The County Bird records Database is the core resource for research, for reporting to national conservation bodies, for creating the Berkshire annual reports and other publications, for informing and planning etc. Please help by sending us your Berkshire records. Only by careful monitoring can we identify species in decline and, perhaps, mitigate against their disappearance as a Berkshire bird. To do this we need observers to provide reports of all the birds they see, especially the “common” birds that are often ignored. For each birding experience you have, please provide a complete list. It is also important that observers provide as much information as possible about their sightings – were the birds nesting, singing or calling? – were they on the ground or in the air, if the latter what was their direction of flight? Crucially, where was it? Records may be lost or create confusion if sites are not correctly defined – click here for advice from the Recorder.
There are several ways to submit your records:
- via the berksbirds online database (recommended)
- to the County Recorder: records@berksoc.org.uk
- via the BTO Bird Track website
Records are best sent as Excel or .csv files in accordance with the electronic format guidelines. Click here for a sample Excel records file that you can use. If you are uncomfortable about using electronic media, hard copy of casual records may be sent to the recorder but resources are not available for transferring bulk observations from paper to the database.
Records provided are added to a secure county database. The Club may use the data to publish reports and to satisfy requests for records that it considers in the interests of the county’s birds. Any funds raised from this will be used by BOC for charitable purposes in accordance with their constitution.
Confidentiality
The Club’s confidentiality policy sets out restrictions on disclosure of records. Records marked as confidential by the observer will not be published without the observer’s consent. Details of sensitive species may also be with-held from publication to protect the interests of the bird(s). Observers can discuss their sightings of potentially sensitive species in confidence with the Recorder.
Unusual records
For scarce species, in addition to submission via the options above, an unusual records report form must be completed, with supporting material (eg photos, recordings) where appropriate. Records will be reviewed by the Berkshire Records Committee prior to validation in the Berkshire Bird Record Database and publication in annual reports.