2014
September-October 2014/ Issue 311 A look at the work and strategy of the British Trust for Ornithology
CONSERVATION HABITATS SURVEY
raptors
ETLAND
WOODLAND
SEA CITIZEN LOCAL
VOLUNTEERS
AGRICULTURE
CLIMATE
PARTNERSHIP
ORNITHOLOGY
Bird RESEA
TRAC
Annual Review
2014
BTO News 311/September–October 2014
WELCOME From Andy clements, CEO
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
“Through structured surveys, and fieldwork targeted to answer specific questions, we are able to collect high quality data that can then be turned into policy-relevant products.”
The BTO’s influence comes from partnering enthusiastic
the development process, enabling them to determine the
and skilled volunteers with our professional scientists. Through
likelihood of success or failure of their plans.
structured surveys, and fieldwork targeted to answer specific questions, we are able to collect high quality data that can then be turned into policy-relevant products. Two recent pieces of work, both relating to the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), provide good examples of how this approach can deliver independent and objective outputs.
Making the findings of our monitoring and research more generally available as easily accessible and useful products is equally important. We recently launched WeBS Report Online, a stunning new interface providing access to a wealth of information on waterbirds (see pages 10–11). The interface delivers a broad range of
Earlier this year, the BTO presented a report in
information to decision-makers, NGOs, birdwatchers and
Westminster to inform the Airports Commission’s evidence-
Government, enabling users to extract the information
based approach to a decision on future UK airport capacity
they want on the status and populations of UK
– specifically the proposed Thames Estuary Airport. Data from
waterbirds.
WeBS and other sources were used to assess the numbers and distribution of birds within the area of the proposed development. BTO scientists also reviewed the ability of bird populations to respond to the loss of habitat associated with such a large-scale development. Our impartial evidence made it clear that, should the development go ahead, compensatory habitat sufficient in scale and quality would be unlikely to be delivered. Our independent report was widely welcomed by all sides of the debate. It is, for example, important that industry should have access to impartial information early in
What these two examples show very clearly is the power of BTO’s contribution to decision-making, which in turn can help to ensure a more wildlife-rich and healthy environment for all. It is our collective contribution, as skilled volunteers in the field and researchers back at our offices, that makes the difference. This Annual Review contains many more examples of our recent achievements, geared to the best use of our scientific knowledge of birds and other wildlife.
Annual Review of the British Trust for Ornithology CONTACT US
BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU
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The BTO promotes and encourages the wider understanding, appreciation and conservation of birds. Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) no. SC039193 (Scotland)
Patron HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT President Chris Packham Chairman Tony Fox Honorary Secretary Neil Bucknell Honorary Treasurer John Osmond
BTO Cymru, Thoday Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW
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When you have finished with this magazine, pass it to a friend or recycle it.
ISSN 0005 – 3392 BTO PRODUCTION Editors Su Gough & Mike Toms Editorial Board Ieuan Evans, Viola Ross-Smith
Layout, design, imagesetting and typesetting O’Connor Design Consultants Printing Reflex Litho, St Helen’s Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1HG The views expressed by the contributors to this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor, the Council of the BTO or its committees. © BTO 2014. Quotations should carry a full acknowledgement.
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BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Contents Inside this special issue of BTO News
luke delve/Davidtipling.com/StevenRound-birdphotography.com/William Skellorn
pg30
pg8
pg4 pg32
pg28
Separating the ‘hoo-weet’ from the Chiff
The BTO in numbers
21 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Special pull-out summarising the BTO’s work
36
Acknowledgements & BTO partners
02
Making a difference
04 06 08 10 12 14 16 17
Eagle eyes Monitoring birds of prey in Scotland
Making data work How Bird Atlas 2007–11 data are reaching new audiences
Scientific research in 2013 & 2014 Three fascinating findings from recent BTO papers
Wetland bird populations come alive Fantastic new resources as WeBS report goes online
Northern Ireland’s seabirds Bringing together seabird research around Northern Ireland
It’s all about the weather Climate change consequences can be unexpected
Training: what’s it all about? The who, where and why of coming on a training event
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Mentoring new nest recorders
People power Volunteers make key projects possible
Scientific research in 2013 & 2014 More insights into the breadth of BTO climate change work
BTO Accounts 2013/14 How your support makes our work possible
Partnerships Working with other organisations brings new opportunities
Corporate support Businesses and BTO come together to stimulate new research
A year in BTO Cymru 2013–14 News from one of the regional offices
The BTO in print Snippets from recent research papers
3
Eagle eyes If there is one group of birds that deserves the term ‘iconic’ it is surely raptors. Their power and majesty have firmly embedded their imagery in popular culture and, for many people, a glimpse of a bird of prey makes their day.
Unfortunately raptors are far from
Coverage is currently patchy, particularly
universally popular and have a long,
for species such as Buzzard, Sparrowhawk
chequered and ongoing history of
and Kestrel, which are widespread but
‘conflict’ with man. Many raptor species
have recently undergone substantial
remain scarce or vulnerable to ongoing
population changes. Improvements in our
environmental change and illegal human
understanding of survey coverage would
activities. This makes BTO’s contributions to
allow us to define more clearly the causes
raptor monitoring, and the objective advice
and consequences of these changes. There
that we provide, all the more important.
are other developments in the pipeline
In the 2012 Annual Review we reported
too. An online recording system will make
on the BTO-led work to develop methods
it easier for raptor surveyors to submit
for producing population and breeding
records and log their survey effort, while
performance trends for Scottish raptors
enhanced training opportunities will help
as part of our role in the Scottish Raptor
volunteers who are keen to develop their
Monitoring Scheme (SRMS; see box). Since
raptor monitoring skills. The SRMS also
its launch in 2002, the SRMS has produced
aims to broaden the types of monitoring
a manual of good practice, published annual
currently being undertaken, building on
reports, and contributed data to underpin
initiatives like the Hen Harrier Winter Roost
planning decisions, nature conservation
Survey (currently administered by BTO
management, research studies and raptor
Scotland, in partnership with the Hawk &
conservation frameworks. Despite these
Owl Trust, and by Chris Rollie of Dumfries
successes, and the massive contributions
and Galloway RSG for Scotland). Monitoring
from the Scottish raptor monitoring
raptor populations in winter is more difficult
community, the SRMS still faces substantial
than during the breeding season. However,
challenges if it is to realise its full potential
increased winter monitoring would inform us
statutory conservation agencies. These
for raptor conservation. During 2014, funding
about bird numbers and distributions during
surveys provide enhanced estimates
was secured to allow the Scheme’s first
a season in which survival and condition
of population size and change, to
full-time coordinator to be appointed. Part
can strongly influence population trends.
complement the information from annual
of the coordinator’s role will be to improve
Together with existing elements of the SRMS,
monitoring. In 2014 it was the turn of
knowledge of how survey coverage varies
these new initiatives will hopefully contribute
the Peregrine, following the last UK-wide
between areas and years. This will allow
to the development of coordinated raptor
survey in 2002. Since the post-war decline
more rigorous population information to be
monitoring in other parts of the UK.
to around 350 pairs, caused principally by
produced and will ensure that real changes
Periodic national surveys of individual
organochlorine pesticides, the UK Peregrine
in raptor populations can be distinguished
raptor species are valued by conservation
population has recovered substantially. The
from changes in monitoring effort.
practitioners, including RSPB and the
species has colonised many lowland areas,
The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme (SRMS) The eight SRMS partners are: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); the Scottish Raptor Study Group (SRSG); British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Scotland; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB Scotland); the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC); the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP); the
4
Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC); and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). The SRMS is currently funded by SNH, BTO, RSPB and FCS, with additional in-kind support from all eight partners. After supporting the SRMS for more than 10 years, its first Raptor Monitoring Officer, Brian Etheridge,
retired in 2014, and the Scheme now has a full-time Scottish Raptor Monitoring Coordinator, Amy Challis, employed by BTO Scotland on behalf of the partners. More information on the SRMS and its outputs can be found at: www.scottishraptorstudygroup.org/ srms.html
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Raptors
&
Facts Figures
The breeding distribution of Goshawk has increased over the last 40 years, but high levels of illegal killing in some areas have had a major impact.
helped by an increasing tendency to nest
programmes and help to inform Peregrine
on man-made structures. However, Bird
conservation strategies.
Atlas 2007–11 shows that these lowland
So, with the help of many hundreds of
gains contrast with declines in some
volunteers and in close collaboration with a
upland areas. The 2014 survey set out to
range of partners, BTO is working in a number
improve understanding of these regional
of ways to ensure that the highest quality
differences and to provide robust, up-to-
information is available on raptors to inform
date population estimates. To carry out the
conservation. Why does that matter? Raptors
survey, BTO worked closely with the SRSG
can undoubtedly be of value as indicators of
branches, BTO RRs, RSPB and hundreds of
ecosystem health and for the opportunities
dedicated volunteers. As well as monitoring
they present for wildlife tourism. Many
known breeding sites, a new study design
people, however, simply enjoy having
was introduced, with participants also
birds of prey above and around them.
looking for Peregrines in randomly selected
Keeping tabs on their populations will
5-km x 5-km squares. This will help to
help to ensure that they continue
reduce the distorting effects of regional
to grace our skies.
variation in survey effort and will ensure that population estimates are scientifically robust. In total, at least 1,200 random squares were surveyed across the UK, representing between 10 and 20% of each survey country or contributing region. The final results of the survey will be submitted as a peer-reviewed paper and will inform the design of future monitoring 2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Acknowledgements We are extremely grateful to the hundreds of volunteers who contribute to the raptor monitoring projects mentioned in this article and to all our partners in raptor work across the UK. We thank in particular our partners in the SRMS for their funding and support (see box), and funding contributors to the 2014 Peregrine Survey: SNH, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
david tipling www.davidtipling.com/Davidkjaer.com/steven round www.stevenround-birdphotography.com
Sparrowhawk nest
5,000
The number of nest sites or home ranges of raptors checked each year by more than 300 (mainly) volunteer raptor observers for the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme. The main contributors are members of the 12 branches of the Scottish Raptor Study Group. The scheme regularly receives information on 17 species (raptors, owls and Raven).
30,000 km2
The land area covered by the 5-km x 5-km random squares surveyed for the Peregrine Survey across the UK. In 2002, 1,530 Peregrine nesting ranges were estimated as occupied. The 2014 estimates are in preparation.
22
The number of birds of prey (16 Red Kites and six Buzzards) found in one of the worst single cases of illegal raptor killing revealed in recent years (in Ross-shire in 2014). Post-mortems have suggested ‘ingestion of an illegally-held poisonous substance’.
5
Opening up the atlas The publication in 2013 of Bird Atlas 2007–11 was the culmination of a huge amount of effort to deliver the 720 page book. But this wasn’t the only output; as this article reveals, the legacy of Bird Atlas 2007–11 reaches far more widely.
A DATASET OF GREAT VALUE
statutory conservation agencies ensure that
The individual records that make up the
atlas data support policy discussions and
Bird Atlas 2007–11 dataset, coupled
help to inform the decision-making process.
with the summary detail on distribution
Our academic partners can utilise atlas data
and abundance, provide an incredible
in their own research, and there is also
resource for researchers, birdwatchers,
a range of ‘data products’ – summarised
conservationists and policy-makers. The
outputs from the atlas – that are now
data will prove invaluable for a whole suite
appearing more widely.
of research work, much of it carried out by BTO, and will help to steer conservation
DELIVERING DATA PRODUCTS
priorities for many years to come. For
The Collins Bird Guide is the field guide
example, atlas data have a particular role
of choice for most British and Irish
to play in research looking at range shifts
birdwatchers. The development of an
and in efforts to understand and model
electronic version – the Collins Bird Guide
the impacts of a changing climate. Much
App – brings the guide into the digital age.
of the BTO research being supported by
Initially launched on the Apple platform
the ‘Beyond the Maps’ Appeal will focus on
through developers Touchpress, the app
climate change impacts, but we will also
contains the text, maps and artwork from
be looking at the drivers behind declines
the original publication. In addition, it
in upland bird populations and at how
brings in sound clips of bird songs and
birds use urban areas, the latter delivering
calls, videos and the distribution maps
evidence-based recommendations for
from Bird Atlas 2007–11. These last two
improved management of urban areas for
features are offered as ‘in-app’ purchases,
wild birds.
allowing users to add all of the breeding and winter distribution maps for just £1.99.
