BTO Annual review 2013 by British Trust for Ornithology

2013

September-October 2013/ Issue 306 A look at the work and strategy of the British Trust for Ornithology

REDSHANK RUFF GOLDEN PHEASANT LAPWING

WILLOW TIT

UCKOO PLOVER LEW CHOUGH

SNIPE

PIED FLYCATCHER

PUFFIN NIGHTINGALE

MEADOW PIPIT WHE

HOUSE SPARROW

GREENSHANK

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT

CORMORANT

Annual Review

2013

BTO News 306/September–October 2013

breeding for warblers. Measures of survival, clutch size and

WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN

productivity all feed into the new demographic targeting

Establishing the Facts

22/23). We cannot assess the consequences of the cold

work being driven forward by the Ringing Committee (pages weather of the 2012/13 winter until we see the BBS results for the summer of 2013, but the harsh conditions, coupled with sparse berry and seed crops, made for some interesting data for the first year of the Winter Thrushes Survey.

No Annual Review can cover the full range of the BTO’s work,

With three fully-functioning offices now operating in

as set out in Council’s report and accounts (available on www.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, BTO staff are better able to

bto.org/about-bto/accounts or on request). Our highlights for

react to issues that are of local importance. We were delighted to

the year ending 31 March 2013 focus on the delivery of science

meet many Scottish members in Edinburgh, to discuss priorities

and on the impact that work by BTO staff and volunteers

for future work, and to have the first opportunity to review results

has upon decision-makers. David Stroud (JNCC) sets the

from Bird Atlas 2007–11, at a joint conference led by one of

phenomenal achievement encapsulated in Bird Atlas 2007–11

our atlas partners, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. In Northern

in its advisory context (pages 4/5), whilst Andrew Watkinson

Ireland, a major focus was on recruiting surveyors, with specific

(LWEC) helps us to reflect on the evidence-base available to

support for seabird research, thanks to a new contract to employ

those planning for a changing climate (pages 10/11). The BTO’s

a part-time Seabird Coordinator, whilst BTO Cymru benefited

international ambitions were taken forward by a second batch of

from the impetus provided by a new BBS mentoring scheme.

satellite-tracked Cuckoos, in a new paper on land-use in Uganda (page 8) and through the new partnership with the Cornell

Bird Atlas 2007–11 is eagerly awaited by all of us. The tasters

Laboratory for Ornithology (pages 16/17).

provided in BTO News and on the website have highlighted some big questions, particularly relating to the magnitude of

The year 2012–13 will be remembered for its weather, with

declines in distribution and abundance seen across a wide

a wet summer (for most members) followed by a winter that

range of species. On pages 12/13 Simon Gillings focuses on

was harsher than the ones we have now grown to expect.

upland waders but this is just one of many findings to pursue,

The Nightingale Survey was hampered by the late arrival of

subject to funding becoming available. We are grateful to

birds and by tricky conditions in which to undertake carefully-

everyone who supported the atlas project, whether by fieldwork

planned fieldwork (pages 6/7), and the same was true for our

or finance or both, and to funders of a range of new initiatives

pilot Chat Survey work in Wales (page 31). As the summer

in support of work on Nightingales, chats in Wales, satellite-

2012 ended, results from CES and NRS were keenly anticipated

tracking and developments in BirdTrack and Ringing.

(BTO News 303). They revealed the lowest productivity ever for species such as Chaffinch and almost uniformly poor

BTO CHAIRMAN PROFESSOR IAN NEWTON OBE, FRS, FRSE

Annual Review of the British Trust for Ornithology CONTACT US

BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk. IP24 2PU

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BTO Annual Review | 2 013

CONTENTS Inside this special issue of BTO News

STEVEN ROUND/DAVID TIPLING/NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK/CARL BAGGOTT

pg4

pg18

pg28 pg24

pg16 Getting our message out there

Habitat: a changing picture

20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32 34

How perception of habitat changes over time

Acknowledgements & BTO partners

A message from the BTO Chairman

04 06 08 10 12 14 15 16 18

Bird Atlas 2007–11 Highlighting the wider conservation value of the book

The trouble with Nightingales Unusual spring weather disrupts national survey

Scientific research in 2012 & 2013 Three fascinating findings from recent BTO papers

There will be changes afoot Species distribution in response to climate change

To the book and beyond Showcasing an emerging story from Bird Atlas 2007–11

BTO people Celebrating the tireless individuals who support BTO work

Multi-taxa research at BTO There’s more than birds in our work

Bringing together global bird recording An exciting global collaboration

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Using diverse and novel technology to spread the word

Ringing it all together More than the sum of parts: joined-up surveying

Scientific research in 2012 & 2013 More insights into recent BTO papers and research

BTO Accounts 2012/13 Presenting the annual accounts

Partnerships Working with other organisations

Corporate support Businesses and BTO come together

News from BTO Cymru Stories emerging from the BTO Welsh Office

Scotland’s changing landscape Understanding the effects of changing land-use

The BTO in print Snippets from recent research papers

Bird Atlas 2007–11 National ornithological atlases come along infrequently but never was an atlas more timely or eagerly awaited than the imminent publication of Bird Atlas 2007–11, according to DAVID STROUD of the JNCC.

WHAT DID BIRD ATLASES EVER DO FOR CONSERVATION POLICY? The global biodiversity crisis continues

achieve “a significant reduction in the

virtually unabated (although the fickle

current rate of loss of biological diversity.”

focus of the media’s attention is usually

by 2010. The previous year, the Heads of

elsewhere these days). Yet in recent years

EU Member States had expressed their

considerable work has been undertaken

intention “that biodiversity decline should

nationally and internationally to define

be halted with the aim of reaching this

actions to halt and reverse these negative

objective by 2010.” Solving the global

environmental trends. To that end, the

environmental crisis in less than a decade

Atlas will be of huge significance, not just

was always going to be ambitious, to say

for those interested in the distribution

the least, and subsequent evaluations by

and abundance of Britain’s and Ireland’s

the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

birds in their own right, but also for

and others documented continued global

those charged with developing and

biodiversity loss up to 2010.

implementing national conservation policies.

WHAT DRIVES THE DECLINE? The 50% reduction of the breeding range of Willow Tit between 1988–91 and 2008–11 makes this the sixth largest proportional contraction across all species, beaten only by five scarce breeders – Fieldfare, Goldeneye, Hawfinch, Ruff and Common Scoter. It will be a challenge to identify the drivers of this decline and significantly harder to think of creative measures to support existing populations and encourage re-colonisation.

In response, and with growing political pressure for action, in 2010, the 193

Understanding how the Atlas will

Contracting Parties to the Biodiversity

influence government policies requires

Convention adopted a Strategic Plan to

a short detour into the arcane world of

guide conservation actions until 2020.

international conservation policy. Whilst

This contained 20 biodiversity targets

this may seem far removed from issues of

that fleshed out what actually needs to

These headline targets have been

bird population declines or distributional

happen to halt biodiversity loss. The targets

further elaborated, and widely adopted as

changes, ultimately it determines what

cover diverse issues from addressing

a framework for action by governments

priorities governments will address through

invasive alien species, to enhancing public

and international bodies around the world.

their policies, and accordingly where and

awareness of the value of biodiversity, and

In May 2011, for example, the EU adopted

how governments spend money.

to ensuring that “By 2020, at least 17%

a Biodiversity Strategy establishing a

of terrestrial and inland water areas and

framework for policy actions by the

their World Summit on Sustainable

10% of coastal and marine areas…are

European Commission and Member

Development expressed their desire to

conserved through… protected areas…”.

States that will help deliver the 2020

Back in 2002, world leaders at

LEADING THE WAY

David Stroud is just one member of the Atlas Working Group, drawn from a range of organisations and with regional and technical expertise, who steered Bird Atlas 2007–11 from inception to completion. As individuals, our Atlas volunteers will be keen that their records should be fully utilised by decision-makers and we are grateful to David, the

JNCC’s Senior Ornithologist, who provided excellent guidance. Although the Atlas project fell outside the BTO’s partnership with JNCC, funding from the partnership is already being used to explore which broad environmental variables best account for spatial variation in the abundance patterns of bird species across Britain and Ireland.

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

BIODIVERSITY

STEVEN ROUND www.stevenround-birdphotography.com/WWW.HANDADESIGNS.CO.UK

In Brief

targets. In turn this is influencing actions

policy-relevant issues that could be

under the EU Birds Directive.

explored further. Here are just a few:

Nationally, DEFRA and government administrations in the UK are also aligning

Are there detectable differences in

their work and priorities against the 2020

the outcomes of the different agri-

targets – and, in due course, there will be

environment policies in operation in the

a need to report progress against these

different countries of the UK?

targets both to the EU and globally. What is happening to bird populations

SO MUCH, SO BUREAUCRATIC BUT HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE ATLAS?

within extensive upland SPAs and SSSIs, otherwise poorly monitored? Are there particular land-uses especially

Our birds are some of the best

associated with declines of birds of high

known in the world and past atlases

conservation importance?

have given us impressively detailed baselines against which to assess change

Where might restoration or creation of

in their populations. The Atlas will be of

new habitats to link existing protected

major significance to conservation policy-

areas best be targeted?

makers. At the simplest level, changes in bird distribution and abundance tell

The value of the Atlas will be in the

us much about environmental change

wealth of fine-scale data it will provide to

and give information useful to guide

those seeking to answer these and other

responses. Whilst the Atlas explores

questions and to derive policies that seek

some aspects of such change there is an

to reduce the negative and accentuate the

almost infinite number of conservation

positive.

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Welsh farmland BTO is conducting the bird survey component of a novel environmental monitoring framework in Wales; funded by the Welsh Government and led by CEH. Wales’s targeted scheme focuses on species dependent on specific management, like the noisy and acrobatic Chough feeding on short, invertebrate-rich coastal pastures or the remaining handful of Golden Plover breeding on upland blanket bogs. The monitoring framework is unprecedented in its ecological coverage - not only birds, but (almost) everything else, from soils and water to Lapwings and landscapes.

Local monitoring

Many birdwatchers who have been involved in Bird Atlas 2007–11 are now submitting records to the enhanced BirdTrack scheme (pages 16/17), making them available for planners and conservationists working at local and national scales. It’s not just birds; during 2012/13 BTO IS staff started to develop a new online wildlife recording system for habitat creation schemes and nature reserves. This project, the Living Map, is being undertaken jointly with the Wildlife Trusts, who will be implementing the system within their Living Landscape schemes and reserves. Development of the online systems for this project will continue until at least March 2014.

The trouble with Nightingales GRAHAM APPLETON reveals how the unusual summer weather conspired against those trying to undertake the 2012 Nightingale Survey.

According to the latest BBS results, the

a substantial number of sites in Essex and

number of Nightingales is still in decline, with a

Suffolk had to be surveyed in 2013.

drop estimated at 46% over the period 1995

As well as the main survey, in which

to 2011. Although data from Bird Atlas 2007–

volunteers were asked to visit sites in which

11 gives a good idea of the latest distribution

Nightingales had previously been reported

of Nightingales across England, especially in

twice in the early morning and optionally to

counties such as Sussex in which every tetrad

go back at night, there was a more intensive

was visited to provide data for a local atlas,

element of the survey. Using a mixture of

the nocturnal habits of this shy singer mean

volunteers and staff, a number of important

that a true picture of its population can only

Nightingale ‘hot spots’ were intensively

be obtained through dedicated fieldwork. The

surveyed; some receiving up to 16 daytime

Nightingale Survey of 2012 aimed to replicate

and nocturnal visits to assess both the timing

those of 1980 and 1999 but to ask new

and period of song. These data will help

questions at the same time.

scientists to interpret records collected by

As all birdwatchers will recall, the spring of 2012 was strange, with headwinds and sandstorms to the south of the UK holding up

volunteers visiting sites only two or three times, as part of the main survey. Once supplementary data from 2013 visits

many migrants. Once Nightingales did arrive,

have been combined with data from 2012 it

they were faced with a mixture of lower-

should be possible to update the population

than-average temperatures and higher-than-

estimate obtained from the 1999 survey,

average rainfall, right the way through from

when 4,565 singing males were thought to

April to July. These conditions, which were

be representative of a population estimate of

experienced across all bar the north-west of

6,700 males.

the UK, had profound effects on the nesting attempts of a wide range of species, especially tits and most warblers, with Chaffinch having the lowest productivity ever measured by nest recorders (BTO News 303). The timing of the season was delayed for many migrants, with average first egg dates being particularly late for Reed Warbler (10.7-day delay) and

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Nightingale Survey was supported by the Nightingale Appeal, the Nightingale Supporters’ Group, sales of the CD Nightingales: A Celebration, Anglian Water and 18 charitable trusts. The Nightingale will remain a focal species for BTO research; to learn more about the Nightingale Supporters’ Group contact rachel.gostling@bto.org or on 01842 750050

Whitethroat (15.4-day delay). Planning the Nightingale Survey involved setting count periods which would capture information on both numbers of singing males and on the period over which they continued to sing, the theory being that males become less vocal once they have found a mate, enabling some assessment of the number of unpaired males. These lone singers may well be exaggerating estimates of effective population size, both by their presence and through the prolonged period over which they can be located. The timing of the two core visits might have picked up these differences in a normal spring but the wet weather of 2012 delayed the season and compressed the main period of activity. With so many sites to cover and inclement weather

VIEW FROM THE SOUTH: Studying Nightingales in Africa… 1. ESTABLISHING HABITAT PREFERENCES BY RADIO-TRACKING In the third winter of partnership work with the Ghana Wildlife Society and RSPB, BTO staff and volunteers focused upon further work to describe the habitat requirements of Nightingales in their wintering grounds, using radiotracking to establish the importance of different patches within a farmland/ scrub gradient. In additional work, to

1. BTO Annual Review | 2 013

TRACKING

Facts Figures 20

With the support of Anglian Water, geolocators were attached to 11 Nightingales in East Anglia in 2012. A further nine birds were tagged in a joint project with the Forestry Commission in Kent. In order to double-check that the return rate for tagged birds is similar to that for birds just wearing rings, volunteers and staff actually caught a total of more than 50 birds.

