Systematic bird surveys are central to understanding what is happening with bird populations and to planning conservation. Many members contribute to the major national surveys carried out by the British trust for Ornithology, such as the Breeding Bird Survey and the Wetland Bird Survey, and the Club operates its own Garden Bird Survey. Information on current surveys is given below, together with the people to contact if you would like to take part.
BOC surveys
- Breeding Grebes Survey (2018 – 2020)
- Willow Tit and Marsh Tit (2019-2020)
- Breeding Water Rail Survey (completed 2018)
BOC target species
Target species are chosen annually as birds whose status we believe may be changing and are trying to learn more about, so are asking observers to send in their records to the Recorder. For 2020 the target species are Lapwing, Firecrest, Willow Tit and Marsh Tit in the breeding season.
Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)
An annual national survey of all birds recorded on two 1km transects of randomly selected 1km squares on two visits in he breeding season. Organiser: British Trust for Ornithology. Berkshire Representative: Sean Murphy seantmurphy8@gmail.com
The BBS measures the abundance of the commoner species found in the breeding season and is used to estimate population trends at regional and national levels, which are published annually. The Berkshire data are used to estimate a Berkshire Bird Index and county trends in abundance, which are published in the Birds of Berkshire Annual Reports from 2011.
Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)
A monthly survey of wetland sites to monitor the abundance of wildfowl and waders nationally. WeBS results are published annually and data are available from the BTO. Organiser: British Trust for Ornithology. Berkshire Representative: Sean Murphy (seantmurphy8@gmail.com),