Bird Atlas 2007–11 partners that will
The addition of the maps also delivers
be making use of the data (see BTO
functionality that enables the user to refine
News 310 for an article on how this
the list of species presented based on the
research is progressing). A data sharing
underlying atlas data. Delivering the data
agreement with RSPB means that atlas
from Bird Atlas 2007–11 into a product
data are already being used for ‘frontline’
like the Collins Bird Guide App, extends the
conservation activities, like site and species
reach of the project and provides additional
safeguarding, species recovery and reserve
income for the research work that is being
management. Similar agreements with the
undertaken on the wider atlas dataset.
2.
6
1. 3.
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Laurie Campbell naturephotographers.co.uk/William Skellorn
It is not just BTO researchers and our
“Much of the BTO research being supported by the ‘Beyond the Maps’ Appeal will focus on climate change impacts.”
The Collins Bird Guide App is not the only place where the maps from Bird Atlas 2007–11 feature. All of the maps from the book, plus others that did not make it in because of space constraints, are available on the Bird Atlas Mapstore (www.bto.org/mapstore). This free resource also holds all of the maps from previous breeding atlases and the previous winter atlas. These maps, which should be used in conjunction with the published books to bring in vital detail on methods and interpretation, provide a one-stop shop for anyone interested in where our birds occur and how patterns of distribution and abundance have changed over time.
A WIDER LEGACY One of the big features of the Bird Atlas 2007–11 project was the online system developed for data capture and validation. The development of this system by the BTO’s Information Services team not only provided a web-based tool for this British and Irish study but it also delivered a tool for the 45 county atlas projects taking place over a similar period. In fact this component of the online system is still active; fieldwork for the Clyde Tetrad Atlas 2007–14 project – the last of those still collating and validating records – finished this summer. In excess of 300,000 records have been collected by the Clyde team and these are being validated through the tools built into the Bird Atlas
Behind the Images… 1. richly coloured The vast amount of information collected through Bird Atlas 2007–11 for species such as Goldfinch provides a unique perspective on the distribution and abundance of Britain and Ireland’s birds. This information is being used in many different ways, highlighting the power of volunteers to deliver data to a much broader audience. 2. a new way of looking The Collins Bird Guide App sets a new standard and is likely to become a defining product, used by birdwatchers and others wanting to access key informationon Britain and Ireland’s birds. 3. aLl mapped out Making Bird Atlas 2007–11 data available to apps like the Collins Bird Guide is just one way in which your data are being made available to those who wish to use them.
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
2007–11 online system. The uses to which data from the atlas will be put are likely to be many and varied. From academic research, through ‘frontline’ conservation outputs and on to the maps that will appear in field guides and books over the coming years, data from Bird Atlas 2007–11 will have tremendous reach. This will be a truly fitting legacy for the efforts of our volunteers, staff and partners. Acknowledgements Bird Atlas 2007–11 was a partnership between BTO, BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club.
7
Scientific Research in 2013 & 2014 Here are three of the fascinating stories that have emerged from papers published by BTO scientists over the past year. Together they demonstrate some of the breadth of our work.
1. House Sparrow decline
2. ALL AT SEA
BTO data sets are being used to investigate sparrow productivity
Understanding seabird breeding failures
House Sparrows are conspicuous birds
post-fledging survival did not differ between
Research led by BTO and funded by JNCC
that are still numerous enough to be found
areas, so are not thought to contribute to the
shows that the UK’s internationally important
chirruping away in many areas of the United
regional variation in population trends.
seabird populations are being affected
Northeastwildlife.co.uk/david tipling davidtipling.com/Luke delve
Kingdom, but their numbers have fallen sharply
8
The results suggest that the processes
by North Sea fishing. Sandeels, which are
in recent decades, leading to their inclusion
driving regional differences in House
typically fished for use in animal feed and
on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red
Sparrow productivity are likely to be complex,
fertilizer, are an important prey species
List. Declines are greater in urban than in rural
operating over large spatial scales (e.g.
and the large fishery on Dogger Bank is
areas, and in eastern and south-eastern Britain
climatic processes or regional landscape
within the foraging range of many seabirds
than in other parts of the country (where the
changes) but interacting with local factors
breeding along our North Sea coast.
population is stable or increasing). In early
(e.g. habitat changes). The absence of
Under the European Marine Strategy
2014, scientists from the BTO’s Demography
productivity differences between rural and
Framework Directive, the UK is legally bound
and Garden Ecology teams published a
urban areas suggests other factors contribute
to ensure that human activities are kept at
paper in the journal Bird Study, analysing data
to the varying population trends between
levels consistent with ‘clean, healthy and
collected by volunteers participating in Garden
these habitats, for instance differences in
productive’ seas. Since many seabirds are top
Birdwatch (GBW), the Nest Record Scheme
food availability affecting adult survival. This
predators, monitoring their populations can
(NRS) and the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS),
work demonstrates the role that large-scale
give insights into the state of the wider marine
to investigate possible reasons underpinning
data sets, collected through citizen science
environment. As seabirds are long-lived and
these trends.
projects, can play in understanding the
can skip breeding seasons altogether when
drivers of population change. In this instance
conditions are poor, monitoring breeding
breeding performance. In keeping with
the data collected by GBW volunteers
success can provide an effective and quick
population trends, GBW data showed that
provide a measure of annual productivity,
way of assessing the impacts associated with
annual productivity was highest in Wales (1.45
complementary to a measure derived per
environmental pressures.
fledglings per adult) and lowest in the east of
nesting attempt from NRS. Such information
England (1.30 fledglings per adult), but that
is vital for determining and implementing
Scientists at BTO and JNCC explored the
there was no significant difference between
effective conservation measures.
large-scale patterns present within the
The research focused on measures of
rural and urban areas. The regional difference in GBW productivity was mirrored by NRS data, which revealed that House Sparrow clutch and brood sizes were significantly lower in the east of Britain than in the west. The number of breeding attempts per year and
Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) Find out more Full citation: Morrison, C.A., Robinson, R.A., Leech, D.I., Dadam, D. & Toms, M. 2014. Using citizen science to investigate the role of productivity in House Sparrow Passer domesticus population trends. Bird Study 61, 91–100. doi: 10.1080/00063657.2013.874975
data sets, using these long-term data to develop indicators of breeding failure and seabird abundance at breeding colonies. The two indicators were significantly and strongly correlated with each other, with the BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Behind the Images… 1. house sparrow declines Data collated by ‘citizen scientists’ have highlighted regional differences in House Sparrow breeding performance, which may help explain population trends for this red-listed bird.
2. kittiwake Measures of breeding failure can provide an early warning of problems linked to fisheries operating in the North Sea. The SMP annually assesses both breeding numbers and success of the UK’s seabirds.
3. MOOrland Management prescriptions are widely used to maintain, restore or enhance particular habitats, but it is important to assess how effective such measures are.
3. Managing the uplands Working to halt the continued decline of moorland birds
abundance indicator typically lagging behind
British moorland habitats are a result of
was being actively removed as part of predation
that for breeding failure by two to three years.
management, in particular for sheep grazing
control measures. Most species showed no
Investigating how sensitive these indicators were
and the sport shooting of Red Grouse.
change or actually declined, and these decreases
to the impacts of fishing, the team found that
Moorland conservation may additionally be
were common across species with different
species with the greatest increases in breeding
shaped by financial payments made through
habitat associations, so a causal relationship with
failure over the study period were those most
agri-environment schemes, using management
the management changes appeared unlikely;
sensitive to fisheries pressure. Levels of seabird
prescriptions to maintain, restore or enhance
similarly an effect of disturbance was unlikely. It
breeding failure were higher in years when a
particular components. While a suite of such
is possible that the failure to effectively control
greater proportion of the North Sea’s sandeels
prescriptions has been widely taken up, there
predators could have contributed to the inability
was commercially fished. The study also found
has been an ongoing decline in moorland bird
to achieve the principal objective of increasing
that seabirds breeding on the UK’s western
populations.
breeding bird populations.
colonies were faring better than those on the
BTO ecologists worked with ADAS UK and the former Scottish Coal to examine the effectiveness
Although this work was based on monitoring
of moorland management over 10 years at a site
the effects of management prescriptions
breeding performance can reveal how these
within the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands
rather than a controlled experimental design, it
species are responding to environmental
Special Protection Area in south-west Scotland.
highlights the difficulties in establishing effective
pressures before such changes become
Management prescriptions advocated widely as
management regimes to benefit moorland
evident at the population level. Detecting such
best practice for moorland birds were assessed,
birds. It also underlines a need to improve
impacts as early as possible is vital, as the
including muirburn and cutting, grazing, legal
our understanding of the factors that shape
management of the marine environment is
predator control and the restoration of hydrological
moorland bird communities. Additionally, it raises
undergoing rapid change, with expansion of
features.
an important question about whether moorland
North Sea coast. The results confirm that monitoring seabird
offshore developments, the introduction of
Annual surveys were carried out and
Marine Protected Areas and modification of
compared against bird population trends for
remain vulnerable to predation, and therefore
fishing discards policy.
moorlands derived from the BBS, additionally
contributes to the wider debate on the future of
accounting for factors such as weather. The
British uplands.
Find out more Full citation: Cook, A.S.C.P., Dadam, D., Mitchell, I., Ross-Smith, V.H. & Robinson, R.A. 2014. Indicators of seabird reproductive performance demonstrate the impact of commercial fisheries on seabird populations in the North Sea. Ecological Indicators 38, 1–11. doi: 10.1016/j. ecolind.2013.10.027
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
study’s authors expected that the breeding bird community would increase in response to the management prescriptions adopted, but this was not fulfilled. Only two species increased relative to the general trend for moorland and one of these was Carrion Crow, a species that
bird conservation can be effective where species
Find out more Calladine, J., Critchley, C.N.R., Baker, D., Towers, J. & Thiel, A. 2014. Conservation management of moorland: a case study of the effectiveness of a combined suite of management prescriptions which aim to enhance breeding bird populations. Bird Study 61, 56–72. doi: 10.1080/00063657.2013.876615
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Wetland bird populations come alive Do you know which of our estuaries support the most diverse communities of wetland birds, or which of our wintering wader populations have declined by at least a third over the last 25 years? As CHAS HOLT reveals, such information is now available through an online WeBS report, a new resource that opens up a wealth of data to a wider audience.
The UK’s position on the western edge of Europe places it on the major flyways for a number of Arctic-nesting species. Large numbers of waterbirds are attracted to our shores, particularly during winter, by the relatively mild climate and the extensive areas of wetland habitat, making the UK of outstanding international importance for
“A major benefit of the WeBS reporting interface is the integration of the different elements of WeBS in one place, with separate tabs available for Numbers & Trends, WeBS Alerts and Low Tide Counts.”
needed if we were to maximise the benefits of WeBS outputs for all. Just 18 months later, with the web development work complete, WeBS now provides information on the status of the UK’s non-breeding waterbirds via an interactive interface (www.bto.org/webs), driven dynamically from the underlying database of waterbird records. A major benefit of the WeBS reporting interface is the integration of the different
waterbirds. Keeping tabs on the numbers of birds using these wetland habitats supports
over 75 million waterbirds – and with
elements of WeBS in one place, with separate
conservation action and informs policy,
several different components sitting within
tabs available for Numbers & Trends, WeBS
fulfilling our obligations under the Agreement
the wider WeBS project, there has been a
Alerts and Low Tide Counts. The functionality
on the Conservation of African–Eurasian
desire to use emerging web technologies
of the report is further enhanced by the
Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), which is part of
to open the data set up in ways that allow
ability to sort species taxonomically or
the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of
different audiences to explore and utilise
alphabetically, to arrange data columns in
Migratory Species of Wild Animals.
the wealth of information available.
ascending or descending order and to access supplementary non-WeBS data at the click of
None of this would be possible without
your mouse. The online interface features a
in WeBS and who contribute their records
The development of WeBS Online
to this partnership survey. Interpreting the
In September 2012, a WeBS stakeholder
navigate the portal and make best use of the
data that have been collected and making
workshop was held at the BTO
information available.
them available to stakeholders are core
headquarters in Norfolk. By bringing
aims of the project. With so many data
stakeholders together it was possible
Numbers and Trends
available – WeBS started in 1947 and the
to assess how different groups and
The main tab of the report, Numbers & Trends,
database contains counts amounting to
organisations made use of WeBS data,
can be used to search by species or by site.
the efforts of the volunteers who participate
search by species
The Oystercatcher page from the ‘Numbers & Trends’ section of the report.