The latest Nightingale Survey went ahead in spring 2012, although there has been an extension of a year to allow all the sites missed in 2012 due to the terrible weather conditions to be covered.

WWW.DAVIDKJAER.COM/CHAS HOLT/MARK HULME/JOHN HARDING/BTO

Spotted Flycatcher

£35,000

The Dulverton Trust is supporting work both to share best practice between those using tracking devices to study the movements of birds and to increase the pool of skilled ringers who are qualified to attach geolocators. As these data-capture devices become smaller it is hoped to be able to study Spotted Flycatchers but the current main focus is on Nightingales and Swifts.

determine the breeding locations of these birds, geolocators were attached to a small number of Nightingales in the winter 2011/12. Three birds wearing geolocators were caught again a year later and their stories will form part of a paper that is in preparation. 2. TRACKING A NIGHTINGALE OVER CONTINENTS APART A Nightingale wearing a British ring was found by BTO ringers visiting the Kartong bird observatory in The Gambia in December 2012, a year after the first Gambian recovery in exactly the same spot. The birds had been ringed in Essex and Kent. These are the first two wintering records from BTO ringing.

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£7,000

The cost of a Cuckoo satellite tag is only £2,700 but the real cost of the project is nearer £7,000 per bird, when monthly data charges and staff time to catch birds, interpret the data and provide feedback are included.

Scientific research in 2012 & 2013 Many papers have been published by BTO scientists during the past year and, here, MIKE TOMS and VIOLA ROSS-SMITH highlight three of the stories that have emerged.

1. LAND SPARING V. LAND SHARING

2. HOME OR AWAY?

MARK HULME‘s African study compares two different approaches to merging farming with wildlife

CAT MORRISON’s study looks into the likely

Increases in human population and per

256 species of bird (including 10 Palaearctic

BTO scientists have been involved in a

capita consumption are placing growing

migrants) were measured, along with crop

series of recent studies aiming to investigate

pressures on ecosystems as agricultural

yields and farmers’ income. The densities

the causes of the widespread declines in

demands escalate. This has led to a debate

at each site were modelled alongside yield

Afro-Palaearctic migrants. While some of this

about how best to farm for both high yields

and income and, by using the shape of the

research has focused on the possible effects

and biodiversity. Two contrasting models have

modelled relationships, the farming strategy

of conditions in these species’ wintering

been put forward: land sharing, where low-yield

that would result in the greatest abundance

grounds, a 2013 paper written by members

farming enables biodiversity to be maintained

of each species was determined. In a result

of the Modelling and Demography Team,

within the agricultural landscape (also known

consistent with similar studies in Ghana and

along with collaborators at the University

as ‘wildlife-friendly’ farming), and land sparing,

India, most birds were found to fare better

of East Anglia, shows how population

where high-yielding agriculture is practised,

under land sparing, where more native

changes could also be influenced by factors

requiring a smaller area of land to attain the

forest was left unaffected by agriculture. This

operating during the breeding season and

same yields and, therefore, leaving greater areas

was especially true of species with smaller

on migration.

of natural habitat untouched.

geographical ranges, which are more likely

PHIL ATKINSON/Northeastwildlife.co.uk/JILL PAKENHAM

BBS data were analysed for 46 species

to be of conservation concern, reflecting the

of passerine and near-passerine, including

Land Use Research and International Teams,

importance of retaining forest patches for

residents, short-distance migrants (wintering

in collaboration with NatureUganda, Makerere

such birds. However, the authors suggest

in continental Europe) and long-distance

University, the University of Turin, RSPB and

that high-yield farming can only be effective

migrants (wintering in the arid and humid

the University of Cambridge, has examined

in delivering land sparing if combined with

zones of Africa, south of the Sahara desert).

these two models in the Lake Victoria

strong measures to protect natural habitats,

Overall, the study found that species

Crescent, southern Uganda. This is an area

other ecosystem services and human

breeding in Scotland are generally faring

associated with the cultivation of coffee, tea,

livelihoods, such as land-use planning and

better than those in England, with several

sugar cane, bananas and maize and also one

agronomic support for small farmers, enabling

species either declining in England but

of high human population density, with good

them to increase yields without having to

increasing in Scotland, or increasing in

infrastructure and access to markets. Despite

clear virgin forest.

England at a slower rate than in Scotland.

A study, led by ecologists in the BTO’s

this, there are a number of forest patches retained within the farmland landscape supporting many forest-specialist bird species. Forty-one farmland and forest sites were surveyed, across a gradient of agricultural intensification. The population densities of

FIND OUT MORE Hulme, M.F, Vickery, J.A., Green, R.E., Phalan, B., Chamberlain, D.E., Pomeroy, D.E., Nalwanga, D., Mushabe, D., Katebaka, R., Bolwig, S. & Atkinson, P.W. 2013. Conserving the birds of Uganda’s bananacoffee arc: land sparing and land sharing compared. PLoS ONE, e54597. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054597.

These differences were especially pronounced in long-distance migrants and, in particular, those that overwinter in the African humid zone, with species such as House Martin and Garden Warbler strongly increasing in number in Scotland only. BTO Annual Review | 2 013

Behind the IMAGES… 1. UGANDAN FARMLAND Birds in southern Uganda were found to fare better in areas where land sparing (highintensity agriculture requiring relatively little land area and leaving larger areas of native forest unaffected by agriculture) was practiced.

2. MARTINS When investigating the conservation issues facing migrants, such as these resting House and Sand Martins, it is important to understand the whole annual cycle, from breeding in Britain and Ireland, through migration to the wintering areas.

3. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Each colour-ring sighting is another piece in the jigsaw. As they drop their legs prior to landing will one of these Black-tailed Godwits show a tantalising flash of coloured plastic above their ‘knees’?

3. MAKING AIR-MILES COUNT causes of migrant declines

GRAHAM APPLETON shares his passion for Black-tailed Godwits

Why do some Icelandic-breeding Black-tailed

in Portugal – but does the longer journey delay

how population trends can be affected

Godwits spend the winter in England or Ireland,

their arrival or confine them to poorer-quality

by interactions between breeding season

whilst others travel to Portugal? Are there

breeding locations?

processes, wintering conditions, and the costs

benefits, in terms of survival and being in better

of making long migratory journeys. While many

condition at the start of the breeding season,

Thanks to a network of BTO ringers and

migrants may be facing increasingly tough

that make it worth flying almost twice as far each

over 2,000 volunteers, who have helped with

conditions outside the UK, it is likely that these

year? Wintering Black-tailed Godwits have been

catching and reporting colour-ring sightings,

costs are being (at least partially) offset by

intensively studied by a team of researchers

the paper’s authors know the winter location of

better breeding conditions in Scotland than in

from the Universities of East Anglia, Iceland and

around 860 Black-tailed Godwits and can track

England, which could be related to differences

Cambridge, providing information about colour-

them on their northward migrations. During

in land use between the two countries (for

marked birds, intake rates, prey items and the

spring, the majority of Icelandic godwits wintering

instance, lower agricultural intensification in

time that individuals spend feeding. In this paper,

in Portugal undertake two flights in order to reach

Scotland than in England).

energetics models were used to quantify the

Iceland, covering a total migratory distance of

trade-offs experienced by birds wintering in the

c.3,800 km, with the majority of them stopping

This study helps to highlight the difficulties

warmth of Portugal, the wet conditions in Ireland

over in the Netherlands. Most birds wintering

and complexities in defining the numerous

and the colder eastern English estuaries.

in Ireland and east England are able to reach

Taken together, these results illustrate

There are huge differences in the energy

Iceland in one flight (c.1,425 km and 1,560 km,

avian population changes. Further

requirements of these godwits; those wintering

respectively). Despite the much longer journey

exploration is essential to properly reveal

in Portugal need not spend energy to keep

for Portugese birds, they actually arrive earlier in

the demographic processes governing

warm and those wintering in Ireland require

Iceland and breed in better-quality locations than

population trends of migratory species,

negligible amounts. However, in east England,

birds from Ireland and east England. The poorer

and could contribute to more effective

energetic expenditure for thermoregulation

conditions experienced by godwits wintering in

conservation measures, as many of these

would have been necessary in all winter months

east England therefore appear to influence not

species are on the Birds of Conservation

of the study, with demands in January and

only their annual survival rates, but also to carry

Concern Red List.

March exceeding the recorded energy input. In

over to the breeding season, through delayed

Portugal, monthly net energy intake rates are,

arrival times.

and often interacting factors underpinning

FIND OUT MORE Morrison, C.A., Robinson, R.A., Clark, J.A., Risely, K. & Gill, J.A. 2013. Recent population declines in Afro-Palaearctic migratory birds: the influence of breeding and non-breeding seasons. Diversity and Distributions 19: 1051-1058. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12084.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

c.1 to 1.5 times as great as those recorded in Ireland, and c.1.3 to 2 times as great as those recorded in east England. Not surprisingly, therefore, survival rates are higher for individuals experiencing more favourable winter conditions

FIND OUT MORE Alves, J., Gunnarsson, T.G., Hayhow, D.B., Appleton, G.F., Potts, P.M. & Sutherland, W.J. 2013. Costs, benefits, and fitness consequences of different migratory strategies. Ecology, 94(1), 11–17.

There will be changes afoot The topic of climate change provokes considerable interest and debate, and has been the subject of much scientific research. Here, JAMES PEARCE-HIGGINS, ANDREW WATKINSON (BTO Vice-president and Executive Director of LWEC) and MIKE MORECROFT (Natural England) outline a recent government initiative and some of its main findings.

REPORT CARD We know that climate plays an important role in limiting species’ distributions and populations through a wide range of different mechanisms. Recent changes to the climate should, therefore, influence the behaviour, distribution and abundance of species. As these impacts will only be apparent over decades, the longterm monitoring data on birds and other biodiversity collected by volunteers,

‘Although well documented in nesting birds using BTO data, earlier leafing of trees and the appearance of spring flowers and insects have also been widely reported.’

including through BTO schemes such as the BBS, Nest Record or Ringing Schemes are

will document clearly, these have been

fundamental to detecting these impacts.

more than matched by rapid shifts in the distribution of many invertebrate

Government and developed under the

species. Notable examples include the

Living with Environmental Change (LWEC)

Long-winged Conehead cricket, which

partnership, has just produced a ‘report

has spread northwards, and the natural

card’ that summarises for the UK how

colonisation of the UK by many others,

climate change has affected biodiversity,

including the Southern Emerald Damselfly,

and what the future impacts are likely to

first observed in Norfolk in 2002. Warmer

be. So, what were the main messages?

springs have also led to a trend towards

The key message is that there is already

many biological events becoming earlier.

strong evidence for climate change impacts

Although well documented in nesting

on UK biodiversity. In particular, recent

birds using BTO data, earlier leafing

have become more common at the

warming has resulted in the northward

of trees and the appearance of spring

expense of rarer habitat specialists. More

expansion of many species. Whilst we are

flowers and insects have also been widely

widely, species associated with warmer

probably familiar with birds such as the

reported. Similarly, the arrival times of

temperatures have tended to replace those

Little Egret and Nuthatch rapidly advancing

migratory birds have advanced, particularly

that occupy colder climates.

up the country, which Bird Atlas 2007—11

in those with shorter migration distances that arrive earliest in the year. What is the impact of these changes

ON THE MOVE TO NOWHERE?

Mountain Ringlet is only found at altitudes of 450–800m. Numbers have declined by 69% in the last 25 years, with the losses greater at lower-altitude sites. Climate change is considered the biggest threat to this species.

NEW ARRIVAL

First noted on the south coast in the 1940s, Long-winged Coneheads have been spreading steadily northwards.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD IN STORE?

on populations, and to what extent does

We are beginning to see signs that climate

climate change threaten species in the

change may disrupt ecological interactions

UK? For some species, climate change

between species, whether by altering

appears to provide an opportunity, and

the timing of food availability, or through

their populations are increasing. However,

changes in predator and prey populations

for others, particularly those in the north

and distributions. As a result, with

or occupying upland habitats, such as

increasing magnitude of climate change,

the Mountain Ringlet butterfly, there is

there are projected to be more and more

increasing evidence that their populations

impacts on the wildlife around us, which

have declined in the UK in response to

are likely to interact with other pressures

climate change. As a result, one of the

and processes to change the future

clearest signals of climate change impacts

prospects of many of our bird species. That

on biodiversity in the UK has been of

is why the long-term monitoring of the

changes to ecological communities.

