BTO - British Trust for Ornithology - Upland

The State of the UK's Birds 2020

WSKELLORN — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 13:35:42 +0000

The Cuckoo cohort of 2024 takes flight!

Burns, F., Eaton, M.A., Balmer, D.E., Banks, A., Caldow, R., Donelan, J.L., Douse, A., Duigan, C., Foster, S., Frost, T., Grice, P.V., Hall, C., Hanmer, H.J., Harris, S.J., Johnstone, I., Lindley, P., McCulloch, N., Noble, D.G., Risely, K., Robinson, R.A. & Wotton, S. Our volunteers: the beating heart of BTO data

SUKB collates data from annual, periodic and one-off surveys and monitoring studies of birds, such as the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP), the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) and Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme (GSMP). In addition, the 2020 report also includes results from the Nest Record Scheme, Constant Effort Sites (CES) Scheme and Re-trapping Adults for Survival (RAS) Scheme, the latter two schemes collecting demographic information through the efforts of bird ringers.

The report takes information from these and other schemes, research and surveys and delivers information at a country-specific scale, as well as providing an overview for the UK as a whole.

Volunteers play an essential role in bird monitoring in the UK, by donating their time, energy and expertise. The data they collect are vital for conservation, tracking changes in populations and supporting policy development. This year, many monitoring schemes have been adversely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic and we want to say a special thank you to all of our volunteers for their continued support through this difficult time. Their skill, effort and dedication deserve huge recognition. Sarah Harris, BBS National Organiser

Woodland species

This year’s report highlights the continuing poor fortunes of the UK’s woodland birds. The UK Wild Bird Populations Indicator for woodland species show a long-term decline of 27% since the early 1970s, with declines of 7% evident over just the last five years. More worryingly, when looking at individual trends within the report, some specialist woodland birds have declined dramatically, including Willow Tit with a 94% decline since 1970 as illustrated by the joint Common Birds Census / Breeding Bird Survey UK-wide trend.

After worrying declines in breeding Tawny owl populations were flagged-up by the Breeding Bird Survey, BTO launched targeted survey work on this species during 2018 and 2019. SUKB reports on some of the results from this research, which revealed a decline in site occupancy from 65% in 2005 to 53% in 2018/19. The BTO work has also sought to understand some of the reasons for this change in fortunes.

Results at different scales

Data from many of the surveys covered in SUKB also feed into European-wide schemes and the SUKB report goes from celebrating the publication of the latest European Breeding Bird Atlas, through to finer-scale country-specific results and research. Not bad for an 80 page report!

Country-specific headlines include increases in House Sparrow populations in Wales, where work is also taking place to address the pronounced decline in Curlew numbers. In Scotland, the fragile status of Corncrake is highlighted, alongside increases in farmland species such as Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer. The Northern Ireland pages look into changing fortunes of seabirds and explore how proposed marine Special Protection Areas may be used to tackling the observed decline. The Northern Ireland pages also examine declines in wintering geese, such as Light-bellied Brent Goose. Finally, over to England and promising results for Stone Curlew conservation work, as well as reporting back on the English Winter Bird Survey for which 1,485 sites were surveyed by volunteers to help us understand the value of agri-environment options.

As in previous reports, we hear about species from 14 UK Overseas Territories and three Crown Dependencies – including Black-browed Albatross, St Helena Plover and South Georgia Pipit, about the Gough Island Restoration Programme, and discover that 69 species in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are now Globally Threatened.

Closer to home, 25 years of BTO Garden BirdWatch is also celebrated, with Goldfinch now the 8th most commonly recorded garden bird, up from 20th back in 1995.

Volunteers

There is a common theme in this report: volunteers. The sheer enormity of their contributions to bird monitoring as a whole is evident throughout this report. Most of the surveys and schemes covered here are only possible thanks to the dedication and skills of the thousands of volunteers who give up their time to help monitor birds and in turn, inform conservation action. Thank you.

Who produces this report?

SUKB 2020 is produced by a coalition of three NGOs: the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), together with the UK’s statutory nature conservation bodies: Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland (DAERA), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Natural England (NE), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and NatureScot.

Breeding Bird Survey

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 11:46:31 +0000

The Breeding Bird Survey is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds. The survey involves two early-morning spring visits to a 1-km square, to count all the birds you see or hear while walking two parallel 1-km lines across the square.

Breeding Bird SurveyButterfly Monitoring Friday, April 1, 1994 - 00:00

BBS monitors the population changes of 118 breeding bird species across the UK thanks to the dedication of almost 3,000 volunteers who survey their randomly selected 1-km square each spring.

The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds, producing population trends for 118 bird and nine mammal species.

The survey involves a recce visit and two early-morning spring visits to an allocated 1-km square, to count all the birds you see or hear while walking two 1-km lines across the square and record any nest counts for colonial nesting birds in the square.

You can optionally record mammals and visit your square later in the season to survey for butterflies. There is the option to return data on paper, via field recording forms or to submit your data on BBS-Online.

Support the future of our birds

Our surveys are vital. The data they produce help us drive positive change for the UK’s birds.

But increased pressure on funding is putting our surveys and data at risk – which is why we need your support.

Donate today

bbs-report-2022-cover.jpg

Read the latest BBS report

The Breeding Bird Survey started in 1994, and a report is produced every year containing population changes and other results from the scheme.

The 2022 Breeding Bird Survey Report reveals a mixed picture, especially for birds which breed in farmland habitats.