10
highlighting the sorts of developments
series of tutorials providing help for users to
search by site
A site-focused page, here The Wash, from the online report.
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
steven round www.stevenround-birdphotography.com
Monitoring waterbirds through the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)
A shake-up for WeBS: Oystercatcher numbers in the UK have fallen by 14% since 1986/87 and there are 12 sites with internationally important numbers: all the detail is now available online. A paper report summarising the results and associated research is also produced.
There are separate pages for each species and,
of the report
Ireland Environment Agency) and can help
whereas annual WeBS reports were formerly
Most of the information provided under
to direct research and investigations into
restricted to showing only the most important
Numbers & Trends is based on WeBS Core
potential causes of population change
sites for each species over the course of the
Counts, which, at coastal sites, involve
at different sites. Comparing site trends
most recent five years, the new interface
counting birds close to high tide. However,
with those at the regional and national
allows the user to scroll back and forth in time
all the UK’s major estuaries are also
scales can identify local issues; these
and to view historical data – generating a more
covered every few years at low tide as part
comparisons are available within the Alerts
interactive experience. All sites that surpass
of the WeBS Low Tide Counts scheme.
tab of the online report.
thresholds for international and national
The new report provides the facility to view
importance are denoted, and there are also
low-tide distributions and densities of all
very positive. The new format will reduce
links to relevant external content. The species
waterbirds on these estuaries. Planned
future costs, speed up the reporting
pages offer the facility to filter the sites that are
developments to the system will increase
of WeBS results and also provide the
shown by county and/or habitat. The county
the interactive nature of this low-tide count
opportunity to integrate further non-
filter represents a significant advance for county
resource.
breeding waterbird information in the
bird clubs, many of which include WeBS
Every three years, WeBS assesses the
Feedback on the new report has been
future. For example, we envisage that
data within their annual county bird reports.
short-, medium- and long-term trends of
the next Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey
Separate graphs showing species’ population
waterbirds at sites within the UK’s network
(NEWS), planned for winter 2015/16, will
trends in each county are also included.
of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and
be integrated into the system.
Selecting by site provides access to non-
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
breeding waterbird information for all locations,
to deliver WeBS Alerts. Declines of 50%
from large sites such as The Wash to smaller,
generate a High Alert, while declines of
more unfamiliar wetlands. Until recently, the
25% generate a Medium Alert. These
latter tended not to feature within annual WeBS
serve as warnings, providing an extremely
reports; now all WeBS counters can now view
useful resource for the Country Agencies
the annual maxima for the sites that they visit.
(Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage,
Other features
Natural Resources Wales and Northern
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Acknowledgements WeBS is a partnership between BTO, RSPB and JNCC, in association with WWT. We are particularly grateful for the investment provided by JNCC, which enabled the necessary IS developments for WeBS to deliver an online report, and for the efforts of the volunteers who collect the data on which the report is based.
11
Northern Ireland’s Seabirds The first Northern Ireland Seabird Report, for 2013, has just been published, bringing together a summary of what we know about our seabirds, as well as reports from seabird research being undertaken around the province.
The coastline and loughs of Northern Ireland provide important sites for breeding seabirds. Rathlin Island, for example, situated some 4 km from the north Antrim coast and famous for its formidable basalt and chalk
Why monitor seabirds? The Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), a partnership of 19 organisations coordinated by JNCC, enables its partners to monitor the health of the marine environment and inform seabird conservation issues. Monitoring seabirds is important for a number of reasons:
cliffs, is designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) because of its seabird populations; the numbers of breeding Guillemots and Razorbills are of particular importance. Interest in the marine environment, whether driven by commercial or societal factors, has seen the development of
seabirds are an important component of marine biodiversity in the UK, with approximately seven million individuals breeding; seabirds are top predators and act as useful indicators of the state of marine ecosystems; seabirds are protected by European law and the UK has obligations to monitor and protect populations; monitoring provides data which underpin targeted conservation policy development and action; the UK is internationally important for seabirds.
legislative frameworks, such as the European Commission’s Marine Framework Strategy Directive, and national legislation, such as
2.
the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013. Such frameworks require high quality political or legislative decisions and this is where the monitoring of breeding seabirds becomes important. In February 2013, BTO appointed Kerry Leonard to the role of Northern Ireland Seabird Coordinator, a post funded by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. This role provides a focus for the volunteers working on Northern Ireland’s breeding seabirds, bringing together the information needed to support the assessment and designation of Marine Protection Areas (MPAs) and SPAs, and the consideration of planning and development interests. Just 12 months later the first Northern Ireland Seabird Report (2013) was published
paul sterry NPL/david tipling www.davidtipling.com/jill pakenham
biodiversity data to inform and support
by BTO and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, where volunteer-collected data were presented alongside those from a number of environmental NGOs. The report also provides the opportunity to highlight current seabird research being undertaken in Northern Ireland by both professionals and volunteers. These initiatives, operating under the banner of the Northern Ireland Seabird Network, are about building the capacity to collect the information needed and to then share it with a wider community. New volunteers are encouraged to get involved in data gathering, and are given training and guidance on seabird colony survey
12
Manx Shearwaters on Lighthouse Island TABLE 1. The breeding success of Manx Shearwaters on Lighthouse Island has been monitored by Copeland Bird Observatory since 2007, by using study burrows. These consist of natural burrows which have been excavated outside of the breeding season and a concrete slab placed over the nesting chamber to allow easy access. Year Nests sampled 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
71 67 76 65 60 50 54
Chicks hatched per pair – 0.70 0.83 0.88 0.86 0.78 0.82
Chicks fledged per pair 0.38 0.67 0.82 0.88 0.86 0.76 0.80 BTO Annual Review | 2 014
1.
Behind the Images… 1. fulmar Although still a commonly seen breeding species around most of Northern Ireland’s coastline, as well as on the inland cliffs of Binevanagh, monitoring work reveals a decline. 2. manx shearwaters The sole Northern Ireland colony has been studied since 1954. Recently, however, work by the Oxford Navigation Group has extended our knowledge through tracking technology. 3. sandwich tern Birds from the inland, freshwater, colony breeding on Lower Lough Erne make long-distance foraging trips to secure food for growing chicks.
3.
pairs recorded in 2013. The decline and near-extinction of Roseate Terns in Northern Ireland is also evident; from the highs of 60–70 pairs in the late 1980s to just two pairs in 2013, this is a species that could be lost altogether. However, a number of organisations are working hard to try to increase the numbers breeding in Northern Ireland by trying to attract some of the Rockabill population (near Dublin) northwards. The 2013 report is also important for highlighting the things we do not know. Whilst some species are rather wellmonitored each year, others are not,
methodologies, to ensure that the data
bird around the Antrim and Down coast,
with real gaps in our knowledge of the
collected are compatible with JNCC-led
giving the impression that all is well and yet,
numbers breeding. The big gap that the
datasets. Considerable effort has also gone
across the sites surveyed in both 2000 and
report highlights though is information
into ensuring that all seabird sites surveyed
2013, the Fulmar has shown a 59% decline.
on productivity. Far too few of our seabird
are consistent with SMP (Seabird Monitoring
The volatile nature of our Sandwich Tern
species are monitored for productivity, and
Programme) sites, and are registered with
population is also dramatically revealed by
we have learnt from this and other surveys
JNCC – a useful exercise leading up to the next
the report. Population swings from 2,500
that we cannot assume that national data
national seabird census, planned for 2016.
pairs to 100 pairs from one year to the next
accurately reflect regional fact. The collection
paint an erratic picture; the highest ever
of more regional productivity data will
together it has been possible to see some
number of breeding Sandwich Terns was
therefore be a priority over the next year or
interesting (even alarming) changes. The
in 2005, at just over 3,000 pairs. This has
two. Something for our volunteers to get
Fulmar is a case in point. This is a ubiquitous
since reduced to the approximately 1,000
their teeth into!
By bringing so many regional data
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
13
It’s all about the weather Weather events and longer-term changes in weather patterns can have profound consequences for bird populations, so it is essential that we understand their impacts. As James Pearce-Higgins and Dave Leech explain, there is much we can learn from BTO datasets.
In recent years meteorological records
mechanisms-underpinning-impact-climate-
Closer to home research has emphasised
have tumbled. Last winter, for example,
change-natural-populations), indicate that the
how the impacts of climate change on
was the stormiest for 20 years; the spring
main way in which climate change will affect
prey populations can indirectly affect the
and early summer period of 2012 were the
populations is not through the direct impact
birds that feed on them. This has been
wettest on record for England and Wales,
of weather, but through indirect effects
demonstrated for certain upland birds, like
and the 2011 spring was the warmest seen
resulting from altered species interactions.
Golden Plover, where the soil invertebrates
across the UK for 100 years. Such weather
What do we mean by this? These species
(e.g. cranefly larvae) that they feed on
events can have significant, one-off impacts
interactions can include changes in predator
are vulnerable to drought. Hot summer
upon bird populations. For example, bird
or prey populations, the impacts of disease,
weather impacts on the invertebrates,
ringers operating Constant Effort Scheme
or changes in the habitat which may make
reducing the food available to the plovers
sites demonstrated that 2012 was the
species more or less vulnerable to predation.
and lowering the survival prospects of
worst breeding season on record for many
A great example of this last mechanism
their chicks. Our globally important seabird
migrants, including declining species such as Willow Warbler and Garden Warbler. BBS trends show that the exceptionally cold winters of 2009/10 and 2010/11 resulted
1.
in significant declines in a number of small, insectivorous passerines, notably Wren and Stonechat, sensitive to cold winter weather. Historically, many of the fluctuations in our bird populations result from the impacts of weather events of this type; think about the declines that occurred in the mid-1960s following the 1962/63 winter. Longer-term changes in weather patterns, such as those associated with human activities, may have more profound consequences for bird populations. The examination of some of the BTO’s long-term datasets (e.g. www.bto.org/birdtrends) shows how, during the 1990s and 2000s, many cold-sensitive species increased significantly in abundance; Wren and Grey Heron are two examples. While the direct effects of changing
14
has been described by Thomas Martin in
weather patterns (e.g. change in the severity
the montane forests of the Sierra Nevada,
or frequency of unusual weather events)
USA, where reductions in winter snow cover
can have significant long-term impacts on
have reduced the protection of understorey
population trends, recent research led by
woodland vegetation from winter browsing
BTO suggests that the impacts of climate
by Elk. Increased levels of browsing have
change on birds and other biodiversity will
removed understorey vegetation and
be about much more than this. The results
reduced the cover available to breeding birds.
of a review of the mechanisms underpinning
With nests now more exposed, or restricted
the impacts of climate change upon animal
to smaller areas of suitable cover, there have
and plant populations from around the
been increases in the rates of nest predation,
world, funded through the Cambridge
resulting in significant long-term reductions
Conservation Initiative and involving a
in many long-distance migrants, including
range of collaborative partners (see www.
Orange-crowned Warbler and Virginia’s
conservation.cam.ac.uk/collaboration/
Warbler, which favour these habitats.
Looking at some weather impacts… 1. Virginia’s Warbler: Virginia’s Warblers have declined in montane Arizona, as less snowfall has increased Elk browsing of vegetation, leading to greater nest predation rates and reduced breeding densities. 2. Grey Heron: Grey Herons are particularly sensitive to cold weather, as their food becomes difficult to find when water and mud freeze over. Note the recent dip following the 2009/10 and 2010/11 winters.
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
2. populations are also affected, for example,
understanding of climate change impacts
Find out more
where warming seas negatively affect sand-
continues to develop. Linked to this, we
eel abundance, quality and availability,
are also analysing BBS data to understand
reducing Kittiwake survival and breeding
more about the long-term impacts of
success. We are actively working to uncover
climate change on the assemblages of
other examples such as these, additionally
species at particular locations.