BTO is so key in disentangling the climate

Analyses of BBS data have shown that bird

change signal from other drivers that are

communities are becoming more similar

affecting our wildlife.

to each other, as widespread generalists

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

TOM BRERETON/TREVOR CODLIN/DAVIDKJAER.COM

A recent initiative, funded by the UK

Weather EVENTS & WILDLIFE One feature of the weather in the last decade has been an increased frequency of extreme events, whether particularly hot summers, such as the 2003 heatwave, or recent cold winters. Spring and summer drought conditions can have a detrimental effect on many plants, insects, birds and mammals, particularly affecting northerly distributed species, and may initiate habitat change, for example through wildfires or changes in woodland composition. Conversely, heavy rain and flooding may also lead to localised mortality and loss of species’ breeding attempts, such as Snipe and other waders breeding along the Ouse Washes. Whilst, naturally, populations should be resilient to these extreme events, artificially small or fragmented populations may be particularly threatened by them.

ARE WE CONFIDENT? THIS REPORT CARD was the work of over 40 scientists from 20 different organisations, who wrote a total of 15 technical papers that underpin the report card – a short accessible summary. Three of these were written by BTO staff. As each paper is cross-referenced to information on the report card, the reader can trace 2 013 | BTO Annual Review

the original sources underpinning each statement. Importantly, each statement was given a ‘confidence level’, based upon the amount of evidence underpinning it, and the level of agreement across that evidence. As a result, this report card should present as close to a scientific consensus on the impact that climate

change has had so far on the UK’s biodiversity, and also on the likely severity of the impact to come. As such, it should be widely read and used. It, and the underpinning technical papers, can be downloaded from the LWEC website at www. lwec.org.uk/resources/report-cards/ biodiversity

To the book and beyond

BIRD ATLAS

For months now, all eyes have been on the production of the definitive atlas book but, as SIMON GILLINGS explains, the data collected by atlas volunteers have much more to offer.

distilling the insights gained from the new distribution, abundance and change maps, and combining them with the latest research to produce concise species accounts for the Bird Atlas 2007–11 book. We now enter a new and exciting phase to bring together all those individual species stories and uncover the broader factors affecting the avifaunas of Britain and Ireland. Already, one species group, the breeding waders, stands out as worthy of detailed investigation. During the 2008–11 breeding seasons, 24 species of wader were recorded with breeding evidence in Britain and Ireland, although four were very rare. Temminck’s Stints did not actually breed: a fleetingly territorial individual in one year was the best showing. Blackwinged Stilts made their seventh documented breeding attempt, although they failed to fledge young. Two pairs of Purple Sandpipers and three pairs of Green Sandpipers again bred in the Scottish Highlands. The remaining 20 species are a varied bunch. In terms of occupancy they range from the rapidly declining Ruff, recorded with breeding evidence in just 16 10-km squares, to the Lapwing, still our most widespread breeding wader in 2,457 squares. There are lowland specialists such as the Stone-curlew (54 squares), montane specialists such as Dotterel (82 squares) and a seemingly adaptable generalist, the Oystercatcher,

Beyond the ATLAS…

1. REDSHANK BLUES Breeding in a variety of damp habitats, including coastal marshes, lowland wet grasslands and rough pasture on moorland fringes, results in a patchy distribution which has become increasingly fragmented owing to a 43% range contraction in Britain since 1968–72. Losses are particularly evident in southern England and south-west and north-east Scotland. Away from coastal marshes, high densities are now confined to the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles. 2. SYSTEMATIC COUNTING Atlas observers spent thousands of hours listing and counting birds in 2-km squares for ‘Timed Tetrad Visits’ in 2007–11, and similarly in 1988–91. Their data provide rigorous and systematic information on changes in relative abundance for individual species which can be combined to identify areas where breeding waders as a group are increasing or decreasing in abundance (reds and browns respectively). 3. GREENSHANK GAINS A close look at the distribution changes over the last c.40 years shows 10-km squares that have lost or gained breeding Greenshanks at different times (down-pointing and uppointing triangles respectively), or retained them throughout (pink shading). Provided all these areas were sufficiently well surveyed in all periods, we can relate the pattern of gains and losses to information on environmental changes, to understand what has driven these changes.

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com

For the last few months the Atlas Team has been focusing closely on individual species,

Facts Figures

breeding in 2,223 squares, encompassing shorelines, farmland, uplands, rivers and

2008–11. Little Ringed Plover has continued

at least 42% of the squares in which

even factory roofs. And there are the special

to spread following its colonisation in the

they bred. Overall, 11 wader species have

species such as the Woodcock, already

1930s. Oystercatchers have also fared well,

contracted in range by more than 10%.

the focus of a dedicated survey in 2013,

now occupying 28% more 10-km squares,

The situation is worse in Ireland. Of the 14

following the detection of a large breeding-

with gains forming a broad swathe from the

species that have bred there, only one has

range contraction.

interior of East Anglia west to the Wirral and

shown a range expansion (Little Ringed

north to Northumberland.

Plover has colonised since 1968–72)

So how is this group of related but ecologically diverse species faring? In

whereas 13 species have contracted in

Britain there are some good-news stories,

On the other side of the scales there

range. Greenshank, which was always very

mostly from the lowlands. Avocet makes it

are 12 species whose British breeding

rare, has disappeared whilst the ranges of

into fifth position for the species with the

ranges have contracted since 1968–72.

Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Woodcock and

greatest range expansion since the 1968–72

Three – Woodcock, Redshank and Stone-

Dunlin have contracted by 69% or more.

Breeding Atlas, having expanded from just

curlew – are in the top 20 species showing

eight 10-km squares to 141 squares in

largest declines. All have been lost from

When mapped at the 10-km resolution we can see that a species such as the BTO Annual Review | 2 013

In the period 1995 to 2011 the BBS index for Redshank dropped by 42%, with a further fall of 6% between 2011 and 2012.

110,000

The estimated UK breeding population of Oystercatcher is 110,000 pairs: Population Estimates of Birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Musgrove et al. British Birds.

Only 34 BTO-ringed Whimbrels have been found abroad, half in France but with a total of nine in countries between Senegal and Nigeria www.bto. org/whim-recovery

43,000

There are already nearly 43,000 records of Green Sandpiper in the BirdTrack database, with the species appearing on up to 11% of August lists www.birdtrack.net.

Curlew has been lost from 14% of squares

species. The resulting map (Figure 2) is

tremendous scope to analyse them more

in Britain since 1988–91. Atlas data allow

dominated by brown squares, indicating

formally to understand what drives the gains

us to look within the squares that have

all the regions where waders, as a group,

and losses and why they have occurred

retained Curlews. In 68% of cases Curlews

have declined. Scant few squares have

at different times in different places. Why

now occupy fewer tetrads than they did

shown strong increases — the managed

are the southern uplands of Scotland less

20 years ago. In 1988–91, 48% of tetrads

washlands of the Fens are a clear exception.

favourable for breeding waders? What

in breeding areas were occupied whereas

Some regions, including the southern

do species with positive trends have in

only 36% are occupied now. On its own,

uplands of Scotland have consistent and

common? How successful is lowland wet

this sounds like a small change, but one of

strong declines. Others, such as the western

grassland management? Our aim for the

the strengths of the Atlas is its multi-species

Highlands, show a more mixed pattern.

coming months is that these and many other questions will be the focus of BTO

coverage. By calculating similar values for all wader species it becomes possible to

These are just some of the immediate

research as we capitalise on the investment

make a composite map showing how tetrad

patterns and trends that appear on a

made by so many people to make the Atlas

occupancy rates have changed by all wader

cursory examination of the data. There is

such a success.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

BTO people Our members and volunteers are our lifeblood, doing so much to support our work in so many different ways. Here we celebrate the contributions of some of you who have made a big impact on our work over recent and not so recent years – we salute you!

BRILLIANT BTO MEMBERS…GET MEMBERS We are delighted that BTO membership is continuing to

Dear BTO member

go from strength to strength, with 2012 proving another

Members like you understand the importance of our work and the role it plays in conservation. No one is better placed to help us with our next challenge.

great year for recruitment and growth. One of the highlights of the past year has been our first ever ‘Member get a

With BTO membership at an all-time high, we really need your help to get us to our next major milestone - 17,000 members by the end of 2012.

member campaign’. In 2012, over 430 new BTO members were recruited by our own members through the course

Please help us by encouraging a friend, colleague or family member to join the BTO. Every new member makes us a bigger, stronger, more powerful BTO. Help us and you could win a unique BTO experience.

of this campaign – this represented a fifth of all new members recruited during the year. We introduced the news travelled quickly through social media, with Twitter proving a particularly rich recruitment ground. Ian Gray, a

Help us get more members today!

Photo by David Tipling

Thank you and happy birdwatching,

campaign with a postcard in our 2012 Annual Review and

Ieuan Evans, Head of Membership & Volunteer Engagement

member from Edinburgh single-handedly recruited 28 new members and at least 125 other members contributed too. In addition

members. It is particularly pleasing and exciting that more than 90% of

to producing new recruits for the organisation, the campaign also acted

members recruited via this campaign have renewed their membership

as a great way of building connections between new and existing

for 2013. If you helped us with this success – thank you!

At our annual meeting of Regional Representatives (RRs) which was held in Carlisle in 2012 we celebrated the great work done by our RR for Hertfordshire, Chris Dee. Chris is an unstoppable volunteer surveyor, has been RR for 22 years and has recently joined our Regional Network Committee which oversees the work of the Network. In addition to being a BTO RR, Chris is also heavily involved as a member of the management board of Hertfordshire Bird Club. BTO Supporters Honoured Spotlight on BTO Medal winners 2012

Eve Tigwell has been the Somerset BTO

rare example of a professional ornithologist

RR since 1991. As RR, Eve has brought

who remains closely involved with volunteer

together conservation organisations from

fieldworkers. He was nominated in

across Somerset and heavily promoted

recognition of his work as a member of the

the regional aspects of working for the

Unconventional Methods Technical Panel

BTO. In addition, Eve has also contributed

(UMTP). This Panel reports to the Ringing

as a member of BTO’s Regional Network

Committee and considers applications for

Committee, BTO Council and Chairman of

unconventional trapping or marking projects.

the Pension Fund Trustees. Eve has made

Mick has served as a UMTP member since

an extraordinary front-line contribution to

its inception in the 1980s when a

conservation and ornithology, and a selfless

few tens of applications were

contribution to the backroom business of

considered each year. With the

the BTO. At our annual conference in 2012

availability of new technologies,

Eve was awarded our Jubilee Medal in

this has increased to a few

honour of her committed devotion to the

hundred a year.

Trust. At the same conference we celebrated the amazing contributions of Tucker Medal

►Crossbill is just one of the many

winner Mick Marquiss. Mick is a long-time

species that Tucker Medal winner Mick Marquiss has worked on.

supporter of BTO work in Scotland, and a

AT OUR ANNUAL BTO Medal and Awards Reception we celebrate those who have made a significant contribution to ornithology and to communicating BTO science. In 2012 the Dilys Breese Medal for outstanding communication of BTO activities to a wide audience was awarded to Sheena Harvey, former editor of BirdWatching Magazine. The Marsh Award for Ornithology was awarded to Professor Jerry Wilson, while the Herts Bird Club scooped the Marsh Local Ornithology Award. The ceremony was again generously hosted by the Society of Wildlife Artists at the Mall Galleries in London.

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

Multi-taxa research at the BTO

Conservation is not all about birds! GAVIN SIRIWARDENA explains more about a few of the many BTO science projects that focus on a range of other taxa at local, national and international scales.

It is increasingly common that conservation

and land management focus on wildlife other than birds, both in its own right and as key components of the ecosystems that support birds and mammals (including humans) towards the tops of food chains. This is, of course, entirely right: it is basic ecology that various animals and plants are interdependent and we can only understand one species or group properly if we also understand the others on which it interacts For these reasons, more and more of the BTO’s science projects and monitoring are considering other taxa as well as birds, or even entirely nonavian problems. This is important strategically, because it broadens the scope of our potential research activities, as well as making our science more rounded. In monitoring, we are doing this by working with the various organizations with specialist knowledge of the other groups and their

own, dedicated volunteers. In research, however,

MULTI-TAXA projects for 2013

we are now building our own multi-taxa field capacity where, in the past we might have relied on collaborators to conduct complementary, non-avian research. We can then apply our long-standing study design and analytical skills to projects involving these other biodiversity priorities.

STEVEN ROUND stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/GAVIN SIRIWARDENA/NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK

To date, this has been most apparent to BTO members and supporters through the additional

components of biodiversity. This unique project

surveys undertaken under the umbrellas of the

includes coordinated surveys of all the groups

BBS and Garden BirdWatch, covering such groups

around specific survey locations, so that associations

as mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles and

between different groups and between biodiversity

amphibians. However, currently, we are also working

and land-use will be revealed. Further, it is part of

on projects extending our professional bird research

an international project, in which the same surveys

(as opposed to volunteer surveys) in farmland and

are being done by our French, German, Spanish and

urban habitats to consider other groups. We are

Canadian partners.

fortunate that many existing BTO staff are keen,

We are surveying birds using point counts and

multi-skilled naturalists. We can also readily employ

BBS transects, allowing us to link our results to

people with non-bird skills just as we employ skilled

national patterns. Then, at the same points, we are

bird fieldworkers every year. The aim is both to

surveying within crops – at the edge and in the

conduct good multi-taxa research now and also to

middle of the field – for other taxa. We are looking at

develop and to demonstrate the BTO’s expertise so

plants and butterflies using visual surveys along short

that we can attract more such work in the future.

transects, while ‘pitfall’ and ‘pan’ traps are recording

In 2013, two different projects are in progress,

are also doing specific experiments to examine how

the effects of changes in street lighting on moths

efficiently the animal communities in each survey

in Birmingham, using both existing Garden Moth

area predate crop pests and pollinate flowers.

