And so this report is different, maybe refreshingly so (just because everyone likes a change now and again) and has fewer trends (because they can’t be calculated reliably) and more reflection. I like reflection. I was quite surprised that in England there were as many as 1757 BBS squares covered compared with 2934 in 2019,…
Tag: BTO
BBS 2021
Last weekend, the May Bank Holiday weekend, it was back to normal and I made my first visits to ‘my’ two BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey squares in the Northants countryside. Let’s call the two sites BBS1 and BBS2. Actually, when I say back to normal, there is no such thing as a normal Spring as…
BTO Conference tomorrow
Tomorrow is the BTO Conference – and of course it is an online event so no driving up to Swanwick in the rain, no afternoon of easily spotting the difference between members and staff (by the 30-year gap between their average ages) and no slipping away from the conference to find a local bookmakers to…
BTO press release – Europe’s breeding birds get long-overdue stocktake
Europe’s breeding birds get long-overdue stocktake New European Breeding Bird Atlas, a milestone for biodiversity research and nature conservation in Europe, is published today. Highlights The European Bird Census Council (EBCC) publishes the second European Breeding Bird Atlas EBBA2, a milestone for biodiversity knowledge in Europe A tremendous collaborative effort by the EBCC and its partner…
BTO press release – Marsh Award for Ornithology goes to Dr Jennifer Smart
Dr Jennifer Smart of Norfolk has been awarded the prestigious Marsh Award for Ornithology by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for her work in the conservation of breeding waders like lapwing, redshank and black-tailed godwits. As a group, waders are amongst the most endangered, suffering from a variety of issues that include habitat loss…
BTO press release – Marsh Award for Innovative Ornithology goes to Dr Ellie Owen
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Dr Ellie Owen of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has been awarded the Marsh Award for Innovative Ornithology by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Dr Ellie Owen is a conservation scientist at RSPB Centre for Conservation Science. Ellie specialises in seabird ecology and conservation and her innovative “Puffarazzi” project breaks…
BTO press release – new Patron
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has today announced that His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge has become Patron of the BTO, assuming the patronage from His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh who has held the role for over 30 years. The patronage reflects the close alignment between two of The Duke of…
Kingfisher reporting rate
Yesterday’s BirdTrack reporting rate graph was Kingfisher. I’m not sure I would have identified this species from its reporting rate – it’s not a very common/obvious species because its reporting rate is quite low. What happens in June – September? Is this when juveniles disperse and there is more whizzing around and indeed more calling?…
Blackbird reporting rate
Yesterday’s Birdtrack reporting rate graph was Blackbird. The biggest clue is the high reporting rate through the year. As with all the reporting rate graphs (reporting rate is the proportion of all complete lists of birds in which the species is recorded) the shape of the graph is affected by where birders go and what…
Green Woodpecker reporting rates
Tim Melling’s photographs and text on Green Woodpeckers on Saturday were well-timed for me because on my recent visits to Stanwick Lakes, my local patch, I’ve recorded Green Woodpeckers on each recent visit even though I’ve not seen a single one. They are very shouty at this time of year. And I’ve heard some from…