Ockendon, N. et al. (2014). Mechanisms underpinning climatic impacts on natural populations: altered species interactions are more important than direct effects. Global Change Biology 20: 2221–2229 Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Green, R.E. (2014). Birds and Climate Change. Impacts and Conservation Responses. CUP.
collaborating with others in order to understand in more detail how climate change might affect the abundance and availability of the different resources that are so important to birds.
Table 1. Grey Heron Population trend (with confidence intervals) 18000 16000
through time these impacts lead to changes in species distributions and the restructuring of ecological communities. One of the strongest signals of climate change is that of poleward range shifts. This has been particularly exemplified by birds like Little Egret, Dartford Warbler and Nuthatch, whose range shifts are evident in Bird Atlas 2007--11 data. New analyses, funded through BTO’s ‘Beyond the Maps’ Appeal, are set to investigate these patterns in more detail. The work may also enable
Numbers of individuals
Brian E Small naturephotographers.co.uk/Edmund Fellowes
Although we’ve focused on the impacts of climate change on individual species,
14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
Year
Dips in breeding population caused by severe winters have been followed by recovery within a few seasons.
us to predict future changes, as our 2 014 | BTO Annual Review
15
Training: what’s it all about? You have probably heard about BTO training but, unless you have already had the pleasure of joining us on a course, you are possibly not sure what it entails, who it is aimed at and what you can get out of it. Su Gough explains further.
We have been offering training courses of one sort or another for more than 15 years, and the number and variety is ever-increasing, but who comes on the courses, and why? A wide range of people come, is the answer. Everyone is looking for something different and each leaves with new skills, increased confidence and an understanding of the various BTO surveys.
Spoilt for choice The ever-popular residential courses are David Tipling davidtipling.com
available in either Bird Survey Techniques: an introduction to all the current BTO surveys and Bird Identification: which covers identifying birds by sight and by sound. Our one-day workshops are almost bewildering in their variety! Some offer a day of surveyspecific help or a more general introduction to bird surveying whilst others take on an element of bird Identification.
Outdoor practical sessions are a vital and fun part of every training event – be it one-day workshops or residential courses. Putting into practice what you have learnt is the easiest way to gain confidence.
Who are the courses aimed at?
Help, there’s no course near me…
BTO only charges enough to cover venue hire
Often people are put off getting involved with
We run courses around the country but
(not the trainer’s time or course admin). Why?
surveys because they fear they are not ‘up to’
there is a limit to how many we can deliver
Simply, we need volunteers to take part in our
the challenge. This is far from the truth and
each year. We have run courses and
surveys. If we encourage, inspire and motivate
one of the main purposes of the courses is to
workshops at a large number of different
new participants, then we have done our job!
showcase each of the surveys, show what’s
venues and the best are the ones that
If, in the process, we have improved collection
involved and help everyone to choose the
offer good accommodation and facilities
of information, or increased the confidence
survey best suited to them. Existing surveyors
for the participants and direct access to
and accuracy with which species are
can also benefit greatly from learning about
great habitats and birds for the all-important
identified, that helps to ensure the continued
the background to their survey, answering
practical sessions. We stick with venues that
high quality of the data that we rely on from
questions they may have about any aspect of
offer this. Consider travelling to a venue
our volunteers to power the vital research BTO
the fieldwork and discovering other schemes
which appeals for its range of species.
scientists do.
What’s in it for BTO?
that appeal to them. Find out more about BTO Making a profession out of it! BTO offers training to environmental professionals
The bird recording methods used by environmental professionals are based on protocols originally developed or regularly used by BTO. In some cases, those methods are now being used differently to their original purpose. BTO is uniquely placed to offer an overview of all these methods and their
16
strengths and weaknesses. Understanding this is vital when, inevitably, the methods are adapted. Add in a grounding in general survey principles, survey design, learning which method works in what situation and plenty of practical opportunities and you have the basis for a great two-day course.
training opportunities
To find out more about any aspect of BTO training see the training pages on our website: www.bto/org/training Contact Su Gough, Training Officer, on 01842 750050 su.gough@ bto.org for more information or to discuss the bespoke training which we are also able to offer. BTO Annual Review | 2 014
THE BTO’S WORK
SPECIAL PULL-OUT
The BTO in numbers Throughout this Annual Review you will find facts and figures behind the stories. In this special centre section of the review we have pulled out some of the other amazing numbers that underline the contribution that volunteers make to the BTO.
The real strength of the BTO is the partnerships that exist between our members and volunteers, and the scientists at our offices who organise the surveys and analyse the results. The sheer number of people who support BTO through fieldwork is staggering, as the infographic below illustrates. Of course, the financial support that we receive is just as important. The income that we receive through memberships, legacies, donations and other gifts allows us to carry out the research most critical to conservation. By working together in this way, we have proved just how powerful a partnership we can CATHY RYDEN
provide, delivering the impartial evidence that supports conservation action and informs policy decisions.
Adding up to something SPECIAL... The 1,317,000 hours given by volunteers to BTO surveys during 2013 is staggering, especially as this equates to ÂŁ27.8 million of effort.
Garden Bird Feeding Survey Garden Wildlife Health
Bird Ringing
BTO Garden BirdWatch
Woodcock Survey Winter Thrushes
Wetland Bird Survey BirdTrack
Nest Record Scheme Nest Box Challenge
Heronries Survey
Waterways Breeding Bird Survey Breeding Bird Survey
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
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THE BTO’S WORK
SPECIAL PULL-OUT
Garden BirdWatch www.bto.org/gbw Garden BirdWatch monitors the changing fortunes of birds and other garden wildlife through its network of ‘citizen scientists’. Many birdwatchers and householders already keep simple records of the birds that they see using their gardens throughout the year. The collection of such information is incredibly useful and, if carried out in a systematic manner, these weekly observations of birds (or indeed other garden wildlife) can prove very valuable for researchers.
Garden BirdWatch long-term contributions — the stronger the colour the more years of records contributed
The long-term contributions of BTO Garden BirdWatchers have been significant, with 673 individuals sending in weekly records in each of the 19 years (1995–2013) over which the scheme has been operating. Each of the male and female icons above represents 50 Garden BirdWatchers, arranged by the number of years over which they have made contributions to the scheme. The darker the colour the more years for which records have been submitted. We are extremely grateful to all of our Garden BirdWatchers, who not only send in records but also support the project financially. The figure shows that participants who were active in 2013.
Common species The most commonly recorded garden birds according to BTO Garden BirdWatch, based on the proportion of gardens from which the species was reported during January–March 2013. Colour indicates conservation status.
Greenfinch Magpie Starling
Nuthatch
Proportion of sites providing each food type in 2013 Peanuts
Seed Mix
Sunflower Seed
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Feral Pigeon
Song Thrush
Nyger Seed
Blackcap
Robin HouseBlackbird Sparrow Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wren
Long-tailed Tit
Fat/Suets
Coal Tit
Dunnock Blue Tit Jay
Siskin
Goldfinch Chaffinch
Collared Dove
Great Tit
Woodpigeon
Mealworms
Other taxa records from Garden BirdWatch in 2013
18
230
210
Hummingbird Hawk-moth
1,033
Hornet
Rural
2,009
Cockchafer
Suburban
34%
Dragonflies
Urban
61%
Bumblebees
5%
3,034
Butterflies
Every garden is different, so all gardens are welcome in Garden BirdWatch. We have more records from suburban gardens than rural and urban put together.
3,765
Mammals
All types of gardens
Number of gardens from which recorded
It is not just birds that BTO Garden BirdWatchers record each week. This figure shows the number of gardens from which we received other wildlife records in 2013.
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BTO Annual Review | 2 014
THE BTO’S WORK
SPECIAL PULL-OUT
BirdTrack www.birdtrack.net BirdTrack is a free tool for birdwatchers to store and manage their records, while allowing us to use these to look at migration, movements and distributions of birds. It’s an exciting project – run in partnership between the BTO, the RSPB, BirdWatch Ireland, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and the Welsh Ornithological Society – that unlocks the value of day-to-day birdwatching records for conservation at local, regional, national and international scales.
BirdTrack submissions — the stronger the colour the more submissions
Some 21,602 BirdTrack volunteers have contributed 6.9 million submissions since the project was launched a decade ago. Of these, 66% are male and 34% are female. Then there are the records received from BirdGuides, bird clubs, bird observatories and county recorders, which are not shown here. 523 individuals have contributed more than 1,000 submissions and, of these, 26 have made more than 10,000 submissions. SPECIAL PULL-OUT:
Time spent in the field
Widespread species
At 2 hours 12 minutes, the average time spent doing a BirdTrack list in September is 26 minutes more than in January.
The most widely recorded 150 species, according to the number of 10-km squares from which they were reported; coloured by BOCC Conservation Status. Redstart
Red-legged Partridge
Lesser Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler Stock Dove
Whooper Swan Sandwich Tern
Brambling
Woodcock
Wigeon
Dunlin
Red-throated Diver
Raven Waxwing Oystercatcher Jay Song Thrush Willow Warbler Teal Short-eared Owl
Swallow
Nov
House Martin Shelduck Meadow Pipit Woodpigeon Buzzard Grey Heron Fulmar
Rock Pipit
Pochard
Mediterranean Gull
Little Owl
Magpie Great Spotted Woodpecker Snipe Great Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Rook Pied Wagtail Bullfinch Herring Gull Black-headed Gull Mistle Thrush Swift Chaffinch House Sparrow Jackdaw Sparrowhawk Blackbird Mallard Curlew Greenfinch Marsh Tit
Red-breasted Merganser
Hobby
Goldeneye Whinchat
Little Gull
Kittiwake
Goosander
Barn Owl
Greenshank
Chiffchaff Collared Dove Dunnock Gadwall
Little Egret
Blackcap
Hooded Crow
Lapwing
Black-tailed Godwit
In 2013, BirdTrackers logged 132,000 complete lists of birds seen. These came from every 100-km square across Britain and Ireland, the records submitted either online or through the BirdTrack App.
Top five counties — 2013
Robin
Kent
Suffolk
Hen Harrier
Eider
Merlin
Grey Wagtail
Sanderling
Blue Tit
Whitethroat Fieldfare Mute Swan Tree Sparrow
Linnet Peregrine
Siskin
Great Crested Grebe Stonechat Garden Warbler
Scoter Spotted Flycatcher Common Whimbrel Canada Goose Redshank Golden Plover Moorhen Red Kite Grey Partridge Common Tern Little Grebe
Turnstone
Yellow Wagtail
2013 rarities logged by BirdTrack observers Brünnich’s Guillemot: Portland Harbour, Dorset
Two-barred Crossbills: Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk
34
31
Little Bitterns: Ham Wall, Somerset
Parrot Crossbills: Holt Country Park, Norfolk
30 Lancashire
Bar-tailed Godwit
Dipper
Jack Snipe
Highland
Gannet Shoveler
Common Crossbill
Ring Ouzel
Osprey
Water Rail
Norfolk
Arctic Tern Grasshopper Warbler
Great Northern Diver
Turtle Dove
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Ringed Plover
Coal Tit Treecreeper Tawny Owl
Common Gull Coot Skylark Starling Goldfinch Wren Carrion Crow Goldcrest Great Tit
Woodpecker Reed Bunting GreenShag
y Ma Jun Julug A Sep Oct
From highlands to islands
Nuthatch
Tufted Duck Cuckoo
Kestrel Lesser Redpoll Pheasant Redwing Wheatear Cormorant Kingfisher Common Sandpiper Greylag Goose
Dec
Apr
Feb Mar
Green Sandpiper
Rock Dove Yellowhammer
Sand Martin Tree Pipit
Jan
Long-tailed Tit
Reed Warbler Pink-footed Goose
25
Ivory Gull, Patrington Haven (23 observers); Two-barred Crossbills, Broomhead Reservoir (22) and Pacific Swift, Trimley Marshes (19) also featured well.
19
THE BTO’S WORK
SPECIAL PULL-OUT
Tracking Cuckoos www.bto.org/cuckoos We’ve lost over half the number of Cuckoos in the UK over the last 20 years. Since 2011, researchers at BTO have been satellite-tracking Cuckoos to find out why. We’ve already learnt lots from our tagged birds, which will to help save our Cuckoos, but there is still more to discover.
Cuckoos making the HEADLINES...