3. RED-TAILED BUMBLEBEE pollinating an experimental Cornflower. By placing flowers in the field for fixed periods and growing the plants on until they set seed, we can measure the pollination potential provided by the insects in that location.

The scientific papers expected to arise from these

(see page 29). Second, we are in the second and

projects will demonstrate the BTO’s ability to work

final year of a field project investigating relationships

more broadly than just on birds, so should help to

between cropping patterns in farmland and multiple

increase the scope of our work in years to come.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

2. BUFF ARCHES MOTH One of the moth species caught in new field research being conducted in partnership with the University of Birmingham into the effects of changes in street lighting on garden moths.

ground beetles, spiders, bees and hoverflies. We

both funded by Defra. First, we are investigating

Scheme data and new moth-trapping fieldwork

1. ONION FIELD TRAPS The blue and white invertebrate cups (pan traps) mimic flowers to catch bees and hoverflies, while a pitfall trap dug into the soil, with a wooden roof, catches beetles and spiders.

Bringing together global bird recording An exciting collaboration, between BTO and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the US, is enabling the development of a world-wide bird recording site, integrating BirdTrack and the American eBird system. ANDY CLEMENTS takes up the story.

The loss of the world’s biodiversity is

the inclusion into Tringa of existing bird

continuing at a rapid pace. Monitoring

recording schemes.

bird populations can make a significant

The foundations for Tringa are

contribution to arresting the losses,

BirdTrack and CLO’s eBird, highly

because birds are good indicators of

successful projects with strong track

ecosystem health, are fundamental in

records for engaging networks of skilled

identifying critically important areas

volunteers who deliver high-quality

for conservation, and are one of the

data for research in ornithology and

few groups of organisms that can be

conservation science. In addition to

effectively monitored at a global scale.

this expertise in volunteer engagement,

However, we do not yet have systems

both CLO and BTO are leaders in

that enable efficient mobilisation of

environmental data management, and

the huge quantity of data on birds that

making available hundreds of millions

exists across the world. To meet this

of bird observations via dynamic and

challenge, the BTO is joining forces

interactive data visualisations and

with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

explorations. As the global consortium

(CLO) to develop a new global data

grows, we will be able to build on

system of bird observations. We plan

this start and provide a resource of

to call this global data repository

up-to-date maps, charts and other

‘Tringa’ – after this cosmopolitan

visual outputs which will be useful

genus of birds with global-scale

for decision-makers and conservation

movement patterns. Whilst BTO and

practitioners, and will further inspire

CLO are the founding developers of

birders to contribute their observations

Tringa we hope to bring together a

from around the world through their

consortium of contributing partners

component recording schemes.

across the world, particularly enabling

The last year has seen the

A new recording system being developed from BirdTrack and eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) will allow birders to record their sightings from anywhere in the world

development of a flourishing collaboration between the Cornell Lab and BTO, and the commitment of leadership and technical teams to begin the work of bringing Tringa to the bird recording community. We have introduced the concept to our partners in the UK and the Americas, amongst our European bird census partners, and across the global Birdlife

MORE TO GIVE In addition to the developments detailed here, we expect Tringa to

Partnership. Whilst there is a degree

provide high-quality reference datasets for policy-relevant analyses and research that will make a

of understandable realism and caution

significant contribution to bird conservation. For example, we will be able to:

in the community, there is excitement

measure range and abundance changes and their relationships to climate- and land-use change;

too that Tringa will provide a high-

quantify changes in migration patterns and identify the drivers of change;

quality global platform while respecting

provide detailed inventories of bird populations in Important Bird Areas (IBA);

the operation of current country and

produce the first dynamic global atlas of the birds of the world.

regional schemes across the world. BTO Annual Review | 2 013

TECHNOLOGY

‘To meet this challenge, the BTO is joining forces with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (CLO) to develop a new global data system of bird observations. We plan to call this global data repository ‘Tringa’.

Facts Figures

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com/EDMUND FELLOWES

3,100

Work to date includes developing the capability to share data from

Can you help?

eBird and BirdTrack, a crucial step in demonstrating that existing schemes

Initially BTO and CLO, as founding

from across the globe will be able to

members of this project, are seeking

contribute to Tringa. The visualisation

funding for a five-year project to

accompanying this article illustrates the

embed the Tringa data repository

potential for maps and charts to present

and associated presentational and

our knowledge on the static page, but

analytical tools into the bird recording

many of these products really come

community. Engaging partner

into their own through on-line animated

organisations across the globe, and

demonstrations of bird movements at

together providing high-quality data

continental scales.

services is a key aim for the future, we hope others find this prospect as

FIND OUT MORE To explore Tringa, and find out what has been achieved so far, visit http://tringaproject.org

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

exciting as we do. Contact us if you wish to discuss this further.

The Winter Thrushes Survey introduced hundreds of new volunteers to on-line mapping of their data. As well as saving the cost of inputting data that have been submitted on paper, the data from 3,100 different locations were immediately available for analysis. We aim to refine these systems for future surveys, whilst retaining the paper route when this is affordable.

At the time of writing, 11 Wildlife Trusts are already promoting Wild Walks, as part of a new initiative to collect records of birds and other taxa within the Trusts’ network of Living Landscapes. BTO staff have used experience gained from BirdTrack, Bird Atlas 2007–11 and Winter Thrushes to develop these schemes. To learn more and to find out if your local Trust has signed up, visit www.livingmap.org.uk

BirdTrack is becoming an important element of BTO training courses. With two courses for professionals and 22 courses for volunteers during 2012–13, there were plenty of opportunities to introduce birdwatchers to BirdTrack at a variety of venues and habitats. Here’s a way to collect data for your local patch that can contribute to county-based and national conservation efforts.

Habitat: a changing picture Each generation of birdwatchers develops its own fixed ideas as to what constitutes appropriate habitats for a range of species. GRAHAM APPLETON reflects on BTO studies that challenge our assumptions.

maximum of 60% of gardens to 90%, no

Birds Census (CBC) for the well-wooded

doubt encouraged by the availability of seed

Edgbaston Park in Birmingham, some

and the presence of suitable nest sites.

forty years ago, there were several pairs of

Other species are looking for other things; for

Starlings on the site. Thinking more crtitically

Blackcap, for instance, one of the key features

about what was actually happening, the only

sought in gardens in winter is thought to

reason that the birds were associating with

be warmth; it will be interesting to see the

the woodland was a need to find nesting

results of last winter’s GBW Blackcap Survey

holes. For these birds, the chick-rearing

with this in mind. The pattern described by

potential of the site was actually provided by

Phil Hollom in the Popular Handbook of

the playing fields, golf course and amenity

British Birds in 1952 may still be apparent: “It

land that was close-by. The trees had exactly

winters occasionally in England and Wales,

the same nest-site function as the eaves of

fairly often in Ireland, very rarely in Scotland”

houses or dry-stone walls in other areas.

but at much higher levels of abundance.

BTO surveys continually challenge

We have learnt to adapt BTO surveys

our understanding of the habitats that

to try to keep up with the way that birds

birds use. The most obvious changes are

change the niches that they use. The 2012

probably occurring in residential areas,

Nightingale Survey was nowhere near as

with an increasing range of species making

focused upon coppice as the 1999 survey

use of the opportunities we provide.

had been, simply because we had learned

Woodpigeons, for instance, have continued

also to look in scrubby corners, especially

their colonisation of new habitats, a trend first

associated with the growth that takes place

noted in the last quarter of the nineteenth

when a brownfield site has been left to its

century. Up until 1837–63 they were found

own devices for a decade or two. Along

“in all the wooded and enclosed parts”

the Fenland/Breckland edge in East Anglia,

according to Yarrell. Since Garden BirdWatch

Nightingales may well now be found

was launched in 1995, Woodpigeons have

breeding in the scrubby under storey of pine

increased their reporting rate from an annual

shelter-belts alongside potato fields with breeding Yellow Wagtails – a very different situation to forty years ago. In 1826, Thomas Bewick described the habitat of Yellow

IN PRINT “The successful conservation of bird species relies upon our understanding of their habitat use and requirements. In the coming decades the importance of such knowledge will only grow, as climate change and the needs of human populations intensify the already significant pressures on the habitats that birds depend on.” Rob Fuller, Birds and Habitat: Relationships in Changing Landscapes, Cambridge University Press, 2012

Wagtails as “invariably associated with water … damp water meadows and marshy fields along river valleys and freshwater marshes on the coast”, which chimes with my memories of the 1970s, but he went on to say “among the green corn where it frequently nests”.

1. DAVIDTIPLING.COM/STEVEN ROUND stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/JOHN HARDING

When I first took on the Common

Perhaps well-irrigated potato fields are not that strange for Yellow Wagtails, after all.

other species, from Coal Tits to Goshawks. It will be interesting to analyse how such regional

The biggest changes to habitats are

habitat changes are having effects on national

occuring at a landscape scale, as in the

populations of warblers and to consider

reforestation of southern Scotland, for

associations between changes for species using

instance. Looking at the maps that will

similar niches, as reflected in the increased

appear in Bird Atlas 2007–11, it is easy

abundance of Blackbirds and the decline in

to focus on the negative – the changing

numbers of Ring Ouzel, for instance.

distribution of wader species in this area

Bird Atlas 2007–11, with its twenty-year

– but the trees bring shelter, structure and

stock-take of the UK’s and ireland’s birds,

feeding opportunities for a wide variety of

provides a valuable backdrop to the work of BTO Annual Review | 2 013

Looking at some HABITAT habits… 1. YELLOW WAGTAIL Although the number of 10-km squares in which breeding was confirmed or probable only dropped from 759 to 664 between 1988–91 and 2008–11, the distribution of Yellow Wagtails changed markedly, reflecting more use of lowland, arable habitat. 2. LINNET Thousand-strong flocks of Linnet can now be found on fields that are specifically cultivated to deliver winter seed, using mixes such as small-grained cereals, fodder raddish, mustard, Camelina, Phacelia, fat-hen and millet. 3. BULLFINCH Reports from BTO volunteers in the Birmingham area suggest that Bullfinches have learnt to bring their newly-fledged offspring to garden ‘fast-food restaurants’, somewhat at odds with the species’ previous shy and retiring reputation.

the BTO’s Land-use Research Team, especially

the Journal of Applied Ecology provides the first

increasing habitat quality and increasing over

with the supporting evidence provided by

evidence of population benefits of broad-and-

winter survival. BTO review work underpins a

the annual BBS. The Team has been building

shallow agri-environment management at the

recently launched online ’Bird Environmental

on existing BTO strengths in farmland bird

national scale. This paper is having high impact

Stewardship Tool’ which aims to provide

research whilst also focusing on woodland,

in the ongoing process of agri-environment

evidence-based advice to farmers and land-

upland and urban systems, and broadening

scheme (AES) revision in England, as the

managers looking to designing AES agreements

the scope of research to include other

Common Agricultural Policy is reformed.

to optimise benefits for birds.

taxa and ecosystem services. Some of the

Meanwhile, further bird AES research (a Defra-

agri-environment research in which they are

funded collaboration with CEH) is measuring

involved aims to recreate a habitat mix that can

the benefits of a new option involving direct

support farmland birds. A high-profile paper in

supplementary feeding of birds – artificially

FIND OUT MORE Baker, D. J., et al. 2012. Landscape-scale responses of birds to agri-environment management: a test of the English Environmental Stewardship scheme. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49, 871–882.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

Getting our message out there There are many different ways to promote the work of the BTO, says PAUL STANCLIFFE. Targeted press releases to chosen audiences work well, as does highlighting a survey or a BTO project on national TV, but more often than not it is radio that serves us best.

By their very nature, press releases

that held two males each. The scene was

have to be short, sharp and focused;

set; all that was needed was for the birds

a busy journalist might receive two

to ‘perform’ for the radio:

hundred press release emails a day. TV is even more focused, as a rule it takes

..AND THE BBC’S VIEW

two hours of filming for every minute of

Without the dedication of Paul Stancliffe

a finished product.

who’s not just a Media Officer, but an experienced field naturalist too, I

‘I had identified a couple of areas that held two males each. The scene was set; all that was needed was for the birds to ‘perform’ for the radio.’

PAUL SETS THE SCENE...

wouldn’t have dreamed of tackling a

us a close encounter early on in the

So, when I was approached to do a

subject as tricky as the Golden Pheasant.

programme.

programme with Brett Westwood on the

Even with his meticulous preparation,

As it happened, although we did

Golden Pheasants in Thetford Forest,

it was touch-and-go as to whether we

use the window and captive bird in

it didn’t take too much thinking about.

would see this notoriously elusive bird.

the final edit, we needn’t have worried.