Read the 2022 Breeding Bird Survey report

How to take part

Find out how to request a square and what the survey entails.

Results

Explore the results from the data BBS volunteers provide.

Mammal recording

Find out how to record mammals during your BBS visits.

Count butterflies on your BBS square

Take part in the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey by making additional visits to your BBS square.

How to enter BBS data online

Instructions and video tutorials on submitting your BBS data.

Download BBS forms

Download and print BBS recording forms instructions and recording forms.

Support the future of our birds

Our surveys are vital. The data they produce help us drive positive change for the UK’s birds.

But increased pressure on funding is putting our surveys and data at risk – which is why we need your support.

Donate today

Take part in BBS - counting for conservation

David White

James Heywood

February – March Forms sent or downloaded
March Reconnaissance visit
Early April – mid May Early visit
Mid May – late June Late visit
May – August Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey
End of August Data entry deadline

Undertake three site visits between April and June - a recce and two morning visits, along with data entry. Able to identify UK breeding birds by sight, song and call. If you have the necessary bird ID skills to take part in the Breeding Bird Survey but want to learn more about survey methods, there are a number of BTO training courses covering this subject.

ongoing Farmland birdsUpland birdsWoodland birdsOther species volunteers

BTO Urban AppealWider Countryside Butterfly SurveyAssessing agri-environment schemes No bbs@bto.org

Development of an Upland Bird Indicator for the UK and for England

MIKETOMS — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:59:41 +0000

The Cuckoo cohort of 2024 takes flight!

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Noble, D.G. & Barnes, A.E. 978-1-912642-52-6 Wild Bird indicatorsComposite bird indicators robust to variation in species selection and habitat specificity

Trade-offs between the natural environment and recreational infrastructure: a case study about peatlands under different management scenarios

MIKETOMS — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:36:33 +0000

The Cuckoo cohort of 2024 takes flight!

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Martino, S., Kenter, J.O., Albers, N., Whittingham, M.J., Young, D.M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Martin-Ortega, J., Glenk, K. & Reed, M.S. Land Use Policy https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106401

The importance of peatlands for conservation and provision of public services has been well evidenced in the last years, especially in relation to their contribution to the net zero carbon emission agenda. However, little is known about the importance of recreation relative to conservation and their trade-offs. In this paper we address this knowledge gap by exploring the trade-offs between natural properties of peatlands and recreational infrastructures for different categories of recreationists (walkers, cyclists, anglers, and birdwatchers) of an open heather moors and peatlands landscape. We do so by building on a series of management scenarios formulated through participatory methods and applying choice experiment related to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and UNESCO Global Geopark in the UK. Results show a high degree of heterogeneity in landscape preferences across different user groups. Recreationists had a higher appreciation for semi-natural habitats compared to pristine or restored peatland (e.g., land rewetting). Walkers and cyclists were more sensitive to changes in the availability of recreational facilities than to environmental quality, while anglers’ and birdwatchers’ preferences were more aligned with values promoted by restoration policies. Overall, our results point to a potential value conflict between benefits generated by conservation and the benefits valued most by some groups of recreationists. To maximise success conflicts like the one revealed here need to be considered in strategies that provide a central role for peatlands in net zero climate mitigation strategies.

Peatlands were once considered as a source of materials: peat for the fire and hunted prey for the pot, but they have also been used as a site for forestry and agriculture. Most recently, they are being considered for the provision of ecosystem services, delivering public goods such as climate change mitigation, water quality, biodiversity benefits and recreational opportunities.

Peatland restoration delivers some of these services but may limit opportunities for the delivery of others. Understanding how people value these different services is central to the future management of peatlands, but there is little available information on this. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by exploring the trade-offs between the natural properties of peatlands (good for biodiversity and climate change mitigation) and recreational infrastructures (good for leisure activities and some cultural services).

By using a workshop and a choice experiment, the research team was able to explore the views of different recreational users – walkers, cyclists, anglers, birdwatchers – of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The recreational users were found to have a greater appreciation for semi-natural habitats compared to pristine or restored peatland. Walkers and cyclists were more sensitive to changes in the availability of recreational facilities than to environmental quality, while the preferences of anglers and birdwatchers were more aligned with those values promoted by restoration policies. These results highlight a potential conflict between the benefits created by conservation action (e.g. rewetting) and those valued by some groups of recreational users (e.g. walkers and cyclists).

This work highlights the challenges faced when trying to balance different needs or varying perceptions of value. It also underlines the importance of collecting information from different stakeholders at an early stage, providing the evidence that is required to make informed land management decisions.

Drivers of change in mountain and upland bird populations in Europe

MIKETOMS — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:28:22 +0000

The Cuckoo cohort of 2024 takes flight!

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Alba, R., Kasoar, T., Chamberlain, D., Buchanhan, Thompson, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. Ibis /10.1111/ibi.13043 Mountain ecosystems have special significance for biodiversity and are vulnerable to climate and other environmental changes. However, few assessments of drivers of change have been conducted in these areas in comparison to other more accessible biomes. In this study, we developed an objective and broad definition of a mountain bird, and systematically reviewed the existing literature for the 34 European mountain and upland species identified in order to quantify which drivers of environmental change have been most consistently associated with positive or negative demographic responses. Raptors and gamebirds were the most-studied species, whereas mountain specialists and arctic–alpine species were little studied. Using a standardized threat classification, the analyses reported significant negative impacts of hunting, collision with energy-generation infrastructures, predation by competitive species, human disturbance and poisoning. There were significant positive effects for management of non-target species, but less support for effects of drivers operating over longer timescales, such as climate and land-use changes. Analysis of trends in drivers found evidence of increasing temperatures and vegetation encroachment, whereas agricultural impacts decreased, which was largely related to abandonment of grazing. A lack of fine-grained studies investigating ecological mechanisms and population responses to widespread impacts were highlighted. We have found that some drivers are well studied, but we need to collect more detailed and longer-term data on species requirements and on the impacts that bird populations face to devise priorities for conservation action and research for mountain and upland birds.

