What a fantastic response from Devon birders

Revised text of a John Woodland report from August 2008

The last published Atlas is 20 years old and increasingly out of date. Atlasses are one of the main tools used by conservationists to identify and underpin the actions that need to be taken to protect the natural environment. The need to update the 1988-91 Atlas is therefore paramount. Thus, in 2007, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), together with BirdWatch Ireland (BWI) and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) embarked upon this mammoth task, one that will take four years to complete.

During the first winter period (November 2007 to February 2008), a total of 487,481 Roving Records, covering some 362 species, were submitted to the BTO nationally. Breeding season records (for the period April to July 2008) amounted to 390,939, covering 376 species. In total, an amazing 44.1 million birds were counted. And that was during just the first year!

17 June 2008 – Update

The Devon County BTO Atlas goes from strength to strength. Winter 2007/08 saw 491 tetrads surveyed, while breeding season coverage (with six weeks still to go) stood at 383 tetrads.

To view some of the early maps – and see the latest results for Devon – visit the  Atlas web site.. You will also see where we need more help in Devon. There’s also an on-line email that you can send for information on how to take part, or you can email the National Atlas Coordinator, Dawn Balmer, at the BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU; tel. 01842 750050; email dawn.balmer@bto.org