The programme would highlight the

To make it work for Radio’s 4’s Living

Two resplendent male pheasants and,

BTO monitoring of non-native species,

World, we needed other elements to

the icing on the cake – a female –

the changing status of Golden Pheasant

the story in case we failed to record

duly obliged at the location Paul had

through the Bird Atlas 2007—11 and

the birds. Paul responded immediately

pinpointed. The result was one of the

the expertise that the BTO can offer.

by finding a stained glass window in a

most enjoyable Living World programmes

The programme would not only need

nearby church which depicted Golden

I’ve been involved with, and a testament

recordings of calling males in their

Pheasants, proving that they’re part of

to building a story with the help of

‘natural’ habitat but they would also

the local avian scene and setting up the

knowledgeable professionals.

need to be seen - not an easy ask for

bird’s mystique. As a failsafe he also

a species that spends most of its life in

located a captive bird at a public aviary in

Brett Westwood Radio producer/presenter,

the shadows!

nearby Bury St Edmunds which allowed

BBC Natural History Radio

However, armed with a ‘fairly reliable’ site courtesy of the BTO’s John

Marchant, the beginning of November saw me visiting the site to begin to get a handle on what the birds were doing and where they might be. John didn’t think that they would be very vocal at this time and he was right: it took another eight visits in freezing temperatures until I heard two short distant calls in mid January. After that ‘first contact’ it was another three weeks, one evening) before I heard my next Golden Pheasant. The whole episode lasted for around three minutes but stopped long before I could work out which forestry block they might be in. It was to be yet another month before the birds started to call again. Mid February seemed to hold a trigger for the males to start calling in earnest, even though it was very, very cold. By the end of the month I had identified a couple of areas

CHRIS KNIGHTS/IAN WILSON/EDMUND FELLOWES

in even colder temperatures (-11oC on

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

Our MEDIA darlings…

1. MOST GOLDEN PHEASANTS are not as confiding as this magnificent male. You can listen to The Living World programme on www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ b01s38s0. Share the suspense and then the excitement as the soundman records the moment when Paul Stancliffe’s patient work delivers for BBC’s Brett Westwood. 2. TWITTER IS ANOTHER very successful avenue for BTO. We sent out over 7,000 tweets last year which achieved almost 97,000,000 potential impressions. Our twitter following grew by over 6,000 followers and currently stands at 17,500. Our most popular tweet read: @_BTO: Ho ho ho here’s to the Santa Robin, a very festive bird snapped as part of @BTO_GBW Abnormal Plumage Survey. This tweet was retweeted 30 times and read by 275,000 people. 3. IT’S ALWAYS SATISFYING when the work that we do attracts the interest of people working in other arenas. There is often much to be gained from crossing those imaginary boundaries between interests and disciplines. We were delighted when a team from Engineering & Technology Magazine paid us a visit to learn more about our Cuckoo-tracking work. The team filmed an in-depth interview with lead scientist Dr Chris Hewson. 2 013 | BTO Annual Review

Ringing it all together British ringers and nest recorders operate from the tip of Cornwall to the offshore northern islands, and everywhere in-between, and their hard work brings benefits to a whole host of different BTO research as ROB ROBINSON and DAVE LEECH report.

The beautiful, windswept landscape of

group is training new people to take over

South Uist, with its peat bogs and summer-

projects as their original monitors begin to

flowering machair, may, at first, seem to

retire.

have little in common with the verdant

While these two projects, and many

oakwoods of Devon; other than that they

others like them, are providing valuable results

both seem about as far away from the

in their own right, they also make a critical

BTO’s HQ in Thetford as it is possible to get

contribution to the BTO’s monitoring efforts

and still remain in Britain! What links these

through the Retrapping Adults for Survival

two disparate locations are the ringers

(RAS) Scheme. This is where that Strategy

who are using their ringing in support of

comes in. Ringing birds and re-encountering

the BTO’s Demographic Targeting Strategy

them subsequently, either by recatching them

which we launched during the year.

or finding them dead, provides the only way

Mention a ‘strategy’ and immediately eyes

of measuring their chances of surviving from

start to glaze… however, key to those aims

one year to the next. Knowing these helps

are individual projects, each of which is

us to understand how and why our bird

fascinating in its own right.

populations are changing. Changes in survival

Ian Thompson and Yvonne Benting are

rates are some of the key reasons why

colour-ringing the House Sparrows that visit

populations might start declining; identifying

their garden in Askernish, South Uist. They

these helps to design effective conservation

started relatively recently (November 2010)

measures. However, catching and, more

but by the end of 2012 they had already

importantly, recatching or resighting, enough

ringed 441 birds, each of which is individually

individuals to estimate survival rates, takes

identifiable without the need to recapture it.

patience and a lot of effort. Our Demographic

House Sparrows are legendary for not being

Strategy was developed in order to guide

all that adventurous. And the Askernish birds

ringers, and others, on the most useful

live up to their reputation, with 40% of the

species to study. In doing this, we believe that

resightings coming from the garden of their

ten studies on one species are better than

neighbour, Bill Neill, a wildlife artist and

one study on ten species. This is because

naturalist, only 200 yards away. Young birds,

comparing studies in different areas provides

however, have been reported at sites covering

a powerful method of identifying drivers of

the length of the Uists, with the furthest

population change.

travelling more than 30 miles. At the other end of the country, Malcolm Burgess is also interested in dispersal but, in this case, in Pied Flycatchers, an iconic denizen of our western oakwoods. Malcolm works primarily in the East Dartmoor NNR, and his nestbox project in Yarner Wood is the third-longest-running in the country, having started in 1955, but ‘his’ birds would sometimes be recaught by others operating nearby. Bringing together these local projects (all 22 of them) gave birth to the Southwest Pied Flycatcher Monitoring Network. Not only does the network allow Malcolm to study the lifetime consequences of dispersal, it has also prevented the loss of valuable historic data, which are now all computerised. The

Joined-up SURVEYING The ethos of the Demographic Targeting Strategy is that it pulls together the results from across the range of BTO surveys in the interest of identifying the drivers of population change, so you don’t need to hold a ringing permit to contribute. Nest Record Scheme participants provide information on the breeding success of over 130 species per year; data from garden nest boxes help us to understand how Blue Tit populations cope with urban habitats in a changing climate, while those volunteers skilled at finding

open nests enable the impacts of grazing pressure and habitat degradation further afield to be explored. Birders work alongside ringers to resight colour-ringed individuals, generating high-quality survival-rate estimates, while thousands more count numbers of birds on their BBS squares, providing essential data on population trends. It is this holistic approach that makes Britain’s bird populations among the most comprehensively monitored in the world. And we have our volunteers to thank for that. BTO Annual Review | 2 013

‘What links these two disparate species are the ringers who are using their ringing in support of the BTO’s Demographic Targeting Strategy.’

1. HOUSE SPARROW BTO data have shown that many species are doing better in Scotland than England. For example, it will be fascinating to see whether Yvonne and Ian’s House Sparrows, in their northern fastness of Uist, fare better or worse than those being studied by Jo Lashwood in arable East Anglia, or Denise Wawman in rural Somerset.

2. PIED FLYCATCHER Many birds are breeding earlier but migrants may not be able to do this easily due to the timings of their migrations and their inability to change those timings. What impact will this have in the future? With nearly 20 RAS studies on Pied Flycatchers, ringers are helping to understand how migratory birds might be affected by climate change.

JOHN HARDING/WWW.HANDADESIGNS.CO.UK/EDMUND FELLOWES

Mipits on the moors

Intensive demographic studies focusing on declining species are not the sole preserve of ringers. Meadow Pipit numbers have declined by more than 25% in the last 50 years, with potentially severe implications for this unassuming passerine and species such as Merlin and Cuckoo that depend on it for food and chick-rearing respectively. A fall in Nest Record Scheme submissions from 400 per year in the mid 1980s to just 50 by 2005 made it difficult to determine the role breeding success has played in this collapse, but thankfully record numbers have risen again to over 300, thanks to efforts by recorders such as Mark Lawrence, Mark Penney and Dave Scott, who monitored 116 Meadow Pipit nests in Devon during 2012.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

Scientific research in 2012 & 2013 In the triptych below, NIALL BURTON, ANDY CLEMENTS, VIOLA ROSS-SMITH and MIKE TOMS present more fascinating stories that have emerged from BTO work in the last 12 months, demonstrating the wide range of research in which BTO scientists are involved.

1. FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

2. CATCHING NEW &

The effects of Cormorant control are not clear cut

Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden BirdWatchers play an important role

Over recent decades, there has been

with higher-intensity control (although this

New collaborative research between the

a sizeable increase in the number of

was not seen on SPAs). One explanation

Zoological Society of London, Oxford University,

Cormorants breeding and wintering at

for this positive relationship could be that

RSPB and BTO has used information collected

inland sites in the UK. This expansion has

disturbance caused by control increases

by BTO Garden BirdWatch volunteers to

brought the species into conflict with some

Cormorant dispersal, leading to apparent

document the emergence and spread of a

commercial fisheries. In response to this

population growth at the wider site level.

severe form of avian pox virus in British tits.

apparent conflict, licences have been issued

Alternatively, the results may reflect the fact

Most of the cases involved Great Tits, with other

in England for the control of birds at fisheries

that control measures are often reactive,

reports coming from Blue and Coal Tits. By

where they are causing serious damage,

with licences granted in response to local

using reports of affected birds, submitted by the

the licence to shoot a limited number of

increases in Cormorant numbers.

general public since 2006, it has been possible

birds being viewed as an aid to scaring other individuals away from the site. Licences were

Due to the potential for increased Cormorant

issued to kill up to 3,000 birds per year for

movements following control, both at

two years from 2004, with licences issued

larger scales and between unmonitored

birds, including Dunnock and Blackbird,

for up to 2,000 birds to be killed annually

and monitored sites, these findings do not

since at least the 1950s. However, the strain

thereafter.

provide evidence as to whether control has

first seen in British tits in 2006 is different

influenced the national population trend.

and causes more serious symptoms. Its

Defra, has examined whether this control

Further work is needed to improve Cormorant

transmission also appears to be independent

has caused any changes in Cormorant

monitoring outside the studied WeBS sites

from that present in non-tit species. Avian

numbers on WeBS sites, especially those

and to research their population dynamics,

pox is thought to be spread primarily by biting

located within Special Protection Areas

movements and behaviour. The key questions

insects, resulting in peak levels of disease

(SPAs) that have been designated to protect

of whether Cormorant control has the desired

incidence in late summer, particularly following

particular species under the European Birds

effect of reducing predation at fisheries, and

warm, wet weather when insect population

Directive.

how cost-effective it is compared to other

densities are high.

NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK/DAVE WRAGG/EDMUND FELLOWES

New research by the BTO, on behalf of

to establish how the disease has spread and to

Although there has been a decrease in

measures, remain to be answered.

Cormorant population growth nationally since the mid 2000s, there was no evidence that killing Cormorants during one winter affected numbers at local sites the following winter. However, some results indicated that Cormorant population growth was associated

identify its likely point of arrival in Britain. Avian pox has been known in other garden

Examination of the pattern of reports, both over time and across the country, suggests

FIND OUT MORE Chamberlain, D.E., Austin, G.E., Newson, S.E., Johnston, A. & Burton, N.H.K. (2013). Licensed control does not reduce local Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo population size in winter. Journal of Ornithology 154: 739-750

that avian pox in Great Tits has spread from an origin in south-east England. Use of the weekly BTO Garden BirdWatch records has allowed us to control for any change in the distribution of Great Tits themselves that might BTO Annual Review | 2 013

Behind the IMAGES… 1. CONTROVERSIAL CORMORANTS

2. GREAT TIT WITH AVIAN POX

Lakes, reservoirs and rivers in the UK support Cormorants from a number of populations. Coastal breeding carbo and continental sinensis join birds of both races that breed by inland waters.

The pox spreading through the Great Tit population was first identified in England in 2006. Work led by Dr Becki Lawson of ZSL has shown that it was likely brought here by biting insects.

3. ISOLATED PTARMIGAN Bird Atlas 2007–11 reveals the latest distribution of Ptarmigan and other mountain-top species. The new ‘What’s Up?’ project aims to monitor these sensitive species on an annual basis.