This study systematically reviews the existing scientific literature for 34 European mountain and upland species to quantify which drivers of environmental change have been most consistently associated with positive or negative demographic responses. The results of the review revealed that raptors (such as Griffon Vulture and Golden Eagle) and gamebirds (such as Rock Partridge and Red Grouse) were the most-studied species, whereas mountain specialists and arctic–alpine species were little studied.

Using a standardized threat classification, the analyses reveal significant negative impacts of hunting, collision with energy-generation infrastructures, predation by competitive species, human disturbance and poisoning. There were significant positive effects for management of non-target species, but less support for effects of drivers operating over longer timescales, such as climate and land-use changes.

Analysis of trends in drivers found evidence of increasing temperatures and vegetation encroachment, whereas agricultural impacts decreased, which was largely related to abandonment of grazing. A lack of fine-grained studies investigating ecological mechanisms and population responses to widespread impacts were highlighted. Some drivers have been well studied but it is clear that more detailed and longer-term studies are needed, especially on the requirements of individual species and the impacts their populations face, if we are to identify the priorities for conservation action for mountain and upland birds.

This is the first review to objectively quantify the impacts of environmental change on mountain birds at the European scale and, as such, it provides an opportunity to direct and prioritise future work on these species and their habitats.

A burning question: how does timing of breeding of upland birds affect risk posed by moorland burning?

PAULSTANCLIFFE — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 09:43:43 +0000

2022-05 17 Feb 2022

There is considerable public interest in how our uplands are managed, one area of concern being about the potential for rotational burning of vegetation to impact on nesting birds. Rotational burning is a common form of land management in the UK uplands and is restricted to the colder half of the year, with the time period during which burning may be carried out varying between countries. In England and Scotland, burning can take place from the 1st October to 15th April, but in the latter, permission can be granted to extend the burning season to 30th April. In Wales, this period runs from 1st October to 31st March. What implications do these timings have for the birds that breed in these areas?

This question was addressed in a study funded by Natural England and DEFRA, and carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). Their report confirms the findings of many other studies that laying dates of most species have advanced (got earlier) in recent decades. Despite this, there is relatively little overlap between the current burning seasons (the period during which burning is permitted) and the nesting attempts of most upland birds.

That said, the overlap of the burning season with the nesting attempts of some early-breeding species, including Peregrine, Lapwing, Golden Plover and Stonechat, is higher. Many birds of these species start breeding before the end of the main burning season in England and Scotland. The proportion of breeding attempts overlapping with the burning season varies from 41% for Stonechat to 82% for Peregrine. In some parts of Scotland where burning is permitted until the end of April, this overlap is likely to be higher.

However, overall risk for populations of these species turns out to be very low. Most upland Peregrines nest on crags that are unlikely to be subject to moorland burning. Lapwings and Golden Plover are also unlikely to be directly impacted by burning. Burning management typically targets older stands of heather, knocking back tall, woody stems and promoting fresh growth for Red Grouse to eat. Because Lapwings and Golden Plovers prefer to nest in short vegetation, the areas they nest in are unlikely to be selected for burning.

Stonechats often nest in scrubby vegetation, including older stands of heather that may be selected for burning. However, because Stonechats are widespread, breeding in many areas outside of managed moorlands, the proportion of Stonechat nests likely to be destroyed by moorland burning each year in the UK is well under 1%. In some stable and increasing populations of Stonechat, more than half of all nesting attempts end in failure, so such a small proportion failing due to moorland burning is not unlikely to impact much on overall numbers of Stonechats in the UK.

By contrast, moorland areas managed by rotational burning are disproportionally important for Merlin and Ring Ouzel. Because they start nesting later than Stonechats, burning within the standard upland burning season in England and Scotland (finishing in mid-April) is unlikely to pose a serious population-level risk to these species. However, extending the burning season to the end of April, as can be done in Scotland, increases this risk considerably for both species. If burning is carried on until the end of April across all moorland in England and Scotland, the population-level risk of burning activity to Merlin and Ring Ouzel would rise to 6–7% in England, and 4–5% in Scotland. Such losses could be significant, particularly at a local or regional level, especially for species like these whose populations are already declining.

Threats posed by moorland burning to breeding birds probably vary between different parts of Britain. Mark Wilson, Senior Research Ecologist at BTO Scotland said, “Within the past 10 years, the end of the upland burning season in Wales has been brought forward by 15 days to 31st March. This is likely to have virtually eliminated the direct risks of nest destruction posed by heather burning to Welsh upland bird populations. The area where moorland burning within regulated dates could now pose the greatest threat to breeding birds, particularly to Merlin and Ring Ouzel, is probably southern Scotland. Here, the timing of breeding of many birds is similar to that a little further south, in northern England. However, burning in some areas may be permitted up to the end of April, two weeks after the upland burning season has closed in England, and a month longer than burning in Wales is permitted.”