EDMUND FELLOWES
Not only has the Cuckoo project delivered cutting edge science, it has also really engaged with a wider audience. ‘Chris’ the Cuckoo, named after BTO President, Chris Packham, has attracted lots of media interest. The infographic celebrating four years of tracking Chris (below), was hugely popular on Twitter.
BTO is working to understand why populations of Cuckoos and many other summer migrants are in decline. By bringing together studies here in the UK with fieldwork in Africa and new tracking technologies that follow the birds on their migratory journeys, we hope to provide the answers needed to support conservation efforts to halt these declines. Our use of satellite-tracking has already revealed new information on the routes that our Cuckoos use during migration and identified the sites where they winter and stopover to fuel up before crossing the Sahara. Migration provides a powerful story for wider engagement with the research needed to identify why summer migrants are being lost. While we tend to think of these summer visitors as ‘our’ birds, most of them are only here for a short part of the year. Our satellite may spend just 15% of his year in the UK, highlighting that we need to look across political boundaries if we are to understand the causes of decline. Much of BTO’s work on migrants has been funded through the generosity of individuals – we have 1,842 Cuckoo sponsors, for example – underlining the value of engaging with a broad audience through television, magazines and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. If we can grow this support and attract more ‘unrestricted’ funds, then we can do more of the research that is important for understanding what is happening to our birds.
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Centre pullout designed and produced by mike toms/bto
tags have revealed that a male Cuckoo
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Separating the ‘hoo-weet’ from the Chiff When Carl Barimore began working in the Demography Team he had never seen a Chiffchaff nest, let alone knew how to find one. Now he is one of a number of mentors helping others develop skills in finding and monitoring nests.
“Back in 2006 I wouldn’t even have known where to look for a Chiffchaff nest. I acknowledged the data submissions of experienced nest recorders in awe, amazed at the number of finch, lark and warbler broods they located each season. How did they do it? Could I do it? And, crucially, how long would it take me to learn?” It was veteran recorder and Tucker Medal answers. Taking me round his local patch the following summer, he patiently explained when, where and how I should search to find the nests of different species. One of the most memorable lessons involved following a female Chiffchaff back to her clutch, located in a pouch of coarse grass a few inches from the ground. Her incessant ‘hoo-weet’ contact call ceased the minute she sat back on the
David Tipling davidtipling.com
recipient John Brook who would provide the
Having someone experienced sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm through mentoring is one of the best ways to get to the heart of nest recording. Here, Mike Toms shows how to inspect a Treecreeper nest with an endoscope.
eggs, pinpointing the location almost exactly. I couldn’t wait to get back to my own
career hopefully illustrates two things: first,
patch at Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire to
it is possible to learn how to find nests in a
see if I could locate a nest on my own; sure
relatively short period of time and, second,
enough, by putting John’s advice into practice
it’s all a heck of a lot easier if you’re shown
I was successful on the very first attempt.
the ropes by an experienced nester. With
Fast forward to 2014 and I’m now running
this in mind, the 75th Anniversary of the
my own training courses, introducing new
NRS seemed like the ideal opportunity to
Nest Record Scheme (NRS) participants
launch a formal mentoring scheme, whereby
to the fascinating world of avian breeding
existing recorders offer to accompany new
biology.
recruits in the field as they develop the skills
This abridged story of my own nesting
necessary for locating and safely monitoring nests. Thus far, over 50 volunteers across
“Me and my good friends Mark Penney and Dave Scott have amassed many thousands of nest finding and monitoring hours together on Dartmoor. It would be a great shame to take this nest finding skill to the grave and so we, as a group, like nothing more than to meet, teach and encourage new nest recorders.”
the country have signed up as mentors,
Mark Lawrence, NRS mentor from Devon
their locations visible to all on an online
“In 2012 I met Mark Lawrence and the Dartmoor team for some expert tuition on finding nests of Stonechat and other bird species that breed on the ground. The skills I learned gave me the grounding to begin my own Tree Pipit study on Dartmoor the next year, which resulted in nine nest records for BTO, almost 20% of the national total.” Josh Marshall, new nest recorder from Devon
map hosted on the BTO website which also allows interested parties to get in touch with
displaying photographs of breeding attempts
them via email.
that they were monitoring, including, you’ve
Of course, provision of training is only
guessed it, several Chiffchaffs. I wonder how
useful if people want to get involved, and
many decades it’s been since a teenager
signs are positive. A Focus On Nature, an
located and monitored a warbler nest?
organisation providing networking and other
Ensuring this vital skill, which makes a huge
opportunities for young conservationists, held
contribution to our understanding of the factors
a conference at BTO this spring which included
driving population trends, not only persists but
a short workshop on nest finding. Within a
proliferates is a priority for the NRS over the
few days Twitter was alive with tweets from
next decade and, as ever, our volunteers are
delegates, most in their early teens, proudly
key to helping us achieve it.
Find out more about the Nest Record Scheme: Visit www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/nrs/taking-part/nrs-mentoring for information
about the possibility of mentoring in your area. Go to www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/nrs/taking-part for a free NRS starter pack. 2 014 | BTO Annual Review
21
People power Collecting information on the wildlife that lives alongside us isn’t always straightforward but many of the gaps in our knowledge can be filled through the partnerships established between scientists and volunteers.
KEEPING CHECK ON WILDLIFE DISEASE Research into wildlife disease has
can be achieved by bringing together
largely been driven by recognition of
experts from different fields and by
the threats to public health, livestock
drawing on the support of wider
production and species conservation from
stakeholders and volunteers.
emerging infectious diseases. The work
Central to Garden Wildlife Health is
carried out around species conservation
a web application, built by BTO staff,
has tended to focus on rare species,
that allows observers to submit reports,
typically restricted in terms of geographic
which are then reviewed by veterinary
range or population size, rather than on
researchers based at the Institute of
species perceived to be common and
Zoology. Where a report indicates that
widespread. We know, however, that
a carcass is available the researcher can
emerging infectious diseases can have
make a decision on whether or not to
going BATTY
a pronounced impact on apparently
request the carcass for post-mortem
Another area where our understanding
common species. Finch trichomonosis, for
examination, a process that makes
has really benefited from the partnership
example, first seen in British Greenfinches
use of the interactive features of the
between volunteers and researchers is
and Chaffinches in 2005, is known to
web application to alert the participant
that of bat conservation. Being nocturnal
have reduced our breeding Greenfinch
to the request. Details from the post-
in habits, bats are usually monitored by
population from c. 4.3 million birds to c.
mortem (including photographs and
experienced recorders using handheld
2.8 million over just a few years.
diagnostics) are then stored in the same
detectors to identify the bats present at
database that sits behind the online
a site. The lack of experienced surveyors,
mortality causes seen in familiar birds is
system, allowing results to be passed
coupled with the high cost of the
often collected opportunistically, when
back to the participant. Participants in
specialist detectors needed to identify
members of the public report animals that
BTO Garden BirdWatch also contribute
the bats, has limited our ability to collect
appear unwell or which have been found
information on the presence and
information on the distribution and
dead under suspicious circumstances.
absence of diseased wildlife from their
habitat use of bats at wider spatial scales.
While useful in their own right, such
gardens on a weekly basis, information
The launch of a new project – the
reports do not provide information on
that provides a systematic framework
Norfolk Bat Project, brainchild of BTO
the incidence of disease among wider
around the opportunistic reports that
Research Ecologist, Dr Stuart Newson –
populations, something that can only
come in from a wider audience. The
has recently overcome these difficulties
come from systematic monitoring and a
scheme will highlight the emergence of
by establishing a network of Bat
network of observers drawn from across
new diseases, chart the incidence and
Monitoring Centres. Local volunteers
the country. Establishing such networks
distribution of others and, additionally,
borrow passive bat detectors from these
can be problematic but Garden Wildlife
provide information on other mortality
centres, which they then deploy in a
Health, launched in 2013, shows what
agents affecting our wildlife.
standardised manner at sites across the
Information on the diseases and other
Garden Wildlife Health Managed by ZSL’s Institute of Zoology (IoZ), Garden Wildlife Health is a collaborative project between ZSL, BTO, Froglife and the RSPB. An evolution of the Garden Bird Health initiative (GBHi) and the Frog Mortality Project (FMP), it consists of a continuous survey
22
of the health of British amphibians, birds, hedgehogs and reptiles in garden habitats, contributing to better management of their conservation and the health of proximate people and domestic animals. The project is funded by the AHVLA Great Britain Wildlife
Disease Surveillance Partnership, which receives funding from Defra through the Scanning Surveillance Programme, and by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Defra’s Strategic Evidence Fund and in-kind contributions from the project partners.
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
people power
&
finch trichomonosis: Chaffinch and Greenfinch were the two species whose populations were most affected by the 2006 outbreak of trichomonosis, as BTO GBW and BBS data revealed
northeastwildlife.co.uk/Davidtipling.com/Luke delve
Facts Figures
county. Bats passing within range of the
sustainable over the next few years, which
detector are recorded on a memory card,
needs investment. As a start, funding has
which is returned to Stuart’s research
been secured (thanks to Essex and Suffolk
team to be analysed. A report detailing
Water) to develop an online system for
the bats recorded is then sent back to
coordinating detector bookings. Increasing
the participants, while the raw data are
coverage and carrying out core analyses will
added to a database that now holds over
also be important areas for development as
half a million recordings (the project only
the project moves forward.
1.5million
At least 1.5 million Greenfinches have been lost since finch trichomonosis was first recognised in 2005, returning the British Greenfinch population to levels last seen in the mid-1980s and halting a 20-year period of population growth.
launched in April 2013). The Norfolk Bat Project is already delivering a huge amount of new information, revolutionising our understanding of bat distributions within Norfolk. The project has been recognised for its achievements within the county and it looks set to provide a model for what could be achieved countrywide. What we want now is to make this project
Acknowledgements Norfolk Bat Survey is led by BTO in partnership with those organisations hosting Bat Monitoring Centres. We are extremely grateful to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and Natural England (Defra Fund for Biodiversity Recording in the Voluntary Sector) for providing start-up funding for this project and for the additional support given by the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership, the Geoffrey Watling Charity and the many individual donors and supporters.
3,637
Barbastelle: This red-listed species now appears to be localised, but widespread, in Norfolk, occuring at low density. The 1,033 recordings of this species captured through this project represent just 0.2% of the total recordings received in 2013.
1,757 volunteers have contributed 2,459 reports to Garden Wildlife Health since its launch in 2013. In addition, 3,637 existing BTO Garden BirdWatchers have submitted information on disease incidence through their weekly counts.
S. c. bisserot/npl
1,019
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
The Norfolk Bat Survey has logged 1,019 recordings of Barbastelle, a bat species formerly thought to be highly localised within Norfolk. These recordings come from 162 1-km squares, representing 36% of the county’s land area.
23
Scientific Research in 2013 & 2014 In the triptych below we review some more of the fascinating and diverse papers that have emerged from BTO work in the past year. These three papers cover different aspects of the Trust’s work on climate change.
