Counting the Birds

I used to be in my teenagers once I undertook my first bird-survey: it was subject work for the British Belief for Ornithology’s The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Eire. Printed in 1976, The Atlas was, I imagine, the very first work of its sort. I subsequently helped with The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Eire (1986), The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Eire: 1988-1991, and most not too long ago Fowl Atlas 2007-11. The breeding and wintering birds of Britain and Eire. Look fastidiously and you can find my title in Appendix 1 of the latter, together with the hundreds of different observers who contributed to this spectacular 700-page work.

Like most birdwatchers, I take pleasure in doing survey work, although it may be irritating. Just a few years in the past I helped with the BTO’s Turtle Dove Survey. I used to be allotted the areas I had to take a look at, however was disillusioned to attract an entire clean, with not even a glimpse of a dove. This was maybe not shocking, because the Turtle Dove is Britain’s quickest declining hen. There have been, nonetheless, compensations, akin to discovering breeding Yellow Wagtails on a close-by farm the place I’d by no means seen them earlier than.

Final month I volunteered for the BTO’s Winter Gull Survey. The website explains greatest what it’s all about: “Gulls flock collectively to roost communally on lakes, reservoirs and estuaries, in teams that may attain the hundreds. The Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) will run over the winters of 2023/24 and 2024/25 to gather up to date data on the numbers and distributions of those wintering gulls within the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. WinGS volunteers go to gull roost websites, counting six key species: Black-headed Gull, Frequent Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Nice Black-backed Gull. These gulls are all of conservation concern, and their breeding populations are both Amber- or Pink-listed within the UK. Gathering extra detailed details about wintering populations, and which roost websites they depend on, will assist us shield them and develop more practical conservation methods.”

Volunteers are allotted websites the place giant numbers of gulls are recognized, or suspected, to roost. My location was an in depth decorative lake, set in engaging parkland, just a few miles from my house. Sadly the landowner determined not enable entry to the positioning, having initially agreed to take action. This meant that I needed to undertake my rely from a public street that passes near the lake. Probably not a hardship, but it surely made the rely much less satisfying.

I arrived, outfitted with my telescope, lengthy earlier than nightfall. There have been loads of birds on the water to maintain me entertained, with near 60 Greylag geese, 50 Canada Geese, 80 Wigeon, 250 Coots, plus a great assortment of Tufted Geese, Gadwall, Shoveler and Mallard. Nonetheless, gull numbers had been poor: simply three Herring Gulls. I waited hopefully for a giant inflow of roosting gulls. A flock of 17 Herring Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull did arrive, paused briefly, after which moved on. As nightfall started to fall, only a single Herring Gull remained. I think that I could effectively have recorded the smallest gull roost within the nation.

One rely I undertake yearly is the Recreation and Wildlife Conservation Belief’s Large Farmland Fowl Rely. In line with the web site “The Large Farmland Fowl Rely is an annual occasion that encourages farmers and land managers to file the hen species and numbers on their farms. The rely goals to lift consciousness of the vital position that farmers play within the conservation of farmland birds, and to measure the affect of the conservation work that many farmers and shoots perform.” It’s not a classy affair. Observers are requested to easily file the birds that they see throughout a 30-minute interval.

I undertake the rely for 3 native estates. One could be very giant (10,000 acres, or 4250 hectares), the opposite two are each round 1,000 acres, or 425ha). With the previous there’s such a wide range of habitat that it’s troublesome to know the place to pay attention my efforts. I normally base my rely round one of many farm’s reservoirs, because it ensures a wide range of wildfowl. 

The 2 smaller estates are each managed in a wildlife-friendly means by farmers who’re additionally eager conservationists, so there’s normally loads of birds to birds to see. Alas, there wasn’t this yr, however this wasn’t because of a sudden collapse in hen numbers, however the climate. On the day of my counts the temperature was an distinctive 17degC – the typical February daytime temperature on this a part of the nation is 8degC. Three years in the past once I undertook my counts the temperature was near freezing, and had been for some days. This led to distinctive numbers of finches and buntings being drawn to the wild-bird cowl, with flocks of over 200 Linnets, Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, plus good numbers of Gold- and Greenfinches and even Tree Sparrows. This yr I didn’t see a single Yellowhammer, and the Reed Bunting complete was simply two. There was some compensation: quite a few Skylarks had been singing as if spring had out of the blue arrived, which maybe they thought it had.

Latest heavy rain had soaked the countryside and flooded many fields, so there was an awesome alternative of wetlands for wildfowl and waders to maneuver to. The reservoir which is normally so productive did produce a small number of geese (Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall and Tufted Geese), however the regular wintering flock of Wigeon was absent. Within the close by river valley I did discover a cheap flock of Lapwings, together with a small flock of Greylag and Egyptian Geese, however not so much else. I didn’t, for instance, see a single Fieldfare anyplace.

The GWCT Large Farmland Fowl Rely is extra about encouraging farmers to look at their birds than to give you severe scientific information. When this yr’s rely is analysed, it’s virtually sure to indicate far fewer birds in each quantity and selection than in earlier years. Typically, nonetheless, the counting is extra vital than the rely itself.