The data used in this study were drawn largely from the Nest Record Scheme (NRS), an initiative run by BTO and supported by hundreds of volunteers, who contribute information on thousands of bird nesting attempts to the scheme each year. Alistair Crowle, Senior Environmental Specialist with Natural England said, “This report demonstrates the value of long-term data sets like the BTO’s Nest Record Scheme that allow us to investigate the phenology of species, in this case, upland birds in a warming climate. This enables us to evaluate the effect of anthropogenic activity upon nesting birds and if necessary, modify or respond to that activity.”

When reviewing burning regulations, decision-makers will need to consider a range of factors, including regional variation in both the nesting phenology of birds and the number of days suitable for burning. Kathy Fletcher, Senior Research Assistant at GWCT said: “The report identifies that many moorland species were more abundant in areas with burned moorland than in those with unburned moorland. This underlines the significance of controlled heather burning as an important tool to provide the mosaic of habitats favoured by many upland bird species, as well as to reduce the risk of devastating wildfires. It is reassuring then, that this study finds that the majority of heather burning happens before most nesting attempts occur. Nonetheless, best practice burning guidelines recommend that areas are surveyed prior to burning or cutting to locate nesting sites of protected species and for some protected species in Scotland that are sensitive to disturbance, burning and cutting are not carried out after the 1st January within 1km of their nest sites."

The report will help decision-makers to evaluate the impacts of current regulations, and to assess whether changes are needed. The full text of this report, BTO Research Report 741, can be accessed here.

Contact Details
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Notes for editors

BTO is the UK's leading bird research charity. A growing membership and up to 60,000 volunteer birdwatchers contribute to BTO's surveys, collecting information that underpins conservation action in the UK. BTO maintains a staff of 100 at its offices in Thetford, Stirling, Bangor (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland), who analyse and publicise the results of surveys and projects. BTO's work is funded by BTO supporters, government, trusts, industry and conservation organisations. www.bto.org

Nesting dates of Moorland Birds in the English, Welsh and Scottish Uplands

MIKETOMS — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:40:35 +0000

The Cuckoo cohort of 2024 takes flight!

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Wilson, M.W., Fletcher, K., Ludwig, S.C. & Leech, D.I. 978-1-912642-32-8

1. Rotational burning of vegetation is a common form of land management in UK upland habitats, and is restricted to the colder half of the year, with the time period during which burning may be carried out in upland areas varying between countries. In England and Scotland, this period runs from the 1st October to 15th April, but in the latter jurisdiction, permission can be granted to extend the burning season to 30th April. In Wales, this period runs from 1st October to 31st March.

2. This report sets out timing of breeding information for upland birds in England, Scotland and Wales, to assess whether rotational burning poses a threat to populations of these species, and if any such threat varies in space and time.

Datasets and modelling

3. First-egg dates were estimated from Nest Record Scheme (NRS) records for 17 species of moorland and moorland edge habitats. General Linear Models related laying date to species, year, latitude, longitude, elevation, habitat, rainfall, temperature, proximity of roads and occurrence of moorland burning.

4. Laying date models for individual species were also constructed, based on first-egg dates derived from NRS and Ringing Scheme records, and including year, latitude and longitude as explanatory variables.

5. Independent datasets for species poorly represented in the NRS dataset were obtained from existing studies of these species in upland areas. These were used to validate the results of models based on NRS and Ringing Scheme records.

6. Timing of breeding information from studies of Red Grouse in Strathspey (1992–2016) and Langholm (2008–2016) was analysed in relation to overlap with burning seasons, relationship with elevation, and (for Strathspey only) trends over time.

7. Importance of landscapes where moorland burning is practised was explored, to bet ter understand the impact of burning at a population level. Using the RSPB/JHI moorland burning dataset, three categories of tetrads were distinguished: those with burned moorland; those with moorland but no evidence of burning; and all other tetrads. Count data from the Bird Atlas were used to assess the relative abundance of different species in each category and, for England, Scotland and Wales, the proportion of each species’ population in tetrads with burned moorland.

8. The potential for pre-breeding impacts of heather burning was assessed by comparing data on timing of migrant arrival from BirdTrack reporting rates with the relevant burning seasons. National reporting rates were used to estimate peaks of arrival for long-distance migrants, while reporting rates in 1 km squares containing burned moorland were used to estimate timing of arrival for a broader suite of species, including many short-distance and partial migrants.

Importance of laying phenology

9. Mean laying date varied considerably between species. Standardised values predicted for different species by the all-species model for the year 2019 spanned a two-month period between late March and late May.

10. Over the four-decade period from which the modelled data were drawn, mean laying date across all species in the model advanced by about one day every eight years. Other variables significantly related to laying date in this model are easting, northing, cover of conifer woodland and semi-natural grassland, rainfall and temperature.

11. Predictions of laying date from individual species models agreed well with estimates from the global model based on data from all species. There is, however, considerable variation among these models in whether, and at what rate, laying dates appear to have advanced.

12. Mean laying dates from individual datasets also fit well with the predictions generated from BTO datasets, suggesting that these models are suitable for evaluating the effect of timing of breeding on the risk posed by moorland burning to upland birds.

13. Across the available time series, 3% of Red Grouse clutches in Strathspey and 4% of Red Grouse clutches at Langholm were initiated before 15th April. The proportions of clutches started before the end of April were considerably higher, being 72% in Strathspey, and 93% at Langholm.

14. Between 1992 and 2016, mean clutch initiation date for Red Grouse in Strathspey advanced by 0.46 days per year. Clutch initiation date between 2009 and 2016 did not differ significantly between Strathspey and Langholm. Strathspey nests at higher altitudes were initiated later (by 1.1 days per 100 m) than those at lower altitude.