1. Climate change and diving ducks
2. Migration in a ch
Collaboration is the key to studying the effects of climate change across Europe
Climate change impacts across years
Data collected by WeBS volunteers make an
104,000 wintering birds. Similarly, Goldeneye
Migratory birds are likely to be particularly
important contribution to research looking at
numbers decreased significantly in Ireland and
vulnerable to climate change because they
effects of climate change on waterbirds. Counts
Switzerland over the 30 years, amounting to a
can be affected by changing conditions on the
from across Europe, spanning 1980 to 2010,
loss of 12,000 birds from those two countries
breeding grounds, wintering grounds or the
were used to examine the responses of diving
alone. Recent shorter-term declines have also
passage areas in between. Many long-distance
ducks to changing winter temperatures. The
occurred in Britain, France, and the Netherlands.
migrant birds that breed in the UK and winter
results of this collaborative work, which focused
At the south-west end of the flyway used by
in Africa are in severe decline; previous BTO
on Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Goosander,
Goosanders, the wintering population has
work has shown this can be related to changing
were published in Global Change Biology.
declined markedly in the Netherlands, Denmark
conditions in Africa, which affect overwinter
and southern Sweden.
survival, and to conditions on British breeding
The work was led by researchers in Finland,
steven round www.stevenround-birdphotography.com/Luke delve
where effects of climate change have been felt
24
grounds. Research by the BTO’s Population
particularly strongly. Early winter temperatures in
These findings are directly relevant to
Ecology and Modelling Team took this further
parts of Fennoscandia have risen by nearly 4°C
conservation. Waterbird abundance is used as
and considered the potential for changing
during the study period. Prior to recent decades,
designation criteria for wetland protection, for
conditions in Africa to ‘carry over’ and affect
wetlands in northern latitudes of Europe remained
example as Ramsar sites. New areas becoming
birds during the following breeding season.
frozen throughout the winter. However, during the
important for non-breeding birds risk not falling
period examined in this study they have become
into existing protected area networks. Conversely,
is incredibly important for migrants that
increasingly available to diving waterfowl in winter.
wintering waterbirds may increasingly retract
winter south of the Sahara, as precipitation
Tufted Duck, Goldeneye and Goosander have
from sites further south and west in their ranges,
controls vegetation growth and, therefore, the
all increased exponentially in Finland, while in
some of which were designated to protect them.
abundance of herbivorous insects. Species
northern Sweden the total for all three species
Protection throughout the entire flyway is vital
such as warblers, flycatchers and chats
combined has risen by over 80,000 birds.
however; recent colder winters, particularly that of
rely heavily on berries and invertebrates to
Goldeneye numbers have increased by 4,320%
2010/11, have demonstrated the importance of
survive through the winter and to fuel their
in Finland and 269% in southern Sweden.
ensuring protection of these sites as cold weather
journeys back to the breeding grounds the
refuges.
following spring. Using a unique dataset,
However, a striking contrast is apparent at the opposite end of the migratory flyway. Although in Britain numbers of Tufted Ducks appear relatively stable, neighbouring regions towards the southwest end of the flyway have seen declines, with decreases of 46% in France, 43% in Ireland and 39% in Switzerland, amounting to a net shift of
Find out more Lehikoinen A., Jaatinen K., Vahatalo A.V., Clausen P., Crowe O., Deceuninck B., Hearn R., Holt C.A., Hornman M., Keller V., Nilsson L., Langendoen T., Wahl J. & Fox A.D. 2013. Rapid climate driven shifts in wintering distribution of three waterbird species. Global Change Biology 19, 2071–2081.
Rainfall during the African growing season
collected by volunteers contributing to the Nest Record Scheme over a 46-year period, BTO ecologists demonstrated that the impact of African rainfall can indeed carry over and influence the subsequent timing of nesting in 19 migrant species, including Sand Martin, BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Behind the Images… 1. diving ducks Goldeneye and other diving ducks are utilising new sites at northerly latitudes as the climate changes and waterbodies become available.
hanging climate
2. migrants Winter rainfall in Africa can affect migrant birds many months and many miles later as BTO research demonstrates.
3. protected areas An ambitious collaborative study showed that Europe’s network of sites designated for species protection will be resilient to climate change.
3. Do protected areas work? Protected areas for bird conservation
Swallow and Redstart. In general, species laid
Protected area networks, where several
average rise of 4°C in global temperatures,
their eggs earlier after wetter Sahel growing
sites are legally protected because of their
and predicted population declines of at least
seasons, suggesting that individuals were in
importance for particular species or habitats,
25% for more than half of species considered.
better condition and therefore able to leave
are one of the main conservation tools for
In some cases falls of more than 50%
earlier, travel faster or produce clutches more
reducing biodiversity loss. However, it is unclear
were predicted. Species such as Arctic Tern,
rapidly on arrival.
how effective these networks might be as
Guillemot, Eider and Bar-tailed Godwit were
the species and habitats for which they are
particularly badly affected. However, other
is relatively small when compared to the
designated respond to climate change. This
species, like Avocet and Common Tern, were
impact of spring temperature on the breeding
question was tackled by BTO scientists and
projected to increase in numbers.
grounds. This suggests that increasing
published in the prestigious journal Nature
temperatures in the UK are largely responsible
Climate Change, the result of an ambitious
These gains and losses have implications for
for the observed trend towards earlier
project involving collaborators from universities,
the designation of SPAs. However, although
breeding, even in long-distance migrants.
government bodies and NGOs. The study
many sites were predicted to lose qualifying
Warm springs are likely to stimulate early
provided the most compelling evidence to date
species as numbers dropped below the
laying as they advance leaf growth and,
that, while British bird populations are being,
necessary threshold, they were also expected
therefore, the emergence of insects that birds
and will continue to be, affected by climate
to gain other species, resulting in an overall
depend on to provision offspring; studies
change, the network of sites established to
change in the composition of species protected
have shown that a failure to track these
protect them under European law is resilient to
by a particular area. Such alterations highlight
advances can have serious implications
these changes and will remain so.
the need for efficient administration and regular
However, the importance of this effect
for breeding success. Overall, this research
The UK is home to internationally important
highlights the many factors determining how
populations of breeding seabirds and wintering
migrant species are responding to climate
waterbirds. Sites holding particular numbers
change, an understanding of which is vital
of these species are designated as Special
if we are to protect these birds and address
Protection Areas (SPAs) under the EU Birds
population declines.
Directive. Analysis of high quality data on the abundance of 62 species of seabird and
Find out more Ockendon, N., Leech, D. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2013. Climatic effects on breeding grounds are more important drivers of breeding phenology in migrant birds than carry-over effects from wintering grounds. Biology Letters 9, 0669. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0669
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
waterbird, collected over 30 years, showed that more than half of the population trends during this time can be explained by climate change. This information was used to predict trends through to 2080, assuming an
assessment of the SPA network, so that it keeps pace with bird population trends. Find out more Full citation: Johnston, A., Ausden, M., Dodd, A.M., Bradbury, R.B., Chamberlain, D.E., Jiguet, F., Thomas, C.D., Cook, A.S.C.P., Newson, S.E., Ockendon, N., Rehfisch, M.M., Roos, S., Thaxter, C.B., Brown, A., Crick, H.Q.P., Douse, A., McCall, R.A., Pontier, H., Stroud, D.A., Cadiou, B., Crowe, O., Deceuninck, B., Hornman, M. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2013. Observed and predicted effects of climate change on species abundance in protected areas. Nature Climate Change 3, 1055–1061. doi: 10.1038/ NCLIMATE2035
25
BTO Accounts 2013/14 Council aims to build on our successes in diversifying our income and growing unrestricted income, in order to continue to deliver relevant, independent, quality science that is synonymous with BTO.
The way in which we are funded is changing, with income from individuals playing an ever increasing role in supporting the work we undertake. Through membership, donations, appeals and legacies, individuals have contributed an amazing £2.5m to our income this year. This represents 40% of our total income and exceeds the restricted income of £1.7m from Government/public sector contracts. The benefit of this contribution from individuals does not stop there, it also enables partnerships with other NGO’s to deliver collaborative projects like the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey and opens doors to other sources of income. As we continue to grow our fundraising capacity this added value will grow in importance; we frequently use contributions from our supporters to access grants from a range of sources. In some circumstances this match funding has been key to securing such grants; grants from Natural Resources Wales, Environment Wales and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation enabled the setup and ongoing operation of our Welsh Office, for instance.
Summarised Accounts 2013/14 Exceptional legacy receipts and the profit on sales of Bird Atlas 2007–11 resulted in an operating surplus for the year of £643k. The principal funding sources continued to be research and surveys (£2,532k), membership and communications (£1,226k), and trading and consultancy (including BTO Services Ltd turnover) (£979k). Appeals raised £345k, and £853k was received from legacies. A total of £4,665k was spent during the year on carrying out, supporting and communicating ornithological research. There was a gain of £30k in the market value of investments, in line with the general rise in the stock
market, but an actuarial loss of £821k in the pension scheme, due to further weakening of bond yields. The Trustees have an unrestricted free reserves target range of 9 to 12 weeks’ operating expenditure. These reserves are held against any unexpected falls in income or other unforeseen circumstances. Unrestricted funds excluding tangible fixed assets and the pension fund liability at 31 March 2014 totalled £1,667k, of which £53k is committed to existing BTO-funded projects, and £600k is earmarked for pension deficit repair payments, leaving free reserves equivalent to 8.9 weeks’ expenditure.
Incoming resources
2013/14 2012/13 (£'000) (£'000)
General donations
149
157
Appeals
345
400
Legacies
853
230
Trading and consultancy
979
764
Royalties and copyright
99
120
Other income Membership and communications
141
51
1,226
1,141
Research and surveys
2,532
2,183
Total incoming resources
6,324
5,046
Resources expended Costs of generating voluntary income
224
174
Costs of activities for generating funds
754
575
Membership, volunteers and communications
1,182
1,173
Research and surveys
3,483
3,039
Governance costs
Total resources expended Defined benefit pension scheme closure
Net incoming resources Other recognised losses
38
41
5,681
5,002
-
1,111
643
1,155
-791
-412
Net movement in funds
-148
743
Total funds brought forward
1,056
313
908
1,056
Fixed assets
1,737
1,684
Net current assets
1,507
1,163
Total funds carried forward
Represented by: Other creditors Pension fund liability
Our raffles are a great way of securing funding for a project. For example, £10,000 from the raffle in 2010 was used to access a grant from BBC Wildlife to kick-start our Cuckoo-tracking project.
26
TOTAL
-25
-22
-2,311
-1,769
908 1,056
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
ces (£'000)
General donations
Accounts
urces expended (£'000) ces (£'000) General donations
‘Birds are important to us and we’ve had so much pleasure from watching them it’s good to give something back. Besides, bird surveys really are fun!’
&
Facts Figures
Appeals urces expended (£'000) General donations Appeals Legacies 0) incoming resources resources Expended urces expended (£'000) (£’000) Appeals (£’000) generating Incoming Incoming resources resources (£'000) (£'000) Costs of Resources Resources expended expended(£'000) (£'000) Legacies 0)7,0007,000 General donations General General donations donations voluntary income Trading 7,000 &7,000consultancy 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 urces expended (£'000) Appeals Appeals Legacies Costs Costsofofgenerating generating Costs of activities generating voluntary voluntary income income Costs of for Trading & consultancy 5,000 5,000 0)5,0005,000 General Legacies Legacies donations Costs Costsofofactivities activitiesforfor voluntary Appeals Royalties4,000 & generating copyright income funds generating generating funds funds We are greatly indebted to our 4,000 4,000 4,000Trading Trading & consultancy & consultancy urces expended (£'000) members and volunteers for their Membership, Membership,volunteers volunteers Trading & consultancy Costs of generating generous support. Here are and andcommunications communications some facts 3,000 3,000Royalties Costs of activities for Royalties & copyright & copyright 0)3,0003,000 General Royalties & copyright donations to demonstrate just how important you Membership, volunteers Research Researchand andsurveys surveys Appeals Other income voluntary income are to the financial working of BTO 2,000 2,000 Legacies 2,000 2,000Other Other income income generating funds and communications Governance Governancecosts costs 40% Royalties1,000 &Membership copyright Costs of generating 1,000 0)1,0001,000 General donations Membership andand Costs of activities for Individuals contributed £2.5m to BTO communications communications Appeals Other income Membership, volunteers last year, which is 40% of our total 0 0 Legacies 0 0Research Research and surveys Research andand surveys surveys income voluntary Trading & consultancy Membership and This money is vital in enabling 2013/14 2013/14 2012/13 2012/13 generating funds 2013/14 2013/14 2012/13 2012/13 and communications income. our core surveys and our own priority Costs of of activities generating Other income General donations communications Costs for research. Appeals Membership and Legacies Membership, volunteers Trading voluntary income Research and surveys300 Royalties&&consultancy copyright Governance costs Research and surveys generating funds communications members are extremely loyal to and communications Our our cause, we have over 300 members and of activities for who have supported Appeals MembershipCosts 13 Legacies us for over 50 Research and surveys Membership, volunteers Trading & consultancy years and a further 4,000 Royalties &communications copyright Governance Research and surveysyears’ membership. with over 20 generating funds costs Other income 13 and communications Research and surveys Legacies& consultancy Trading Membership, volunteers & copyright Research and surveys 13 Royalties Other income 2012/13 Governance costs Membership and and communications Trading &&consultancy communications Royalties copyright Research and surveys£114,000 Other income Membership 2012/13 andand By signing up to giftaid your support Research surveys Governance costs makes an even greater difference; we communications received £114,000 in the year on your Royalties & copyright subscription fees. So, if you are a UK Other income Membership and tax payer add another 25p for every Research 2012/13 and surveys Governance costs pound you give by adding giftaid. communications Other incomeand Membership £27.7m Research 2012/13 and surveys A conservative estimate of the communications monetary value of the staggering 1.36 million hours gifted by volunteers Membership and each year is £27.7m. Research and surveys 2012/13 communications 27 Tom & Muriel Cadwallender, members and regional representatives for northumberland
7,000
7,000
6,000
6,000
5,000
5,000
4,000
4,000
3,000
3,000
2,000
2,000
1,000
1,000
0
0
2013/14
General donations Appeals Legacies Trading & consultancy Royalties & copyright
2012/13
Other income
Membership & communications
Research & surveys
2013/14
2012/13
Costs of generating voluntary income Costs of activities for generating funds Membership, volunteers & communications Research & surveys Governance costs
Independent Auditor’s Statement To The Members Of The British Trust For Ornithology
for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the summarised financial statements. 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 2014. LOVEWELL BLAKE LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor Bankside 300, Peachman Way, Broadland Business Park, Norwich, NR7 0LB 31 July 2014
Further Information
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 (incorporating the Strategic Report) should be consulted. These are available on the BTO website (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 2 July 2014 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 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).
