Posting rules for sightings and photographs
General guidelines for responsible birding, including photography are included in the Birdwatchers’ Code, which is available athttps://www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/birdwatchers-code
The extensive Royal Photographic Society’s Nature Photographers’ code of practice can be found at https://rps.org/media/1xcnsuga/the-nature-photographers-code-of-practice.pdf
Unfortunately, persecution of rare breeding and wintering birds as well as increased disturbance, often unintentional, still poses a risk to conservation of several species.
In addition to the Birdwatchers’ Code, we ask you to help keep our bird populations safe by following the posting guidelines below. If in doubt, do not post, but please do let Devon Birds know birdrecordsubmission@devonbirds.org Many thanks.
- No sharing locations of sensitive and rare breeding or wintering birds.
- No sharing photographs of breeding Schedule 1 or Devon vulnerable species. See Table below. Breeding season considered to be Mar- Aug.
- No sharing photographs taken at nests of any species.
| Species | Site locations/photographs not to posted | Months (inclusive) |
| Schedule 1 | ||
| Avocet | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Barn Owl | All sites | All year |
| Bearded Tit | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Bee-eater | All sites – except migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Bittern | All sites | Apr – Jul |
| Black Redstart | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Cetti’s Warbler | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Chough | All sites | Feb – Aug |
| Cirl Bunting | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Crossbill | All sites | Dec – Apr |
| Dartford Warbler | All sites | All year |
| Firecrest | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Garganey | All sites – except Exminster Marshes & migrants | Apr – Jul |
| Goshawk | All sites | All year |
| Hen Harrier | All sites – except migrants | All year |
| Hobby | All sites – except migrants | May – Sep |
| Honey-buzzard | All sites – except migrants | May – Sep |
| Kingfisher | All sites | Mar – Aug |
| Little Ringed Plover | All sites – except migrants | Mar – Aug |
| Marsh Harrier | All sites – except migrants | Mar – Aug |
| Merlin | All sites – except migrants | All year |
| Peregrine | All sites | All year |
| Quail | All sites – except migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Red Kite | All sites – except migrants | All year |
| Red-backed Shrike | All sites – except coastal migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Savi’s Warbler | All sites – except migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Serin | All sites – except migrants | Mar – Aug |
| Spoonbill | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Stone-curlew | All sites – except migrants | Mar – Aug |
| Woodlark | All sites – except coastal migrants | All year |
| Wryneck | All sites – except migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Devon Birds of Concern | ||
| Cattle Egret | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Common Sandpiper | Breeding sites | Apr – Aug |
| Curlew | Breeding sites | Apr – Aug |
| Dunlin | Breeding sites | Apr – Aug |
| Great White Egret | All sites | Apr – Aug |
| Hawfinch | All sites – except migrants | All year |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | All sites | All year |
| Little Owl | All sites | All year |
| Long-eared Owl | All sites – except coastal migrants | All year |
| Red Grouse | All sites | All year |
| Redshank | All sites | Apr – Jul |
| Ring Ouzel | Dartmoor | Mar – Aug |
| Ruddy Duck | All sites | All year |
| Short-eared Owl | All sites – except coastal migrants | All year |
| Turtle Dove | All sites – except migrants | Apr – Aug |
| Willow Tit | All sites – except Tamar Lakes | All year |
| Wood Warbler | All sites – except coastal migrants | Apr – Aug |
If anybody is unsure of the species covered by schedule 1, please use the link below and visit the BTO website for clarification.
https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdatlas/methods/protected-species-britain
Any posts that do not abide by the guidelines will not be uploaded and if they do get through, they will be removed as soon as spotted by a moderator.