Importance of distribution and arrival phenology

15. Many moorland species were more abundant in tetrads with burned moorland than in tetrads with unburned moorland, or in the wider countryside. In England, tetrads with burned moorland accounted for 61% to 78% of the populations of Black and Red Grouse, Golden Plover and Ring Ouzel. Negative effects of burning on these species could have larger consequences for their populations, particularly in England.

16. Some long-distance migrants (such as Wheatear and Ring Ouzel) arrive back in their upland breeding areas several weeks before the main burning season closes in mid-April. Most shor t-distance and partial migrants that breed in these areas return well before the end of any of the earliest of the upland burning periods.

Main conclusions

17. Changes in timing of breeding over the past several decades have been modest. These vary between species, with laying dates typically advancing by 1–2 days per decade.

18. Overlap for most species between burning season and laying dates remains small. Even among early breeding birds in moorland areas, the risk presented by burning is low for many species. Early breeders include species such as Golden Plover and Lapwing that typically breed in short vegetation unlikely to be targeted for burning, and species such as Golden Eagle and Peregrine that breed on crags, most of which are unlikely to be included in rotational burns.

19. The overall risk to populations posed by burning depends on several factors. Some of these, such as timing of breeding, nesting ecology, and the proportion of each population that nests in areas of rotationally burned moorland, are species-specific. Others, like the area of moorland burned each year, and the proportion of burning done in the spring, are dependent on management practices and will affect risk in a similar way for many species.

20. Taking all of these factors into account, the species for which burning poses the greatest population level risk are not the earliest breeding species. Stonechat breeding attempts are probably among the most frequently destroyed by burning. However, this species is a habitat generalist which also breeds in lowland areas, so no more than 0.3–0.5% of all Stonechat nests are likely to be destroyed by burning.

21. Conversely, populations of species that often nest in deep heather, such as Ring Ouzel and Merlin, are concentrated in areas where moorland burning takes place, especially in England. For these species, the proportion of breeding attempts directly impacted by heather burning each year is likely to be less than 1% if burning is restricted to the standard burning season. If burning on all moorlands continued until 30th April, this proportion could rise to 4–5% for Merlin and 6–7% for Ring Ouzel.

22. No species has populations that are more concentrated within areas where moorland burning is practised than Red Grouse. The majority of Red Grouse clutches in Strathspey and Langholm are, however, not initiated until after mid-April when the main upland burning seasons in Scotland have closed. A contrastingly large proportion of Red Grouse breeding attempts in Scotland are started before the close of the extended burning season, at the end of April. However, given that boosting of Red Grouse productivity is one of the main reasons for heather burning, moorland managers will typically stop burning when Red Grouse start laying.

23. The close proximity of Langholm to the English border, coupled with the similarity in timing of breeding between Langholm and Strathspey Red Grouse (as well between populations of several wader species in south Scotland and northern England), suggests that most Red Grouse breeding attempts in England will start after the close of the upland burning season there.

24. Spatial variation in breeding phenology across most of England, Scotland and Wales, according to both the empirical information and model outputs presented in this report, is modest. Recent changes made to the upland burning season in Wales, which now ends two weeks before the standard upland season in Scotland and England, mean that the risk posed by moorland burning in Wales is now likely to be substantially lower than elsewhere in Britain.

25. The area where moorland burning within regulated dates has the potential to pose the greatest threat to breeding birds is probably in southern Scotland. Here, given the modest spatial variation detected across the UK, the timing of breeding is likely to approximate that indicated by the model outputs that are standardised to the Yorkshire Dales (just over 100 km away), but burning in some areas may continue up to the end of April, two weeks after the end of the standard season in mid-April.

26. Pre-breeding impacts of burning are not well understood. For some sensitive species such as Merlin and Golden Eagle, pre-breeding impacts could arise via disturbance caused by human activity associated with the burning. Other possible impacts will require further research before they can effectively be taken into consideration.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: We are especially grateful to the thousands of volunteer nest recorders and ringers who, over the years, have contributed their records and to all the landowners and managers who allowed ringing and nest recording to take place on their land. The NRS is funded under the JNCC/BTO partnership that the JNCC undertakes on behalf of Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The BTO Ringing Scheme is funded by a partnership of the British Trust for Ornithology, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency), The National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland) and the ringers themselves. BirdTrack is delivered through a partnership between the BTO, the RSPB, Birdwatch Ireland, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and the Welsh Ornithological Society. The Bird Atlas 2007-11 project was carried out in partnership by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC). The moorland burning dataset was collected and provided by RSPB and James Hutton Institute – many thanks to David Douglas, Jen Smart and Jerry Wilson for facilitating the renewal of BTO’s permission to use these data. Thanks to Bridget Griffin for providing pullus ringing data, and to Scott Mayson for extracting BirdTrack data. All records for Red Grouse were taken from datasets collected by past or present Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust staff or students on projects managed and funded by The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. We are also very grateful to David Douglas (RSPB), Dave Parish (GWCT), Stuart Sharp and Ian Hartley (University of Lancaster), Ron Summers, Brian Bates, and Brian Etheridge for the provision of individual datasets enabling estimates of first egg dates for individual populations of Common Sandpiper, Curlew and Golden Plover; and to Robin Lyon-Sinclair (RSPB) for pointing us towards several of these datasets. This project was funded by Natural England and we are grateful to Allan Drewitt, Alistair Crowle, Mark Owen and David Glaves of Natural England, and James Pearce-Higgins of BTO, for helpful comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of this report.