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Research and surveys
Edmund Fellowes/david tipling davidtipling.com
We have examined the summarised financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2014 set out above. 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 (Trustees’) Report (incorporating the Strategic Report). We also read other information contained in the summarised annual report and consider the implications
Partnerships Working in partnership delivers huge benefits to BTO and enables us to engage with different communities and to share our own expertise with others. As these three examples reveal, these partnerships are diverse and far-reaching.
1. BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch
Harnessing the power of TV to bring our message to the masses
2. BESS
Quantifying the role of birds in providing ecosystem services
BTO has an active role in three of the four Biodiversity & Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) projects. BESS is a major six-year Research Council initiative to assess the role of biodiversity in delivering the key ecosystem services on which we rely. Each of the projects brings together ecologists, environmental scientists, economists, social scientists and local stakeholders to consider a particular habitat or landscape, including urban centres and estuaries. One example is BTO’s contribution to the Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability project. Led by Cardiff University, DURESS brings together a consortium of 30 researchers from a range of disciplines Chris Packham and BTO Staff Chris Hewson and Paul Stancliffe on the trail of Chris the Cuckoo in Suffolk on his return to the UK for a feature on Springwatch.
and institutions and focuses on four river ecosystem services that are biodiversitymediated: regulation of water quality;
28
Over recent years we have gathered
success through the use of social media
regulation of decomposition; fisheries
feedback from our members,
during the shows. By tweeting during
and recreational fishing; and river birds
supporters and partners through a
broadcasts we can both support the
as culturally valued biodiversity. Each
range of different surveys aimed at
programmes by providing relevant
is at risk from climate and land-use
improving our services. One of the
supplementary information and help
change. During the summer of 2013 a
areas that our supporters feel we
to answer any queries raised by
BTO field team carried out bird surveys
should continue to develop is our public
items in the programmes. By taking
along the rivers, looking at characteristic
profile. “You do great work but not
this approach, we’ve enjoyed record
riverine birds such as Dipper and Grey
enough people know about you. You
numbers of new people choosing to
Wagtail, but also species inhabiting
need to shout louder” is a typical quote
follow us on Twitter and we additionally
the riparian woodlands which may rely
from such surveys. One of the ways in
benefit from the BBC Twitter teams
on emergent aquatic insects. Over last
which we can deliver on this demand
helping to broadcast our messages
winter, we’ve collected Dipper droppings
is to grow our relationships with high
to their huge communities. This year
and feathers which will be analysed to
profile radio and television programmes,
BTO featured prominently on the
assess main sources of diet, exposure to
broadcasting our messages into the
programmes, with lead features focusing
a pathogen and genetic diversity. These
homes of millions of people at a time.
on our President, Chris Packham,
results will be considered alongside
We’ve enjoyed a particularly strong
searching for Chris the Cuckoo, and
analyses of long-term biodiversity
partnership over recent years with the
on Dave Leech’s community Blackbird
datasets, experiments manipulating, for
teams delivering BBC Springwatch and
project, which makes use of colour-
example, rates of litter decomposition
Autumnwatch.
ringing. While it is difficult to measure
in streams under different conditions,
In addition to providing ideas
the value of this exposure, we are in no
and surveys of the values that different
and advice to the excellent crew of
doubt that a close working relationship
stakeholders attribute to different
researchers, producers and presenters,
with the BBC is helping to take our work
ecosystem services. Find out more at:
we have also enjoyed considerable
to new and wider audiences.
www.nerc-bess.net BTO Annual Review | 2 014
‘In addition to providing ideas and advice to the excellent crew of researchers, producers and presenters, we have also enjoyed considerable success through the use of social media during the shows.’
Partnerships
&
Facts Figures
3. Working with Opticron Long-running partnership brings in new nest recorders
857
The number of 1-km squares covered in the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey in 2013. 374 of these were covered by BBS volunteers on their BBS 1-km squares. The scheme is run as a partnership between Butterfly Conservation, BTO and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
£37,638.25
Small groups and mentoring have been shown to be most effective in recruiting volunteers for nest recording. Our partnership with Opticron has enabled us to run more of these small events.
The optics company Opticron has been
volunteers is to deliver a smaller number
a firm friend for many years now and
of small group or 1:1 sessions with
we continue to benefit from a strong
targeted individuals. In order to deliver
working relationship with them. Over the
this across as wide a geographical area
past few years they have supported our
as possible, we have recruited a number
work primarily through contributing to
of experienced nest record mentors and
membership offers and supporting our
the support from Opticron has enabled
presence at Birdfair.
us to equip them with some essential
William Skellorn/David Tipling davidtipling.com
More recently their support has
equipment. The funding has also
enabled us to invest in more advanced
enabled us to to set up a ‘find a mentor’
camera equipment so that we can
facility on the BTO website, putting
broaden the range of videos we provide
potential new recruits in contact with a
via our YouTube channel. Opticron are
local volunteer.
particularly keen to see their contribution making a difference to the number of
A celebratory 75th anniversary meeting
people actively contributing data to
held this spring served to promote the
our long-term schemes, so in 2014
mentoring scheme to existing volunteers
we directed their support towards the
and, with everything now in place, we
Nest Record Mentoring Scheme. Our
are looking forward to a bumper year
experience with nest recording has
of nest records in 2015. We are very
taught us that rather than investing in
grateful to Opticron for their continued
a large number of introductory nest
support of our work. To find out more
recording courses, the most cost-
about Opticron and their range of optics
effective approach for recruiting new
visit www.opticron.co.uk
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
is the sum achieved in raffle ticket sales and donations for the BTO Raffle for 2013-14. Generous prizes were donated by the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club (BWWC) at the Grant Arms Hotel, by Opticron and by CJ Wildlife. Two years ago CJ Wildlife expanded their operation in Europe with Vivara and renewed their support for BTO by providing five sets of third-place raffle prizes, each worth more than £100, to the lucky winners.
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The number of volunteer Regional Representatives, assistants and Development Officers based throughout the UK who make our surveys possible. In addition to recruiting and managing volunteers, these super volunteers are BTO ambassadors, promoting our work across the regions.
£10,000
is the donation Essex and Suffolk Water made to the Cuckoo-tracking project for 2013, via their Branch Out fund, naming their Cuckoo in a staff vote after Ken Saul, a volunteer of more than 30 years standing at Burgh Common in Norfolk where the Cuckoo was caught . Essex and Suffolk Water have been with the BTO since the launch of the project in 2011 and have maintained their much-valued support.
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BTO and business By working with business BTO has been able to deliver innovative research projects, many of which originate as ideas put forward by BTO’s research staff. As EMMA DOUGLAS highlights, such collaborations provide new opportunities to support and develop emerging areas of our work.
PITCH PERFECT
scientists, asking them to put forward
Research should be exciting; after all, science
project ideas that have the potential to
is about answering questions and increasing
deliver new information, either through
understanding! So it shouldn’t come as a
the collection of new data or the
surprise that BTO’s research staff have plenty
exploration of existing datasets; these
of ideas for pieces of work that might reveal
projects should align with the vision
new insights into our bird populations and
of The Sound Approach. Each of the
their ecology. Funding sources for these
project proposals is then peer reviewed
ideas are not always obvious, however, since
by colleagues to produce a shortlist of
many fall outside of the funding streams that
ideas to be presented to The Sound
support BTO’s core monitoring programmes,
Approach, and it is from this shortlist
this is where corporate support is vital. A
that a number of projects are selected
good example of how business support
for funding. This approach opens up
TRACKING SWIFTS WITH GPS TAGS – CHRIS HEWSON
can underpin innovation can be seen in the
opportunities for BTO researchers
The Common Swift is declining as a
relationship that we have been developing
from across the organisation,
breeding bird in Britain but efforts to
with Mark Constantine, founder of The
secures engagement and generates
understand the reasons for the decline
Sound Approach (soundapproach.co.uk).
a competitive buzz, reinforcing the
have been hampered by a lack of basic
message that exciting and worthwhile
knowledge about the bird and its ecology.
The Sound Approach has also delivered
science should receive support. As
Swifts spend such a small part of their
some additional benefits because of
the following examples reveal, support
year with us and we know very little
the novel process developed to identify
from The Sound Approach has helped
about their migration tracks, stopover
projects for funding. The process begins
to deliver some very different pieces of
sites and wintering areas. We also know
with an invitation to our research
work, from across the organisation.
surprisingly little about the foraging and
The work we have been doing with
“Swifts spend such a small part of their year with us and we know very little about their migration tracks, stopover sites and wintering areas.”
ranging behaviour of the birds breeding at colonies here in Britain. Funding from The Sound Approach has allowed us to use newly-developed miniature GPS tags to collect information with an unprecedented degree of spatial accuracy. Each tag, five of which were deployed in summer 2014, is able to record some 300 locations over the period of deployment. We have been able to quantify the amount of time spent over different habitats and to establish the distances travelled from the colony through short-term deployments during the breeding season. Longerterm deployments, with different tag programming, will enable us to look in much finer detail at migration tracks and the use of stopover sites in West Africa on spring migration. The accuracy of the tags is so great (within 6 m for 50% of locations) that we will be able to determine the movements of the birds in relation to frontal systems and other meteorological features. This has significant implications for their conservation, providing us with on the wing Using new technologies will reveal much about Swift ecology that has been hidden.
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knowledge that has, until now, been lacking. BTO Annual Review | 2 014
all ears Little Owls react more strongly to the calls of strangers than their near neighbours.
LITTLE OWL PLAYBACK TRIAL – DAVE LEECH
determined survey locations. However,
a network of box-nesting Little Owls that
in order to use this approach within the
are monitored on an annual basis and this
Over the last 40 years there has been a
context of a national survey we first need to
population provides the perfect opportunity to
significant and substantial decline in the
understand how known populations of Little
test response rates under different scenarios.
UK Little Owl population. It is difficult to
Owls respond to playback. For example, do
Intensive trials of this survey methodology
construct reliable population estimates for
birds respond more often where they occur
provide the information needed to design a
this species because of its largely nocturnal
at a higher density and are response rates
robust national survey to accurately determine
nature and relatively low population density.
influenced by weather conditions or the
the size of the UK Little Owl population.
The primary means of surveying Little Owls
type of technology used to broadcast the
This is a project that dovetails particularly
is via the use of call playbacks, noting the
calls during playback?
well with The Sound Approach’s interests in
david tipling www.davidtipling.com/john harding/klaus bjerre (nature Photograhers Ltd)
response of territorial birds to recordings broadcast from a handheld device at pre-
THE SOUND APPROACH We are very grateful to Mark Constantine who, through The Sound Approach, aims to popularise birdsong and raise standards in the use of sounds in bird identification. Subjects of particular interest include ageing and sexing birds by their sounds, recognising hidden biodiversity and identifying ‘new species’ through songs and calls. Their collection of bird songs and calls now exceeds 50,000 recordings of more than 1,000 species, with a particular focus on the Western
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
BTO volunteer ringers and nest recorders in the south Lincolnshire fens have established
bird vocalisations and the field techniques associated with them.
