Local bird info

Since the creation of the Halifax Birdwatchers Club in 1990 local birders have produced mountain of information on local birds, their numbers and distribution, thanks to the efforts of Nick Dawtrey (amongst a few others) this information has been summarised annually in a published report with the more recent information collated on a database. Whilst this mass of data provides vital information on populations etc it hasn't until recently been used for direct conservation work. The Calderdale Bird Conservation Group is often contacted with requests for information on certain areas or sites that are (or may be) under threat from development or change, however the CBCG do not own the local records, these are the property of the Birdwatchers Club and as such it is the Club that should be deciding if this info is made available. With this in mind there is a plan to hold a meeting with representatives of West Yorkshire Ecology who are the local ecological records centre for West Yorkshire, see (http://www.ecology.wyjs.org.uk/wyjs-ecology.asp). WYE would very much like to include the Club's records in their database. At the meeting they will give full details of why they want information, what conservation value this will have and how it will be used etc. Obviously a decision as to whether this data is passed on must be made by those that provided it so I would invite anyone with an interest to attend. The meeting is planned for Tuesday 20th July at the offices of Calderdale Countryside Services (above the Library) in Mytholmroyd with a 7-15pm start.

Nick Carter