Wader Survey Behaviour Guide

WEBSITEEDITOR — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 09:50:13 +0000

This guide is primarily for participants of the Wader Calendar, Gamekeeper Wader Transects and BBS/WBBS ‘Breeding Wader’ Visits, but it can be used for any survey which records behaviour. It contains information about the identification, habitat and behaviour of five wader species: Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Snipe.

Lapwing. Philip Croft / BTO

Wader Behaviour

The key information to collect in many wader surveys is the birds' behaviour. This can be used to estimate the number of birds attempting to nest in an area, and to indicate the number of these birds which manage to hatch or fledge chicks.

Most aspects of wader ecology vary between sites and years, so the information here should be used as a guide, not as definitive rules.

The most important behaviours can be grouped as:

Display: signs that birds have territories or nests, including birds seen on active nests; most often observed in early spring.
Repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing', or seen with young: signs that birds are rearing chicks or that eggs are close to hatching; most often observed in late Spring or early Summer as adults alert their young to potential predators.

Territorial displays and ‘song’ can be difficult to separate from alarm/agitation behaviours for beginners, but they become easier to distinguish with a little practice. It is rarely an exact science, and records are always estimates, so just record as accurately as you can. If you have a pair of binoculars available, they can be helpful in finding waders and recording behaviour.

Click on the species' names below to expand more detailed information.

Curlew

Identification:

A large brown wader with a long, curved bill. In flight, its prominent white rump and darker wingtips are visible. Despite being the largest wader, it can be surprisingly unnoticeable, particularly during the incubation period between peak display and chick-rearing. 'Off-duty' adults - parents not currently incubating or guarding chicks - can travel long distances to feed, so single birds are often observed. Curlew pairs are solitary i.e. they do not nest in colonies, but they may nest in loose groups in high-density areas.

Curlew. Philip Croft / BTO

Habitat:

Moist grass and heather moors (even burnt areas) and rushy upland pastures up to 600 m (sometimes up to 750 m).
Southern heaths and lowland river valleys with water meadows, hay, silage or lush grass fields.
Boggy woodland clearings, arable areas and dunes (occasional).

Behaviour:

Displaying and/or 'singing':

Pairs perform walking displays, and males have a distinct bubbling 'song'. These make Curlew very detectable in the early breeding season.

The display flight involves shivering wings, a long descending glide and calling with long, drawn-out notes increasing in tempo to a rhythmic drill.

Slow, deep whistles to bubbling notes of Curlew display 'song':

Repeated alarm-calling, mobbing, or seen with young:

This behaviour peaks in June. It can vary in timing between site and year; it takes place 4 - 6 weeks after peak display activity.

When eggs are near hatching, or there are young, a curlew pair will be much noisier and stand on the ground at a distance from you (reluctant to leave the area), or fly around you or predators alarm-calling ('mobbing'). Alarm calls vary but will be persistent and sound agitated. A harsh, guttural 'yak-ak-ak' call means there are young nearby, or a nearly-hatched nest. Young curlew are generally difficult to spot and will hide if adults alarm call.

'Courli' to 'yak-ak-ak' alarm/agitation calls indicating chicks are nearby:

'Yak-ak-ak' alarm/agitation calls indicating chicks are nearby:

Curlew Confusion Risks

Do not include Curlew observed making single alarm calls that are quick to leave the area in 'alarm-calling/with young'. Only include birds that are reluctant to leave the area and persistently alarm calling.

Lapwing

Identification:

Black (with green and purple iridescence) and white, medium-sized wader with a distinctive wispy crest. Males have longer crests, and a complete black bib (chest). Females have shorter crests and variable amounts of white in the bib.

Lapwing plumage and calls make them very conspicuous. Pairs may nest singly or in small groups, and males can have more than one female.

Lapwing. Philip Croft / BTO

Habitat:

Flat or rolling open country (not steep areas) with short, patchy or no plant cover, up to 1000m.
Rough pastures, stubbles, fallows, arable (recently ploughed or with young crops) and breckland.
Lake margins, damp meadows, upland rushy fields, wet moors and mosses.
Saltings, dunes and machair, and sometimes shingle and mudflats.
Industrial wastes, land cleared for development and gravel pits.

Behaviour:

Displaying and/or 'singing':

Distinctive 'peewit' calls and a tumbling display flight show the breeding area early in the season. Scrape-forming (where the lapwing will lay eggs) can be watched over several days, when the orange-buff under-tail of rotating males and the scratchy call they make while scraping are particularly conspicuous.

If you keep distance or use cover (ideally in a vehicle), incubating adults on nests can be easy to spot. Include incubating birds in 'displaying and/or singing'.

Lapwing display calls:

Repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing', or seen with young:

This behaviour peaks in May. It is very variable between sites and years, but will occur 4 - 6 weeks after peak display activity.

Adult lapwings mobbing you or predators is a sign that eggs are nearly hatching or that young are on the ground. Lapwing chicks and adults on guard are relatively easy to spot - the white on the back of chicks' necks is noticeable when they're moving. Compared with the display calls, adult alarm calls have a harsh tone.

Warning call of a parent to their chicks:

Lapwing Confusion Risks

Differentiating between display and alarm-calling or mobbing is more difficult with Lapwing. At the relevant times of the year, mobbing you or predators and reluctance to leave the area are key to the 'alarm-calling or seen with young' category, as are observations of adults with chicks - this is relatively common.

