Fieldwork Projects

Pete Reay, February 2006

The National Surveys listing is being brought up to date and will be posted very soon. In the meantime this is the list as published by the Fieldwork Planning Group in 2006.  

Links: BTO & RSPB

Barn Owl Monitoring Programme (BTO National Survey)

  • 2002 onwards (breeding season).
  • Only involves Keith Grant and The Barn Owl Trust in Devon?
  • See BTO News and Barn Owl species account in DBR, for further information.

Big Garden Birdwatch (RSPB National Survey)

  • 1979 onwards (one weekend each year).
  • Open to all (unknown number in Devon, but about 0.5 million nationally).
  • See RSPB Birds magazine for further information.

Bird Track (BTO National Survey, on line)

  • 2004 onwards (all year).
  • Open to all.
  • See updates in BTO News for further information.

Breeding Bird Survey (BTO/JNCC/RSPB National Survey)

  • 1994 onwards (breeding season).
  • 84 1-km squares covered in Devon in 2005; aim is for 100 in 2006 (contact Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon).
  • See updates in BTO News and DBR (species accounts and an annual BBS report) for further information. Breeding Bird Survey report is also produced each year as a BTO Research Report.

Dartford Warbler Survey (BTO/EN/RSPB/FC/JNCC National Survey)

  • 2006, following previous survey in 1994 (breeding season).
  • Open to all (contact Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon).
  • See BTO News for further information.

Garden Bird Feeding Survey (BTO National Survey)

  • 1970 onwards (winter)
  • 18 Devon gardens surveyed; survey full at present.
  • See updates in BTO News for further information.

Garden BirdWatch (BTO/CJ Wildbird Foods National Survey)

  • 1995 onwards (all year).
  • Open to all (contact Mike Toms at BTO, or Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon).
  • See updates in BTO News for further information. The Bird Table is also published each year and sent to participants.

Golden Plover and Lapwing Survey (BTO National Survey)

  • 2005/06 for pilot survey (winter).
  • Open to all (contact Simon Gillings, BTO).
  • See BTO News for further information.

Hen Harrier Roost Survey (HOT & BTO National Survey)

  • 1980s onwards (winter).
  • Roost sites on Dartmoor (DSGp – Mark Darlaston / Roger Smaldon ) and Bursdon Moor (Harvey Kendall) covered.
  • See DBRs (Hen Harrier species account) for Devon results.

Heronries Census (BTO National Survey)

  • 1928 onwards (breeding season).
  • All of Devon’s 30+ heronries presently covered (coordinated by David Rogers).
  • See DBRs (Grey Heron species account) for Devon results.

Nest Record Scheme (BTO National Survey)

  • 1939 onwards (breeding season!).
  • Open to all; unknown number of Devon participants (contact Carl Barimore at BTO, or Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon) See updates in BTO News (pp 18-19 in No. 261 (2005) is the latest) for further information.

Ringing Scheme

  • 1909 onwards (all year).
  • Ringing only by trained ringers (about 30 in Devon, coordinated by Roger Swinfen, Ringing Officer) but finding and reporting ringed birds is open to all.
  • See BTO News for latest national update, and Ringing Report in DBRs for Devon results.

Scarce Woodland Bird Survey. BTO/JNCC national survey.

Swallow Roost Ringing Project (BTO National Survey linked to EURING)

  • 2002 onwards (autumn).
  • Only involves ringers at Slapton Ley in Devon.
  • See BTO News for further information.

Tawny Owl Survey (BTO National Survey)

  • 2005, following previous survey in 1989 (autumn).
  • 85 tetrads surveyed in Devon.
  • See BTO News for further information.

Volunteer & Farmer Alliance (RSPB National Survey)

  • 2000 onwards (breeding season).
  • 34 farms surveyed in Devon in 2005; 28 planned for 2006.
  • See Field of View (The RSPB newsletter for agricultural projects) for further information.

Waterways Bird Survey (WBS) and Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (WBBS) (BTO National Surveys).

  • 1974 (WBS) and 2000 (WBBS) onwards (breeding season).
  • 12 Devon sites currently surveyed (contact Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon).
  • See updates in BTO News the latest) and DBR (annual WBS/WBBS report) for further information.

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) (BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC National Survey)

  • 1993 onwards, but preceded by equivalent surveys dating back to 1947 (all year).
  • Open to all; 75 counters cover 40 Devon sites (more counters needed in some areas: contact Peter Reay)
  • See updates in BTO News and DBR (species accounts and annual WeBS report) for further information. WeBS News and Wildfowl and Wader Counts are also produced annually by organisers, and distributed to counters.

Winter Atlas Project (BTO National Survey, part of the New Atlas of Breeding & Wintering Birds in the British Isles 2007-2011 project)

  • Pilot 2005/06: full survey 2006/07 – 2010/11 (winter).
  • For details contact Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon.
  • See regular updates in The Harrier, BTO Devon News or BTO News and the News section of this web site for further information.

Winter Gull Roost Survey (BTO National Survey)

Wintering Warbler Survey (BTO National Survey in co-operation with DBWPS)

Woodlark Survey (BTO/RSPB/EN/JNCC/FC National Survey)

  • 2006, following previous surveys in 1986 and 1987 (breeding season).
  • Open to all (contact Dr John Twyford - BTO RR Devon).
  • See BTO News further information.