that are not dependent on their parents do not necessarily prove breeding in that tetrad.

There are three non-breeding codes which have been introduced for this Atlas project:

• F (Flying over) is to be used on Roving Records forms during winter and the breeding season to indicate birds simply flying over a tetrad or 10-km square and not using the habitat. A hovering Kestrel or a party of Swifts screaming around buildings should not be given the F code, as they are not just passing through.
• M is for a species seen in the breeding season but suspected to still be on migration. A good example would be a Ring Ouzel on the coast in April; it is not in suitable breeding habitat and is clearly a migrant.
• U is for a species that is suspected to be a summering non-breeder; waterfowl are most likely to fall into this category. An example might be a Wigeon summering on a lake in Suffolk.

So Roving Records are easy and so valuable, let me send you some forms . Or you can register on-line and submit all your data direct to the Atlas web site http://www.birdatlas.net/ open the pages for Devon and you will see just how much has already been covered. There is lots more to do even though well over 200 Devon birders are already involved.

How about doing one or two TTVs ( Timed Tetrad Visits ). Count for an hour or preferably 2 hours whilst walking in a tetrad ( 2X2kmsq). Following footpaths, lanes, bridle paths etc , its often surprising what you find in a new and previously unvisited area. TTVs require a visit in April/May and a further one in June/July, counting every bird you see or hear species by species. Your records can also be entered on-line, simple easy and quick. Even I can do it!

Let us know if you would like to try it. I can tell you which tetrads are still without a volunteer or you can find this on the website where you can also send me an automatic e-mail requesting the tetrads you would like to cover.

We are in the very fortunate position for Bird Atlas 2007-11 in being able to utilise records from other BTO-led projects, which will help with the distribution maps. We can easily bring in records from BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch, BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, BTO/RSPB/BWI BirdTrack and all these will be treated as ‘top-up’ Roving Records. In addition, we can add in records from the Ringing Scheme and the Nest Record Scheme; these two schemes have the added bonus of providing information on breeding success. It’s also possible to enter breeding evidence on BirdTrack, so any extra information added here can be fed through to the Atlas. It’s important for BirdTrack that you take a few minutes to define your sites, so that we can be sure that your records relate to a specific 1-km square, tetrad or 10-km square. We hope to be able to use records from BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey for the national 10-km Atlas. RSPB will provide us with relevant datasets for inclusion in the Atlas, to ensure it is as comprehensive as possible.

Do you know about Bird Track? Go to http://www.birdtrack.net/. This is a joint BTP/RSPB/BWI project and anyone can join in. It is just one way to “MAKE YOUR BIRDING COUNT”.

The submission of records online allows us very quickly to build a picture of the distributions of birds.

Go to Early findings to see a few of the early results for Little Egret, Nuthatch and Buzzard.

It really is an exciting project, with some fascinating facts already showing up on the provisional maps. The Devon team is already well ahead with over 450 tetrads covered during the past winter.

Your involvement would be very welcome, just contact:- John Woodland - BTO RR, e-mail jwoodland@btodv.fsnet.co.uk

You can download three PDF files here:>

• The BTO Timed Tetrad Visits - Instructions document. You will need to contact John Woodland to arrange where your tetrads will be. Many Devon Tetrads have already been taken but there will always be some available. Download the instructions to see what is involved.
• The BTO Roving Records Form - This form can be downloaded here or at http://www.birdatlas.net/ and once filled in can be sent back to The BTO at the address at the bottom of page 1 of the form. These records can also be submitted directly to the BTO on-line on www.birdatlas.net
• The BTO Introduction & How to Help document - This PDF provides a general overview of how to help and what to do.

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