Oystercatcher

Identification:

A large black and white wader with an orange bill. Oystercatchers return to the same area and even the same site to nest. Pairs may nest singly or in loose groups.

Oystercatcher. Philip Croft / BTO

Habitat:

In inland areas:

Shingle beds or banks of rivers, lakes and lochs.
Arable and pasture fields.
Moorland to 600m.
Sand and gravel workings, industrial sites and waste ground, on building roofs or in fenced areas.

Also nests in coastal areas.

Behaviour:

Displaying and/or 'singing':

Loud piping calls proclaim territories and pairs may be seen scraping nests. Adults on the nest are more easily spotted from a large distance (or more closely if you are in a vehicle).

Bubbling trill 'prrrrr' and 'kli-klikli' of standard display song indicating territory:

Repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing' or seen with young:

This behaviour peaks in June. It is very variable between sites and years, but will occur 4 - 6 weeks after peak display activity.

When eggs are near hatching, or adults are with young, oystercatcher pairs will be much noisier. They will stand on the ground at a distance or fly around you (and predators) repeatedly, alarm-calling ('mobbing') with high-pitched squeaks. Chicks are relatively easy to spot, often remaining in the open with adults. Chicks are fed by the parents.

Shrill 'peep!' alarm/agitation calls indicating chicks are nearby:

Oystercatcher Confusion Risks

Differentiating between display and alarm can be more difficult with Oystercatcher. Reluctance to leave the area, and focus of flight around predators (or you) indicate alarm-calling rather than display.

Redshank

Identification:

Generally harder to spot and identify than larger waders. Redshank are medium-sized brown waders with strikingly red bill and legs. In flight, they have a noticeable white 'cigar' on their back and a black and white barred tail. Redshank pairs may nest singly or in groups, and are very site-faithful, often returning to the same part of a field to nest each year.

Redshank. Allan Drewitt / BTO

Redshank. Liz Cutting / BTO

Habitat:

Saltmarshes, water meadows, damp marshland and rushy fields.
Rough pastures and grass moorland (e.g. bents, mat-grass) to 500m.
Shingle near water, flooded gravel pits and dunes.

Behaviour:

Displaying and/or 'singing':

Noisy adults and wing-lifting displays show territories, which are often mingled with Lapwing. The song is a loud, musical 'tül-tül-tül-tül-tuliiu-tuliiu-tuliiu’. Incubating birds generally flush silently off the nest, 50 - 200m from the person approaching. A vigorous 'bobbing' movement while walking through vegetation is a good indication of a bird returning to a nest.

Musical 'tül-tül-tül-tül-tuliiu-tuliiu-tuliiu’ song:

Repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing' or seen with young:

This behaviour peaks in June. It is very variable between sites and years, but will occur 4 - 6 weeks after peak display activity.

Adults flushed near young or eggs that are close to hatching will fly around with a 'tew-tew-tew' alarm call. Hiding chicks can be spotted as they run to greet returning parents.

Persistent ‘tew-tew-tew’ alarm-calls after being flushed, indicating the presence of young:

Redshank Confusion Risks

When flushing birds, watch whether they fly around you persistently alarm-calling (at relevant times of the year, this means they are likely with young), or silently leave the area (this means they are unlikely to be with young).

Snipe

Identification:

Generally harder to spot than larger waders unless displaying or flushed at close range due to their excellent camouflage. Snipe are medium-sized streaky waders with a long straight bill. Pairs nest singly (not in colonies).

Snipe. Liz Cutting / BTO

Habitat:

Marshes, bogs, swamps, water meadows, sedge margins of lakes and pools and damp rushy pockets in moorland or grassland.
Occasionally salt marshes or wet woodland clearings.
Dry heather and grass moors and rough pastures up to 750m (occasional).

Behaviour:

Displaying and/or 'singing':

The male's 'drumming' flight and 'chipping' calls (from the ground or in flight) are the most obvious sign of territory. These are most common at dawn and dusk on wet, foggy, still days. 'Drumming' initially occurs over a wide area but as incubation progresses it is increasingly localised above the nest site. Display flights cease after the eggs hatch.

'Drumming' display flight calls made using specially adapted tail feathers:

'Chipping' vocal calls, often from perch, but also made alongside 'drumming' sound in flight:

Repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing' or seen with young:

Chicks are most likely to be on the ground in June, but this is very variable between sites and year. It occurs 3 - 5 weeks after peak display activity.

Snipe rely on camouflage so do not repeatedly alarm-call or 'mob', but adults with young may come close to you.

Snipe Confusion Risks

Snipe do not have any obvious alarm behaviours or calls that indicate the presence of young. When flushed, Snipe can make a 'scraping' single note, which is often repeated - this can be heard all year round and does not indicate the presence of young.

Snipe flush alarm calls. These do not indicate the presence of young:

Include 'drumming' and 'chipping' in 'display and/or singing'. Only observations of young - which are quite rare - should be included in 'repeated alarm-calling, 'mobbing', or seen with young'.

The material is mostly summarised or adapted from the species pages in BTO Guide ‘A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests’ (Ferguson-Lees et al. 2011).

Wader Calendar

WSKELLORN — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 17:15:16 +0000

Help with research on farmland waders by joining our farmer survey, the Wader Calendar. Tuesday, March 1, 2022 - 00:00

We want to enable farmers to monitor waders on their land, to collect evidence which can be used to evaluate and improve conservation management.