EMERGING DISEASES

3. CONTRIBUTING TO THE EVIDENCE BASE

in monitoring emerging diseases

Scientists and policy-makers working together

bias our interpretation of the apparent pattern

Science plays an important role beyond

answers then used to inform the science–policy

of disease spread.

simply providing information about the world

agenda. Many of the questions are practical

around us. Increasingly, the understanding

in nature – for example, ‘How is agreement

virus, the lesions it causes may impair vision

and use of science is being recognised for the

reached on what counts as sufficient evidence to

and the ability to feed, as well as leaving

role that it plays in shaping government policy

inform particular policy decisions?’ – and should

affected individuals susceptible to secondary

and delivery, with good-quality science being

allow scientists to better understand how their

infections and predation.

used to provide an ‘evidence base’ on which

results are used and interpreted within policy-

Although birds can recover from the pox

decisions can be made. Indeed, evidence-

making. In addition, a grouping broader than CCI,

This study illustrates the power of

based policy is the aspiration in many fields

including BTO, publishes an annual digest of the

collaborative research and the value of citizen

and we are now seeing scientists engaged at a

legislative issues informing researchers of the up-

science in characterising and studying wildlife

senior level within many governments.

to-date policy context in which they work.

diseases. It also underlines the importance

Science and policy are not necessarily easy

of continued vigilance and the reporting of

bedfellows, however, and there have been

An understanding of the science–policy

illnesses in wild animals, as where avian

occasions – such as the acrimonious debate

agenda is important to organisations like the BTO,

pox and other emerging diseases (such as

over the science of climate change – where

whose monitoring outputs provide an evidence

finch trichomonosis) lead, others may follow.

the relationship experiences troubled times.

base for both conservation actions and policy

A new web-based system for reporting

Such difficulties underline the complexities of

decisions. Knowledge of how these outputs are

dead and diseased wildlife – which is also

science–policy interactions and highlight that

used, and within what framework, can help us

a collaborative initiative – has just been

there is still much to learn about the nature of

present evidence in ways that are most relevant

launched. This brings together systematic

scientific authority and the processes by which

for different audiences. Equally, it is important

weekly recording through Garden BirdWatch

policies are developed to improve delivery.

for policy-makers to understand the nature of

and opportunistic submissions from a wider

The Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI),

the evidence base to which we are contributing,

audience, something that should greatly

in which BTO is a founding partner, attempts

so that they can make informed decisions.

enhance our understanding of wildlife disease

to work at the research–policy interface. In an

Collectively then, both scientists and policy-

in Britain.

attempt to improve and inform the debate

makers are likely to benefit from working closer

surrounding the science–policy agenda,

together and developing a better understanding of

FIND OUT MORE Lawson, B., Lachish, S., Colvile, K.M., Durrant, C., Peck, K.M., Toms, M.P, Sheldon, B.C. & Cunningham, A.A. (2012). Emergence of a novel avian pox disease in British tit species. PLoS One 7, e40176.

Sutherland et al. brought together researchers,

the sphere in which each other operates.

Garden Wildlife Health – www.gardenwildlifehealth.org

questions, questions that can be tested and the

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

policy-makers and practitioners with interests in the relations between science and policy. The results of this exercise are a series of research

FIND OUT MORE Sutherland, W.J., et al. (2011). What are the forthcoming legislative issues of interest to ecologists and conservationists in 2011? Bulletin of the BES 42: 26–31.

BTO Accounts 2012/13 Council aims to minimise the impact of a tough Government spending round on levels of contract income and will look for additional unrestricted income in order to continue and develop key programmes.

Diversification of income was delivered through the development of a broader spectrum of funding streams, including a new appeal for core funds in autumn 2012, which attracted significant support. A total of £66,000 (including Gift Aid) was received immediately with promises of £14,000 (plus Gift Aid). The money is supporting the development of BirdTrack, the launch of a new ringing-based project and further Nightingale, chat and thrushes research. Research contracts remain the largest source of funding for the BTO, and there was a significant increase in the volume of contract work undertaken during the year, with the increase coming in publicly funded, rather than commercial, contracts. Membership income is an increasingly important element of the funding for core work, such as the BTO’s contributions to the JNCC partnership, and we are grateful to people who add regular donations to their monthly or annual subscriptions. The Trust depends on the contributions of many thousands of volunteers who participate in surveys and other activities. We are greatly indebted to them, and especially to the Regional Representatives and other regional volunteers who organise so much BTO activity at a local level. It was estimated that BTO volunteers contributed the equivalent of 174,000 days of work in 2012.

Summarised ACCOUNTS 2012/13 This year’s accounts were significantly affected by the decision to close the final salary pension scheme to future accrual, which resulted in a credit to operating expenditure from the FRS17 valuation of £1,111k. This gave an overall operating surplus of £1,155k. The surplus excluding the pension credit was £44k (2012: £192k deficit). The principal funding sources continued to be research and surveys (£2,183k), membership and communications (£1,141k), and

trading and consultancy (including BTO Services Ltd turnover) (£764k). Appeals raised £400k, and £230k was received from legacies. A total of £4,212k was spent during the year on carrying out, supporting and communicating ornithological research. There was a gain of £56k in the market value of investments, in line with the general rise in the stock market, but an actuarial loss of £468k in the pension scheme, due to continued weakening of bond yields.

Incoming resources General donations

157

Appeals

400

346

Legacies

230

215

Trading and consultancy

764

948

Royalties and copyright

120

123

Other income Membership and communications Research and surveys

Independent Auditor’s Statement to The Members of The British Trust for Ornithology We have examined the summarised financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2013 set out [right]. The Council Members are responsible for preparing the summarised financial statements in accordance with applicable United Kingdom law and the recommendations of the Charities SORP. Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summarised financial statements with the full annual financial statements and the Council Annual Report. We also read other information contained in the summarised annual report and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the summarised financial statements. We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2008/3 issued by the Auditing Practices Board. In our opinion the summarised financial statements are consistent with the full annual financial statements and the Council Annual Report of The British Trust For Ornithology for the year ended 31 March 2013. LOVEWELL BLAKE LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor Bankside 300, Peachman Way, Broadland Business Park, Norwich. NR7 0LB 31 July 2013

2012/13 2011/12 £’000 £’000

1,141

1,111

2,183

1,677

5,046

4,555

Costs of generating voluntary income

174

142

Costs of activities for generating funds

575

711

Membership, volunteers and communications

1,173

1,400

Research and surveys

3,039

2,457

Total incoming resources

Resources expended

Governance costs

Total resources expended

5,002

4,747

Defined benefit pension scheme closure

1,111

––

Net incoming/(outgoing) resources

1,155

-192

Other recognised losses

-412

-1,497

Net movement in funds

743

-1,689

Total funds brought forward

313

2,002

1,056

313

Fixed assets

1,684

1,638

Net current assets

1,163

1,198

Total funds carried forward

Represented by: Amounts falling due after one year

-22

Pension fund liability

-1,769

-2,501

TOTAL

1,056 313

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

ACCOUNTS

‘We are seeking to enhance the BTO’s fundraising capability in order to address issues identified by Bird Atlas 2007–11, to expand our online recording and to meet the continuing desire to set our own research priorities.’

Facts Figures

JOHN OSMOND, HON. TREASURER

INCOME 2012/13 43% Research & surveys

3% General donations

EXPENDITURE 2012/13

8% Appeals

1% Governance costs

3% Costs of generating voluntary income 12% Costs of activities for generating funds

5% Legacies

15% Trading & consultancy

729

2% Royalties & copyright

23% Membership, volunteer and communications

1% Other income

23% Membership & communications

61% Research and surveys

INCOME 2011/12 37% Research & surveys

The amount of volunteer effort dropped, with the end of fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007–11, but was still equivalent to having a paid workforce of 729 full-time staff, with an estimated value of £26.1 million.

1% General donations

7.0%

EXPENDITURE 2011/12

8% Appeals

1% Governance costs

433 new members recruited through the ‘Member get a member’ scheme, made a significant contribution to a rise in membership of 7.0% between 2011 and 2012.

3% Costs of generating voluntary income 15% Costs of activities for generating funds

5% Legacies

120,000

21% Trading & consultancy

29% Membership, volunteer and communications

3% Royalties & copyright 24% Membership & communications

1% Other income

Our working relationship with Gardman and Ernest Charles yielded £120,000 for the BTO, through sales of BTO-endorsed goods such as bird food and feeders. This income is used to underpin the core work of the Trust.

52% Research and surveys

FURTHER INFORMATION

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

A single donation of £10,000 will enable BTO scientists to initiate research into changes in range and abundance, using data from Bird Atlas 2007–11.

contain a statement either under section 498(2) of the Companies Act 2006 (accounting records or returns inadequate or accounts not agreeing with the records and returns) or section 498(3) (failure to obtain information and explanations).

Of the 13 legacies we learned about in 2012/13, nine came from BTO members. Legacy income in the year was £230k.

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com

These summarised accounts have been extracted from the Trust’s annual accounts. They may not contain sufficient information to provide a full understanding of the financial affairs of the Trust. For further information, the full accounts, the auditor’s report and the Council (Trustees’) Report should be consulted. These are available on the BTO web site (www.bto.org/about-bto/ accounts) and hard copies are available on request from the Director of Services, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. The annual accounts were approved by Council on 10 July 2013 and have been submitted to the Registrar of Companies, the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. The accounts include the auditor’s report which is unqualified and does not

1,529

The number of new people who joined our Garden BirdWatch scheme in 2012. Participants pay an annual fee of £17 to be part of this all-year citizen-science project.

Partnerships Helping to spread the BTO’s message by working with charity and academic partners. Each provides a way to put our conservation and research messages in front of new audiences.

1. Four-and-twenty BLACKBIRDS?

APEP – putting a number on Britain’s birds

2. IRISH seabirds

Assisting seabirds on Copeland

BTO has, over the past two years, been part of a team working towards the enhancement of the Copeland Islands, Co Down, as a location for breeding seabirds. Working with our partners in Natural Copeland – Copeland Bird Observatory (CBO), RSPB, Ards Borough Council, NIEA, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Island Guardians, and a Big Copeland representative, as well as with Birdwatch Ireland and National Trust, BTO (specifically Shane Wolsey, BTO Ireland Officer and Kerry Leonard, BTO NI Seabird Coordinator) has advised on the development of a long-term strategy to improve the breeding success of seabirds on the islands. Initial success saw the movement of Packing a powerful punch. Although Wren numbers can be badly hit by hard winters, this tiny bird is our most common species, with one in 10 of all breeding birds in the UK being Wrens.

Ireland’s largest Arctic Tern colony from an area of high disturbance and low productivity to Lighthouse Island. Here, less disturbance

The BTO aims to provide authoritative

were generated by extrapolating earlier ones

and some active management has enabled

information about the status of UK birds. We

using the BBS trends.

two years of much improved productivity. The

can do this through the production of trends;

movement of the colony was encouraged

for example, the BBS tells us that Skylark

pairs of breeding birds in the UK (79

through the use of decoys and solar-powered

populations have fallen 22% during 1995–

million in GB). The Wren remains the most

sound attraction systems.

2011. But there are cases where it is useful

numerous (c.10% of the total), with 23

The same methods have been used to

to know about absolute numbers; how

species surpassing one million pairs. In

encourage the establishment of a new Puffin

many Skylarks does this represent?

contrast, the combined breeding populations

colony on Lighthouse Island. Within 10 days

of the 100 rarest species collectively total

of deploying the decoys, Puffins arrived

about 0.1%.

and started investigating burrows. In 2012 a

The Avian Population Estimates Panel (APEP) comprises representatives from BTO, RSPB, WWT, JNCC and GWCT. The panel

APEP3 provides an unparalleled

maximum of 50 Puffins were at the site, and

aims to collate the most recent authoritative

assessment of our avifauna, built almost

in 2013 over 100 have been seen. Breeding

estimates for birds in Great Britain and the

entirely on a solid foundation of volunteer

has not yet been confirmed, but it now

United Kingdom. Following two previous

fieldwork. As would be expected, the panel

seems likely in the near future.

reviews (Stone et al. 1997, Baker et al. 2006),

identified those estimates most in need

a third collation (APEP3) was published in

of improvement, including groups such

2013 by the journal British Birds (Musgrove

as breeding ducks, owls and wintering

et al. 2013, available at www.britishbirds.

passerines, alongside individual species

co.uk/birding-resources/key-refs).

such as Rock Pipit, Kingfisher and Sand

APEP3 sought estimates for all species

Martin. Importantly, the panel stressed that

proved breeding at least once from 2006

improving our state of knowledge is not the

onwards. Additionally, winter estimates

sole preserve of large surveys organised by

were sought for relevant species. Separate

BTO and others, but can in many cases be

estimates for subspecies were collated

aided significantly by local volunteer studies.

where possible. Many estimates were

Overall, APEP3 found about 84 million

And in answer to the question above, we

sourced from separate studies, but for most

lost about 375,000 pairs of Skylarks in the

common breeding species new estimates

UK between 1995 and 2011.

Could you resist? Dummy Puffins and sound recordings are being used to tempt potential breeders to Lighthouse Island, Copeland.

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

‘The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) was initiated in 2000, a partnership between a number of different organisations with the broad aim of collating records from a variety of sources and making them available for further uses.’

PARTNERSHIPS

Facts Figures

3. Relaunching a national ONLINE RESOURCE Into the future with NBN

BTO shares records from some surveys with National Biodiversity Network, and has been involved in ensuring that the balance between the needs of end users and data providers is maintained.

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com/SHANE WOLSEY/NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK/EDMUND FELLOWES

We have been recording observations of

In 2012, a consultation on a series of

wildlife in the UK for centuries, whether for

proposed changes to the NBN data access

reasons of science, conservation or simple

controls resulted in some concerns being

curiosity. Records were initially stored and

raised by a number of data providers,

disseminated on paper but the increase

including BTO. Some of the main concerns

in computing, coupled with the internet

revolved around misinterpretation of data

revolution, has led to an exponential growth

by third parties, loss of income to smaller

in records and channels of dissemination.

recording communities (such as bird clubs)

The sheer mass of records can at times

and issues surrounding intellectual property.

appear overwhelming. In response, the

The Gateway was relaunched in late 2012,

National Biodiversity Network (NBN) was

although this has clearly been a major

initiated in 2000, as a partnership between

technical challenge and there remain some

a number of different organisations with the

significant problems to resolve.

broad aim of collating records from a variety

that the NBN has been driven mostly by

further uses.

the requirements of governmental end users, with less regard given to the needs

Gateway (data.nbn.org.uk), which allows a

and motivations of the primary data

user to request species maps and (in some

generators, i.e. individual recorders such as

cases) to download the underlying data.

