Survey help wanted!

Below is an E mail I received today from Steve Atkins of the BTO with regard to pilot survey work for the BTO National Atlas. Several of us discussed this survey at one of our meetings but it would appear from Steve's E mail that perhaps there isn't quite the commitment required we first thought, anyone interested or wanting more info please contact me and I'll pass on Steve's details. perhaps a few of us could co-ordinate something between us?



Dear Nick,


Would you please circulate the following to any members of the Halifax Birdwatcher’s Club who might be interested in helping out with this pilot survey. At present we are looking for volunteers to do timed counts in the following tetrads: Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Soyland Moor, Green Withens Reservoir, Moss Moor and White Hill. If it will be of help I can provide you with a list of the 1km squares that fall within these tetrads, which are all either wholly or partly within the HBC’s recording area. We are also keen to find people willing to take on the roving recorder role anywhere within the 10 km square.

In the winter of 2005/2006 we will be undertaking pilot work for the forthcoming National Bird Atlas. The atlas will cover both breeding and wintering birds and between 1st November and the end of February this winter we will be testing two different methods for counting wintering species. Trials will take place in the 10km square SD91 which is the area East of Rochdale town centre, from Denshaw in the South to Light Hazzles/White Holme Reservoir in the North. This area contains a wide variety of habitats, from urban through to moorland, and will test our ability to survey the more remote parts of our region. Whilst there are some popular birdwatching sites here (Watergrove Reservoir, Hollingworth Lake and the Piethorne Valley) it is equally important to survey less attractive urban areas.

The two survey methods, "Roving Recorders" and "Timed Counts", will be trialled in the same area by two different groups of observers and Steve Atkins has agreed to assist with the co-ordination of this work, which will be more intensive than the actual survey work for the atlas. If you would like to help with these survey trials, you need to choose which one you would rather do - you can't do both! The survey period for both types is 1st Nov - 28th Feb.

"Timed Visits" involve making 2 visits to a chosen tetrad (2km by 2km square) and counting all the birds you see or hear using the area (not ones which just fly over). Each visit will take at least 1 hour 20 minutes and no more than 3 hours (depending on the number of birds there are - so moorland visits will probably be shorter).

The second type is called "Roving Recorder" where you can make as many visits as you like anywhere within the whole 10km by 10km square (SD91) and record all the species that you see or hear using the square. You don't need to count the birds but note down which tetrads they were in. I will provide maps for you as well as instructions and the recording forms.

Would anyone who is interested in taking part please contact either of us indicating which survey method they would prefer to help with. If Timed Visits, please indicate which tetrad (s) you would be willing to survey. If you would like any more information please get back to me or Steve Atkins.

Thanks

Steve Suttill

Steve Atkins

on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology (Manchester Region)