Why take part?

Birds and people have both been impacted by the sweeping changes to farming landscapes and practices over the last century.

Farmers are the traditional custodians of waders. Increasing your involvement in wader monitoring and conservation will improve the outlook for waders in the UK.

Register your interest and sign up

Enter your details on the Wader Calendar Online Form to register your interest. This is not a commitment to complete the survey, and you do not need to have waders on your farm to register.
Request a paper pack when you register your interest in the Online Form, or download and print the Recording Form.
Read the Survey Instructions for guidance on how to use the Recording Form, and what to record.

redshank_allan_drewitt_bto.jpg

Record waders on your farm

There is no strict survey methodology. Just keep weekly estimates of the number of five target waders on your farm from April to July.
The time it takes depends on your chosen methods. Keeping notes as you go should only take a few minutes each week, but dedicated counts at set times in the week may take longer.
You only need to be able to recognise and identify the five target species: Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Snipe.

Our Wader Behaviour Guide has useful tips for recognising key wader behaviours.

Weekly wader counts run between 27 March - 30 July 2023.

Lapwing chick by Liz Cutting

Send us your records

Fill in your Farm Details, Method Used and Notes on the Wader Calendar 2023 Recording Form. Please send this to us before 30 September 2023:

Send a scan/photo of both pages of your Wader Calendar 2023 Recording Form to waders [at] bto.org or
Post your Recording Form to

FAO: Paul Noyes
BTO Scotland
Beta Centre (Unit 15)
Stirling University Innovation Park
Stirling
FK9 4NF

curlew-liz-cutting.jpg

Wader Calendar Resources

Survey Instructions Recording Form Wader Behaviour Guide

Contact waders [at] bto.org with any questions or queries.

The Wader Calendar is a quick and easy way for farmers to record waders on their farm and contribute to a national monitoring scheme. Keep track of the waders on your farm with the Wader Calendar

Paul Noyes

Keeping notes as you go should only take a few minutes each week, but dedicated counts at set times in the week may take longer. The survey runs March to July. Recognise and identify the five target species: Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Snipe. once only Farmland birds volunteers Breeding wadersSupporting Curlew conservation and understanding wader declines No waders@bto.org

Gamekeeper Wader Transects

WSKELLORN — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 15:50:25 +0000

Contribute your knowledge and familiarity with the land to wader research by joining the Gamekeeper Wader Transect monitoring scheme.

Friday, April 1, 2022 - 00:00 to Thursday, December 1, 2022 - 00:00

The Gamekeeper Wader Transects (GKWT) make use of gamekeeper knowledge to contribute scientifically rigorous data to a national wader monitoring scheme. It happens every year, requiring a minimum of three visits each spring/summer to a transect chosen by the participant. Participants need to be able to confidently identify the main British breeding wader species and some relevant behaviours. You do not need to be a gamekeeper to take part in this survey, but you do need explicit permission from the landowner or manager to undertake these surveys.

Upland areas managed by gamekeepers include some of the last strongholds of breeding waders in the UK. Grouse moors represent 7% of UK land cover but hold 36% of our internationally important and threatened breeding Curlew population. Gamekeepers’ familiarity and knowledge of the wildlife on the land they manage to put them in an excellent position to monitor waders in these important but relatively understudied habitats. GKWT data will add to other monitoring schemes to build a clearer picture of landscape trends in wader abundance and productivity.

Join the project

Please email waders [at] bto.org to discuss setting up Gamekeeper Wader Transects on your estate or through your organisation (no commitment to complete the survey).

waders [at] bto.org (Email )

More about the project

The scheme has its roots in collaborative work from 2017 to 2019 between the BTO and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and participating estates. Please see BTO Research Reports 703 and 723 for further information. Gamekeepers in these areas have continued to complete the transects each year since.

We are looking to engage other moorland groups and estates across the UK and further develop the scheme. If you are a Moorland Coordinator, National Park Authority, or own, manage or work an estate anywhere in the UK, please get in touch at waders [at] bto.org.

Taking part

All you need is the ability to identify the main British breeding wader species and basic behaviours (mostly Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Snipe). It requires a minimum of three visits over the spring/summer which can be undertaken alongside other work on your estate.

Winter/early Spring: please email waders [at] bto.org to discuss setting up Gamekeeper Wader Transects on your estate or through your organisation (no commitment to complete the survey).
April: first survey visits take place
May: second survey visits take place
June: final survey visits take place

Return your completed/updated Data Spreadsheet by 30th November.

Resources

Field Instructions

Field Instructions (PDF, 1.31 MB)
Survey Cover Sheet

Survey Cover Sheet (PDF, 536.67 KB)
Data Entry Guidance

Data Entry Guidance (PDF, 1.23 MB)
Data Entry Spreadsheet

Data Entry Spreadsheet (XLSX, 33.59 KB)
View the Wader Survey Behaviour Guide for guidance on recording wader behaviour in the field.

Allowing gamekeepers to contribute scientifically-rigorous data on waders on managed estates – some of the last UK breeding strongholds. Help collect wader data on estates with the Gamekeeper Wader Transects

Paul Noyes

April: first survey visits take place
May: second survey visits take place
June: final survey visits take place
November: return your completed/updated Data Spreadsheet

A minimum of three visits over the spring/summer can be undertaken alongside other keeping duties. Identify the main British breeding wader species (mostly Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Snipe) and some relevant behaviours.

once only Farmland birdsUpland birds volunteers Breeding wadersBreeding Bird Survey No waders@bto.org