BTO volunteers. Partly in recognition of this

The Gateway includes some important BTO

perceived imbalance, the BTO’s Director,

datasets, notably the 10-km-resolution data

Andy Clements, was invited onto the NBN’s

for the 1968–72 and 1988–91 Breeding

Board of Trustees in early 2013, to help

Atlases and the 1981–84 Winter Atlas. More

advise on rebalancing the needs of data

recently we have uploaded distributional

providers and users. We are confident we

records from the BBS and are in discussions

can look forward to a continuing fruitful

regarding BirdTrack data.

relationship with the NBN.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

£18,500

The Google Adwords programme for non-profit organisations has supported us with £18,500 worth of free Google search advertising between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013. Find out more about Google Adwords and how they work by visiting: https:// adwords.google.co.uk/

In some circles, there has been a feeling

of sources and making them available for The NBN’s main ‘front end’ is the

The number of ways in which BTO is researching the impacts of the new brighter, more energy-efficient LED streetlights that are replacing existing lighting. Firstly we are using information collected by Garden Moth Scheme volunteers to measure the effects of lighting on moth abundance and diversity, and secondly we are collecting new field data to examine how moth communities respond to lighting changes.

Research by Philippa Gullett (University of Sheffield), in collaboration with BTO, shows the Long-tailed Tit nesting season has shortened by five days in the last decade. Although slightly higher temperatures in March mean individuals are laying earlier, warmer Aprils may mean reduced food availability and fewer opportunities for renesting.

Birds and Business One of the key elements of the BTO’s work with business is the development of long-term relationships, explains BONITA JOHNSTON

CORPORATE SUPPORT FOR TRACKING & SURVEYS

◄ Redwing (Winter Thrushes Survey) and Nightjar: studies of both of these species were supported by our corporate partners during 2012/13.

CUCKOO TRACKING Corporate support for the Cuckoo tracking

Practical Support…

programme this year came from two major funders, Essex & Suffolk Water and the Sound Approach. Difficult weather during

NIGHTINGALES

the autumn migration clearly affected the

Anglian Water have been supporting the BTO’s

journeys of many of the Cuckoos tagged in

Nightingale research for twelve years, in ways

2012, especially the ones using the westerly

that complement conservation management

route through Spain and West Africa.

work within their own sites, particularly

Although sad to lose so many birds, we may

Grafham Water. Twenty Nightingales were

be starting to explain why numbers are in

tagged in 2012, in the hope that we can

decline, especially as the western route was

learn more about what happens to these

favoured only by breeders from England,

individuals in the eight months when birds are

where we have seen the biggest declines.

not in England. We should be able to report

Funds to support Cuckoo-tracking were

on the results of this exciting project in next

raised through the raffle at the annual

year’s Annual Review. Anglian Water have

BTO December conference, thanks to

maintained their funding for the project and

prizes generously donated by Ark Wildlife,

generously provided additional support for

Birdwatch Magazine, Bird Watching

fieldwork associated with the national survey.

Magazine, NHBS Environment Bookstore, Swarovski and Vine House Farm. The

NIGHTJARS

Cuckoo-tracking programme was initially

The BTO have been working closely with

launched in 2011 with the help of Essex

Biotrack on tracking technology for several

& Suffolk Water together with the BBC

years now. Biotrack supplied 20 geolocators

Wildlife Fund. Our input to programmes

for tracking Nightjars, most of which were

on TV, such as Springwatch, and on radio,

deployed in 2011, with one bird being tagged

including Saving Species, has resulted in

last year. The three tags recovered so far

helpful coverage for BTO work and we

indicate a spread of migration paths through

look forward to further developing our

France, Spain and North Africa to wintering

collaboration with the BBC.

areas in central and southern Africa.

Opticron have maintained their support for the BTO, helping us to attract 250 new members with promotional sets of binoculars, and providing prizes for our annual raffle. Jacobi Jayne provided 100 nest boxes to help us woo new members during National Nest Box Week 14–21 February. The Bird Watching and Wildlife Club (BWWC) generously donated the first prize for the BTO raffle, a seven-day Highland holiday for two. Country Innovation kept 75 new members warm with pairs of birdwatchers’ mittens. To celebrate a new publishing partnership, Harper Collins supplied 200 Bird Guides as gifts for new joiners. Tom Lawson (Second Nature) and Michael Sweeney Books have provided invaluable advice on how to maximise income from donated second-hand books. As well as providing funding for BTO work and contributing five sets of third prizes to our raffle for 2012, the relationship with Ernest Charles (part of Gardman Ltd) helps us to recruit new Garden BirdWatchers.

Gold Members: Anglian Water Ark Wildlife Biotrack Ltd BirdGuides Birdseye / Iglo Food Group Carl Zeiss Ltd EDF Energy

Gardman Ltd JustAddBirds Nature Counters Northumbrian Water Opticron Serenata Commerce Ltd The Birdtable Ltd Unilever R & D Colworth

Silver Members: Bird Box Cameras Ltd Bronze Members: Anglian Sports & Schoolwear Ltd Birdwatching & Wildlife Club, Grant Arms Hotel Ernest Charles

Essex & Suffolk Water Frontier Holidays Ltd Gardenature Heatherlea Jacobi Jayne & Co John E Haith Ltd Paddocks Farm Partnership Ltd Parkhill Nurseries & Garden Centre Ltd

Porzana R & E Bamford Ltd Swallowtail Print Ltd Swarovski UK Ltd Syngenta Tendley Quarries Ltd Thames Water Utilities Ltd The Nestbox Company Ltd Thetford Garden Centre

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com

BTO CORPORATE MEMBERS

Wales Since the launch of the BTO Cymru office in 2011, our core aims have been to provide better support to volunteers in Wales and to increase the coverage of our surveys in the principality. KELVIN JONES, BTO Wales Officer, updates us on what’s occurring.

WELSH CHAT

Whinchat

An easy way into undertaking a BBS square is to be mentored by an existing BBS surveyor in your first year: they will help you to get to grips with what it is all about and give you confidence.

MENTORING MAKES ITS MARK Thanks to a generous grant from

2012 – an increase of 48 squares (22%).

Natural Resources Wales (NRW, formerly

This is compared to an increase in England

Countryside Council for Wales), we have

of 7%, Scotland of 2% and Northern

been able for the first time to offer free

Ireland of 8%, suggesting that the Welsh

training and 1:1 mentoring to new and

mentoring scheme was very effective at

existing BBS volunteers throughout Wales.

increasing coverage.

DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com/NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK

The free training was advertised widely via the BTO website and social media

Encouraged by the outcomes

channels and we made specific approaches

achieved by this project, NRW agreed to

to Atlas volunteers. We employed a small

fund a second year of the project which

team of professional ornithologists who

will, we hope, boost BBS coverage in

accompanied volunteers on their first visits

Wales even further, allowing us to deliver

to a suitable BBS square.

trends on more species and particularly

With access permissions arranged and

on species of conservation concern. In

help on hand to iron out any problems with

addition to increasing BBS participation,

habitat recording, the focus of the mentoring

this project has also been an excellent

sessions could be on the birds and the

opportunity for BTO staff, regional

survey techniques. By the end of 2012,

representatives, professional ornithologists

two training courses and more than 30 1:1

and volunteers to work together. BTO

mentoring sessions had been delivered.

Cymru is also is being supported by

Despite the wet weather, coverage of the

Environment Wales (on behalf of Welsh

Breeding Bird Survey in Wales was increased

Government) and the Esmée Fairbairn

from 219 squares in 2011 to 267 squares in

Foundation.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

In the spring of 2012 we launched a new survey aimed at recording Stonechat, Whinchat and Wheatear. Wales is a stronghold for the UK populations of Whinchat and Wheatear, and also holds a significant proportion of our Stonechats. Both Whinchat and Wheatear are showing significant population declines and marked range contractions. Volunteers were asked to make three visits to a 1-km square to record their chats and to make a note of the habitat. The near biblical amounts of rain experienced in parts of Wales in 2012 certainly put a dampener on this survey but, to date, 225 randomly selected squares have been surveyed over the two springs, with 50 squares being done in both years. With the survey now finished for 2013 we hope that our scientists will soon be pulling some really meaningful results from the data collected – results that will inform urgently needed conservation action for these species. 31

Scotland’s changing landscapes CHRIS WERNHAM, JAMES PEARCE-HIGGINS and DARIO MASSIMINO explain how information collected by BTO volunteers is being used to help us understand the potential impacts of wind farms and other land-use changes on Scotland’s birds.

The Scottish Government has set

Scottish Windfarm Bird Steering Group

ambitious targets to reduce emissions

(SWBSG), a very welcome collaboration

by at least 80% from 1990 levels over a

of the renewables industry (led by

40-year period. It also aims to promote

Scottish Renewables), RSPB Scotland,

renewable energy so that electricity

SNH and the Scottish Government. The

generation is primarily from renewable

Group aims to facilitate the sharing and

sources by 2030. Onshore wind power is

best use of data gathered by developers

currently one of the cheapest and most

and others, and to help fund research

developed technologies to contribute

to improve the overall understanding of

to these targets. Many wind farms are

the impacts of wind farms on birds.

already operational in Scotland although the industry is still developing rapidly. We already know quite a lot about the

The BTO was asked to carry out a pilot study to develop a framework for gathering information on the potential

local effects of wind farms on birds and

cumulative impacts of wind farms on

this has been used to produce robust

Scotland’s breeding wader populations,

guidance for assessing the impacts of

using Golden Plover and Curlew as

individual wind farms. There is still a

example species. Existing research

pressing need, however, to develop clear

suggested that both species may show

and objective methods to assess the

avoidance of wind turbines, with Curlew

potential overall combined or cumulative

appearing to be one of the upland bird

effects of all wind farm developments in

species most sensitive to wind farms.

a region and, nationally, on populations

Golden Plover is listed on Annex 1 of

of bird species that may be affected.

the EU Birds Directive, Curlew is one of

The BTO is well placed to play a role

the most rapidly declining bird species

here, with its expertise in surveying

in the UK (and listed as globally near-

and modelling bird populations and its

threatened), and much research has

strictly impartial stance. During 2011,

already been carried out to understand

discussions took place to establish the

the factors influencing Golden Plover breeding populations, so these are

Scottish wind farms and effects

definitely suitable focal species for the

on wader populations

pilot study.

The BTO has carried out a pilot study for the Scottish Windfarm Bird Steering Group (SWBSG) to establish an appropriate process for predicting the overall combined effects of wind farm developments across Scotland on numbers of breeding waders. This uses abundance data and distribution maps from BBS from which to make predictions about changes in numbers as a result of the developments. This conceptual modelling framework is then used to predict cumulative impacts of wind farms on Scottish breeding wader populations.

The idea behind the work was to test two different approaches to modelling the cumulative impacts of wind farms in Scotland. Firstly, we focused simply on displacement and, secondly, we also incorporated more uncertain impacts on mortality. This first phase of work was not intended to give precise results about likely impact, but aimed to set up suitable model processes and, in particular, highlight information that is needed to increase certainty in future WORK TO DO There is still much to be learned about the effects of wind farms on local bird populations.

assessments of cumulative impact. This is because the SWBSG needs to understand what new research will best help to increase confidence in predicting

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

WINDFARM

MOORLAND BEAUTY Familiar to many on farmland and wetlands in winter, breeding Golden Plover haunt our wilder habitats. These areas are exactly the places where wind farms are likely to be built and already research suggests that Golden Plover show avoidance of wind turbines.

Facts Figures

the Highlands and islands. This can be reduced by covering more BBS squares, enabling more accurate predictions to be made. To achieve this, a new initiative called ‘What’s Up? – in Scotland’s Uplands’ was launched in 2012 by BTO Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and SNH and with the support of a wide range of other partners and volunteers across Scotland. A key objective is to increase BBS coverage in Scotland by a quarter, by encouraging volunteers to cover at least 100 more survey squares in the uplands and remoter parts of the country. This DAVID TIPLING davidtipling.com/WWW.DAVIDKJAER.COM

will substantially improve our ability to

cumulative impacts across Scotland, and how data collected by the industry (consultants and developers) as part of pre-consent surveys and post-consent monitoring can be used to increase

produce maps of densities of a range of breeding bird species across Scotland, and to predict the impacts of wind farms, and a whole range of other land-use and other changes, on their breeding populations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to the Scottish Windfarm Bird Steering Group for funding the wind farm cumulative impact pilot modelling work, and to Andy Dobson for carrying out analyses for the study. We thank Colin Galbraith and Clare Lacey of the SWBSG for comments on this article. We are grateful to Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club for support for the ongoing ‘What’s Up?’ initiative and the many other partners and volunteers who are assisting with promoting and delivering the project. Our special thanks go to all volunteers in Scotland who contribute to the BBS, and to JNCC and RSPB, our partners in BBS.

-56%

The percentage change in Curlew numbers in Scotland between 1995 and 2011 as shown by the BBS. This places Curlew as one of the fastest-declining breeding birds in Scotland currently, and the trend is also negative across other parts of the UK.

500+

The number of wind farms on the SNH database that are either approved/installed or undergoing scoping or application in Scotland, as in August 2012. The overall cumulative impact of these schemes on Scottish bird populations is still difficult to predict but modelling using BBS data can play an important role in increasing our understanding.

understanding of impacts. The modelling was based upon Scotland-wide maps of Curlew and Golden Plover breeding densities derived for both species from data collected by volunteers as part of the BBS, and provides a good example of how BBS can be used for more than population monitoring, for example by being used to address a wide range of important policy questions. The application of these approaches is most challenging in Scotland, where there is considerable uncertainty about breeding bird densities across much of 2 013 | BTO Annual Review

FIND OUT MORE Pearce-Higgins et al. (2009). The distribution of breeding birds around upland wind farms. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 1323–1331. Pearce-Higgins et al. (2012) Greater impacts of wind farms on bird populations during construction than subsequent operation: results of a multi-site and multispecies analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology 49: 386–394. Breeding Bird Survey abundance mapping. See www.bto.org/vbbs-spatial What’s Up? – in Scotland’s Uplands. See www.bto.org/whats-up Wind farms in Scotland. See www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A763435.pdf The Scottish Windfarm Bird Steering Group See www.swbsg.org

380

The number of Breeding Bird Survey squares covered by volunteers in Scotland in 2012. The ‘What’s Up – in Scotland’s Uplands’ project aims to add at least 100 new squares to this total over the next two years, substantially adding to the power of the data for bird conservation in Scotland.

The BTO in print 49 staff-authored peer-reviewed papers were published in 2012–2013 and a further five were presented at the British Ornithologists’ Union Annual Conference. VIOLA ROSS-SMITH highlights some of the interesting results from last year.

Looking at some BTO PAPERS... A sense of community

Deer pressure

Britain’s estuaries support

Male Blackcaps

important wintering wader

preferentially settle in

A suite of BTO work on

communities monitored

woodland plots from

Nightingales is helping to

by BTO volunteers.

which deer have been

improve our understanding

Community structure varies

excluded, with these

of these birds and their

regionally and has also changed over time. Such

plots occupied earlier and by males of

ecology, both here and on migration. Our

knowledge is important when considering the

superior body condition than those where

efforts, including tagging with geolocators, are

conservation role of designated sites.

browsing by deer occurs.

supporting conservation action through sound

Nightingale knowledge

science.

Mendez, V., Gill, J.A., Burton, N.H.K., Austin, G.E., Petchey, O.L. & Davies, R.G. (2012). Functional diversity across space and time: trends in wader communities on British estuaries. Diversity and Distributions 18, 356–365.

Holt, C.A., Fuller, R.J. & Dolman, P.M. (2013). Deer reduce habitat quality for a woodland songbird: evidence from settlement patterns, demographic parameters, and body condition. The Auk 130: 13–20.

Holt, C.A, Hewson, C.M & Fuller, R.J. (2012). The Nightingale in Britain: status, ecology and conservation needs. British Birds 105:172–187

Stepping stones

Offshore renewables

Feathering the nest

Species may need to shift

GPS work on Gannets

Nest construction,

their distributions in order

from a Channel Island

which requires

to adapt to climate change,

colony has revealed the

investment of both

something that may be

importance of tracking

time and energy, may

hampered by habitat

studies in assessing

be influenced by food

suitability. Examination of BTO and other data has

possible impacts of offshore renewable

availability, something recently tested through

revealed the role that nature reserves can play

developments. Individual birds passed through

experimental provision of supplementary food.

in this process by acting as stepping stones.

nine potential development areas in three

Supplemented Blue and Great Tits started

different jurisdictions, emphasising the need for

building earlier and, in Blue Tits, finished more

joined up planning and international cooperation.

quickly than non-supplemented birds.

Soanes, L.M., Atkinson, P.W., Gauvain, R.D. & Green, J.A. (2012). Individual consistency in the foraging behaviour of Northern Gannets: implications for interactions with offshore renewable energy developments. Marine Policy 38: 507–514

Smith, J.A., Harrison, T.J.E., Martin, G. & Reynolds, S.J. (2013). Feathering the nest: food supplementation influences nest construction by Blue Cyanistes caeruleus and Great Tits Parus major. Avian Biology Research 6: 18–25.

Thomas, C.D., Gillingham, P.K., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourn, N.A.D., Crick, H.Q.P., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Hodgson, J.A., Holt, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N.J., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J. & Hill, J.K. (2012). Protected areas facilitate species’ range expansions. PNAS doi 10.1073/pnas.1210251109.

KEEPING TRACK OF CHANGE: BTO at the British Ornithologists’ Union Annual Conference... There was a strong BTO presence in and amongst an eminent field of international researchers at the Annual Conference of the British Ornithologists’ Union in March 2013. The three-day conference (at the University of Leicester) considered ‘Avian demography in a changing world’, an area in which

BTO ecologists gave five wellreceived talks (below), while others chaired sessions. The BTO was also delighted to see Science Director Professor Rob Fuller receive the BOU’s prestigious Godman Salvin Award for his distinguished career in ornithological research.

BTO has considerable and long-

Gavin Siriwardena: Field estimation of overwinter survival rates.

standing expertise. Accordingly,

Catriona Morrison: Sex‐biased survival

in a declining long-distance migratory bird: implications for population dynamics. Dave Leech: Seasonal patterns of arrival and post-juvenile dispersal in a multi‐ brooded reedbed specialist. James Pearce-Higgins: Avian demographic responses to a warming world. Rob Robinson: Was cock robin killed? Application of Bayesian integrated population models to national bird monitoring.

Several BTO staff members are carrying out an ambitious long-term project on nesting Reed Warblers.

BTO Annual Review | 2 013

BTO funding in 2012/13 We are very grateful for the generous support that we have received, both in time and money, in the past year. In addition to members and other fieldworkers, there are many other individuals and companies who support the work of the BTO with financial contributions.

Corporate Membership 2012/13 Anglia Sports & Schoolwear Ltd, Anglian Water, Ark Wildlife, R & E Bamford Ltd, Biotrack Ltd, Bird Box Cameras Ltd, BirdGuides, Birdseye, The BirdTable Ltd, Carl Zeiss Ltd, EDF Energy, Ernest Charles, Essex & Suffolk Water, Frontier Holidays Ltd, Gardenature, Gardman Ltd, Grant Arms Hotel, Heatherlea, John E Haith Ltd, Jacobi Jayne & Co, JustAddBirds, Nature Counters, The Nest Box Co Ltd, Northumbrian Water, Opticron, Paddocks Farm Partnership, Park Hill Nurseries & Garden Centre Ltd, Porzana, Serenata Commerce Ltd, Swallowtail Print,

Lorem dolar Nightjar ed esent iusto con ulput nim nim er se tion eumsandigna con utpat, sit eu faccum ex estrud.

Swarovski UK Ltd, Syngenta, Tendley Quarries Ltd, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thetford Garden Centre, Unilever R & D Colworth.

Trusts 2012/13 The AEB Charitable Trust, The Balmain Charitable Trust, Benham Charitable Settlement, The A S Butler Charitable Trust, The Chapman Charitable Trust, The Child-Beale Trust, The Marjorie Coote Animal Charity Trust, The Dulverton Trust, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Harris Charitable Trust, The Lady Hind Charitable Trust, The Hobart Trust, The Marsh Christian Trust, The Michael Marks Charitable Trust, The Mill Dam Trust, The Jack Patston Charitable Trust, Mr & Mrs Philip Rackham Charitable Trust, The Rowan Bentall Charitable Trust, The Saxham Trust, The Slater Foundation, Sussex Ornithological Society, The Tay Charitable Trust, The Tobit Trust, Udimore Charitable Trust, The Emily Weircroft Charitable Trust, The J & J R Wilson Trust.

Legacies 2012/13 Bryan John Adams, Robert George Norton Barris, Jeffery Hugh Richard Boswall, Dennis Ashton Bullock, Jean Diane Edwards, Edwina Maude Geffers, Dr Ian J L Goldberg, Mrs Eileen Rosemary Hewitt, David Herringshaw, John Charles Holland, Peter Mackenzie Thornton Leith, John Darryl Richardson, David John Stinson, Edith Lorna Thomas, Brunon Stanislaw Zakrzewski Tyc, Bernard Wright.

In memoriam 2012/13 John Robert Simcoe Abbott, Bryan John Adams, Mrs Delia A Averns, Rev Ronald A H Bocking, Alan Burgess, Mrs Elsie Beatrice Glue, Angela Hanson, James Keith Jepson, Mr Lewis, John F Naylor, Mr E G Philp, Maurice Pyle, Bob & Alison Spencer, Neil A Taylor, John Tully, Mrs June Watkinson, Mrs Muriel Wheeler.

Funders of BTO Work 2012/13 DAVID TIPLING/ADRIAN DANCY/AMY LEWIS/HANDADESIGNS/JILL PAKENHAM/JOHN HARDING

Anglian Water Group, APEM Ltd, Associated British Ports, Bayer CropScience, Baillie Wind Farm Ltd, BBC Wildlife Fund, BiOD Ltd, BirdLife International, Birdseye Wall’s Ltd, BirdWatch Ireland, Black & Veatch Ltd, Breckland Council, Broads Authority, Buro Happold, Butterfly Conservation, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, Cardiff Harbour Authority, CEFAS, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Coombe Farm, Co-operative Society, Country Innovation, COWRIE (Collaborative Offshore Wind Research Into the Environment), Crown Estate, Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Environment Northern Ireland, Department of Energy and Climate Change, DHI Water & Environment, Dstl, EDF Energy, Emap Active Ltd (Bird Watching Magazine), Environment Agency, Environment Bank Ltd, Environment Wales, ESRC, Essex & Suffolk Water, FERA, Forewind Ltd, Forestry Commission, Forestry Commission Scotland, Forest Research, Foster & Partners, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Gardman Ltd, Greater London Authority, Jacobi Jayne & Company, Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Department of Environment Northern Ireland), The Leverhulme Trust, Make Architects, Manor House Estates, Manx Bird Life, MOD, National Forest, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NERC, NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, NIEA, Norfolk Ornithologist’s Association, Normandeau Associates, North East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre, Northumbrian Water Ltd., Opticron, People’s Trust for Endangered Species, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, RSWT, RWE nPower Ltd, Scottish Coal, Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Raptor Study Group, Scottish Renewables, Serco Ltd, Snowdonia National Park, OPAL Grants Scheme, SOC, Stanny House Farm, State of Delaware (DNREC), Swarovski UK Ltd (Swarovski Optik), Syngenta, Tasso Leventis Foundation, Unilever Ice Cream & Frozen Foods, Unilever Research, University of Cambridge, University of East Anglia, University of Edinburgh, US Fisheries & Wildlife, Welsh Government, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Wildlife Trust, WREN, Zoological

GREY HERONS are still important It seems fitting that legacy income underpins the Heronries Census. After all, one of the main reasons that people give us, when they tell us about legacies they plan to give, is that they want the BTO to continue to undertake long-term surveys. We refer to The Heronries Census as the BTO’s longestrunning project but it actually pre-dates the formation of the Trust by five years. Started in 1928 by several of the people who would soon become the founders of the BTO, the Heronries Census involves annual counts of active heron nests each spring. With no break for the Second World War, this is a unique data-set, illustrating the recovery in numbers of Grey Herons, as water quality has improved and persecution has decreased. Herons suffer in cold winters and the crashes associated with the winters of 1946–47 and 1962–63 show clearly in the 80-year history of the survey. We shall be able to assess the effect of the winter weather of 2012–13 when data for 2013 are added to the series. At the survey’s inception, Grey Herons were seen to be under threat and there was certainly no mention of other species. Little Egrets now provide a bonus for volunteers who have been counting heron nest for years, with other species perhaps poised to move in. We are grateful to all of the volunteers who have helped with the Heronries Census over the years and to the people who have provided or promised legacies which ensure that the BTO can continue to fund long-term research programmes. To learn more visit www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/ heronries and www.bto.org/birdtrends

Society of London.

2 013 | BTO Annual Review

WILDFOWL & WETLANDS TRUST

JNCC ERN IRELAND ENVIRO

WELSH ORNITH

SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGIST

ENG

RSPB

HERIT DEFR

CYMRU DEFR COUNCIL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION DEFRA HERITAGE

ANNUAL REVIEW 2013 PARTNERSHIP “The BTO has a vision of a world in which nature conservation and sustainable development are founded on evidence-based decision making, and in which society understands, values and contributes to that process.” Much of the work referred to in the Annual Review relies on volunteers and is undertaken with other organisations, particularly through the BTO’s partnership with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). JNCC delivers the UK and international responsibilities of the four country nature conservation agencies – Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland. The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a partnership of BTO, JNCC and RSPB. The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is a partnership of BTO, RSPB and JNCC, in association with WWT. RSPB, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, BirdWatch Ireland and the Welsh Ornithological Society are partners in BirdTrack. BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club are partners in Bird Atlas 2007–11. BTO Cymru is supported by Natural Resources Wales, Environment Wales (on behalf of the Welsh Government), the Welsh Ornithological Society and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. BTO Northern Ireland receives funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. We are immensely grateful for all our partners’ support.

© British Trust for Ornithology 2013. BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU. E-mail: info@bto.org Web site: www.bto.org Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) no. SC039193 (Scotland). Cover: STEVEN ROUND stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk back cover: NORTHEASTWILDLIFE.CO.UK