Palaearctic region, making this one of the largest archives of bird sound recordings in the world.
MARK CONSTANTINE Driven by his passion for birds and their song, Mark Constantine, founder of Lush Cosmetics, formed The Sound Approach in 2000. Mark has been a keen birder since the 1970s. During holidays to Mallorca in the 1980s he became friends with the late Peter Grant, “the best teacher a birder could have asked for.”
cory’s confusion Sound Approach recordings have helped inform discussions of Calonectris taxonomy.
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A year in BTO Cymru 2013–14 As our office in Wales reaches its third birthday, BTO Cymru Development Officer Kelvin Jones updates us on what has been achieved to support our members, volunteers and partners in the principality.
It’s been three years since BTO decided
of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, the 2013
a professional presence in Wales was
season proved a record year with 331
desirable and necessary with the Welsh
individual 1-km squares surveyed.
Government assuming responsibility
As funding for this part of our work
for the environment in the principality.
comes to an end, an ongoing programme
Our BTO Cymru office, with its two staff
of work will build on this initiative and,
hosted at Bangor University, is now well
more importantly, retain, enthuse and
established and in regular contact with
motivate our existing volunteers to
friends and partner organisations including
continue contributing to this survey which
Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the
underpins so much of BTO’s work.
Welsh Ornithological Society, The Wildlife
chat survey The latest BBS report shows that Whinchat had a better year in 2013 but that there is still cause for concern with a 55% decline since 1995.
One of the big successes of
Trusts, RSPB Cymru, Centre for Ecology
programmes like BBC’s Springwatch
and Hydrology and Welsh bird groups.
and S4C’s Y Gwannwyn was the interest
The national media regularly contact us
they generated in bird ringing. However,
for comment and clarity on all matters
the geographical spread of ringers and
ornithological, and this regular media
ringing trainers across Wales is patchy and
presence has raised the BTO’s profile in
a factor in holding back the expansion
Wales.
of ringing here. To begin to address this issue, a ringing course was held at
Building on a strong foundation
the Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgerran,
One of the main objectives for BTO
Teifi Ringing Group and the Wildlife Trust
Cymru over the last three years has been
of West and South Wales. During the
to increase the number of BBS squares
weekend a number of long-established
hard work and enthusiasm of our three
surveyed across Wales in order to support
ringers attained their trainer’s permits,
ambassadors, Mick Bailey, Amanda Skull
conservation work, particularly of priority
which will hopefully help to build capacity
and David Lee. A very successful Garden
species. With financial support from NRW, a
for training ringers in the principality.
Wildlife Conference was held at Bangor
programme of mentoring and training was
BTO Garden BirdWatch is well
developed and, building on the success
Pembrokeshire in partnership with the
supported in Wales, a testimony to the
University in October, in partnership with Plantlife Cymru and the North Wales
Getting started young... One of the unexpected successes of the BTO Cymru office has been the establishment of a BTO student ambassador programme at Welsh universities. With competition for jobs in the environmental sector continuing to be very tough, students can give themselves a head start by supplementing academic studies with hands-on experience. BTO is well placed to offer some good old-fashioned practical experience through our various surveys and schemes and peer-to-peer promotion of our work is proving to be a great way to engage students. With a very modest investment we have been able to find student ambassadors in the four bigger universities. Working together with Kelvin Jones, this team promotes our work to a very relevant target audience, helping them to understand more about what we do and how they can benefit from participating.
32
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
Wales
David Tipling davidtipling.com/northeastwildlife.co.uk
Wildlife Trust. The event was fully booked
during the BTO Peregrine Survey in 2014
and feedback from participants has
and highlights the need for continued
been excellent. We are grateful to the
careful monitoring of our protected
university for hosting the event and we
species.
are already planning the next one!
&
Facts Figures
‘One of the main objectives for BTO Cymru over the last three years has been to increase the number of BBS squares surveyed across Wales in order to support conservation work, particularly of priority species.’
96%
The latest BBS report shows a 96% increase in House Sparrow in Wales compared with a 2% decline in the UK as a whole.
38%
Green Woodpecker numbers are down by 38% in Wales compared with a 38% increase in the whole of the UK. Numbers are particularly low in the south-west of the country, with gaps in distribution now appearing.
The Welsh Chat Survey of 2012 was extended because of the
Founding new networks
atrocious weather the previous year.
Part of our work over the past year has
and extended and, with the Welsh
focused on building a more coherent
Ornithological Society now part of the
approach to raptor monitoring. As noted
BirdTrack partnership, BirdTrack is being
in this Annual Review (see page 4),
increasingly used by both volunteers and
BTO Scotland has had considerable
county recorders as the standard system
experience of coordinating raptor study
for collecting and disseminating bird data
groups through their work with the
in Wales.
Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme,
WeBS coverage was maintained
BTO’s decision to open an office here
and we were keen to learn from this
in Wales has proved a huge success,
expertise and deploy it in Wales. A
both for BTO and for the members and
number of very constructive meetings
volunteers who tirelessly and freely give
were held to bring together the various
their time and expertise to expand our
groups and we have established a good
knowledge of Welsh birds, and thereby
working dialogue, which we hope will
contribute so much to their conservation.
lead to a more coordinated approach
We are grateful to Environment Wales
to raptor monitoring in coming years.
(on behalf of the Welsh Government),
Suspected persecution of Peregrines at
the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and
two north Wales eyries was revealed
NRW for their support.
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
55,807
The number of birds ringed in Wales in 2013. These include a Little Tern which was ringed in its nest in Gronant in 1994 and was found freshly dead in the same area 18 years, 11 months and 3 days later, setting a new longevity record for this species.
33
The BTO in print The outputs from BTO research continue to appear in a broad range of peer-reviewed publications. Summaries of all published papers now appear on our website.
Looking at some BTO PAPERS... Are Great White Egrets here to stay? As this review reveals, both the numbers of Great White Egrets in Britain and their range have increased over the last 20 years. Data collected by WeBS volunteers have helped to document their spread and can be used to generate population trends. The study also reviews their ecology and habitat requirements. Holt, C. (2013). The changing status of the Great White Egret in Britain. British Birds 106, 246–257.
Understanding disease reservoirs in wild birds Particular strains of the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium may be carried by wild birds. A comparison of these different strains (known as phage types) provides supporting evidence that garden birds can act as a reservoir for Salmonellosis in humans. Lawson, B., de Pinna, E., Horton, R.A., Macgregor, S.K., John, S.K., Chantrey, J., Duff, J.P., Kirkwood, J.K., Simpson, V.R., Robinson, R.A., Wain, J. & Cunningham, A.A. (2014). Epidemiological evidence that garden birds are a source of human Salmonellosis in England and Wales. PLOS ONE. doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0088968
Long-tailed Tits bolstered by warm springs
Does winter feeding reduce Blue Tit breeding? Blue Tits receiving supplementary winter food had lighter, smaller offspring, with reduced survival, the following spring. This study highlights the potential population-level effects of winter feeding. Plummer, K.E., Bearhop, S., Leech, D.I., Chamberlain, D.E. & Blount, J.D. (2013). Winter food provisioning reduces future breeding performance in a wild bird. Scientific Reports 3, article number 2002. doi: 10.1038/srep02002
Bird surveys reveal population changes… for mammals! Volunteers taking part in the Breeding Bird Survey have been recording mammals since 1995. Analyses of these data reveal big population changes in nine common species, for example a 48% decline in Rabbits. The study highlights the value of the BTO’s volunteer network for monitoring groups other than birds. Wright, L.J., Newson, S.E. & Noble, D.G. (2013). The value of a random sampling design for annual monitoring of national populations of larger British terrestrial mammals. European Journal of Wildlife Research 60, 213–221. doi: 10.1007/s10344-013-0768-x
BTO science contributed to work showing that rising spring temperatures can help explain the rapid recent population growth of British Long-tailed Tits. Annual survival was higher in years with milder breeding seasons, suggesting that this species could benefit from predicted warming through climate change. Gullet, P., Evans, K.L., Robinson, R.A. & Hatchwell, B.J. (2014). Oikos 123, 389–400.
Going with the flow? Costs and benefits of river flow variability to riverine birds Data from the BTO’s Waterways Breeding Bird Survey demonstrate how the magnitude, timing and variation in river flows may influence bird communities. This work underlines how bird communities might respond to shifts in river flows caused by climate change and highlights those species potentially at risk. Royan, A., Hannah, D.M., Reynolds, S.J., Noble, D.G. & Sadler, J.P. (2013). Avian community responses to variability in river hydrology. PLOS ONE. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083221
European Focus: BTO at the 9th Conference of the European Ornithologists’ Union... Held at the University of East Anglia in August 2013, this four-day event involved an international field of scientists, who presented their work and exchanged ideas within a packed programme. As co-hosts, there was a strong BTO presence at the conference. BTO scientists convened four of the conference’s 18 symposia, and contributed to six oral and two poster presentations, all of which were well received. BTO also jointly ran a workshop for early career scientists with the British Ornithologists’ Union.
34
Oral Presentations Ausden M., Ockendon N., Beale C., Carroll M., Dodd A., Johnston A., Oliver T., Pearce-Higgins J.W. The implications of climate change for species prioritisation and site management. Hewson C., Atkinson P., Conway G., Henderson I. Spring migration strategies of Afro-Palaearctic migrants wintering in central and southern Africa and breeding in Britain. Plummer K.E., Bearhop S., Leech D.I., Chamberlain D.E., Blount J.D. Winter supplementary feeding alters the phenotypic structure of blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus populations.
Baillie S., Robinson R., Johnston A., Green R. Integrated modelling of bird populations – the value of direct measures of recruitment. Henderson I., Cresswell W. Combining large-scale patterns of breeding abundance with site based ecological studies in winter and summer to identify drivers of population change in Whinchats Saxicola rubetra. Taylor J., Henderson I., Hartley I., Ash D. Comparing variation in habitat use and productivity with estimates of survival and recruitment in a declining migrant bird: the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra on Salisbury Plain, England.
Whinchat researchers from all over Europe shared their knowledge and expertise at the Norwich meeting.
BTO Annual Review | 2 014
BTO funding in 2013/14 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. The Trust is particularly pleased to acknowledge the following Corporate Members and other supporters.
Corporate Membership 2013/14 Anglia Sports & Schoolwear Ltd, Anglian Water, Ark Wildlife, R & E Bamford Ltd, Biotrack Ltd, BirdGuides, Birdseye, The Bird Table Ltd, Carl Zeiss Ltd, Ernest Charles, CJ Wildlife, Essex & Suffolk Water, Frontier Holidays Ltd, Gardenature, Gardman Ltd, Grant Arms Hotel, John E Haith Ltd, Jacobi Jayne & Co, JustAddBirds, Natureguides, The Nest Box Co Ltd, Northumbrian Water, Opticron, Paddocks Farm Partnership, Park Hill Nurseries & Garden Centre Ltd, Porzana, Serenata Commerce Ltd, Soar Mill Seeds, Swallowtail Print, Swarovski UK Ltd, Sykes Cottages, Syngenta, Tendley Quarries Ltd, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Thetford Garden Centre.
Lorem dolar Nightjar ed esent iusto con ulput nim nim er se tion eumsandigna con utpat, sit eu faccum ex estrud.
Trusts 2013/14 AEB Charitable Trust, The Balmain Charitable Trust, A S Butler Charitable Trust, Charles & Caroline Barratt Charitable Trust, The Benham Charitable Settlement, The Downton Banister Trust, The Dulverton Trust, The Keith Ewart Charitable Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Harris Charitable Trust, Marsh Christian Trust, Lord Medway’s Charitable Trust, The Mitchell Trust, Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust, The Rowan Bentall Charitable Trust, The Saxham Trust, The Slater Foundation, The Emily Weircroft Charitable Trust, The Whaites Charitable Fund, The Geoffrey Watling Charity, The Valerie White Memorial Trust, The Maldwyn Williams Charitable Trust, The J & J R Wilson Trust.
Legacies 2013/14 Mary Theresa Barker, Emily J Collis, Howard Lloyd Davies, William John Farley-Hills, James Bruce Henry, Maxwell Durno Haggett, Penelope Anne Hollow, Nancy Ursula Johnson, Stephen Charles Knight, Eileen Ruth Munns, Jean Palmer, Neil Taylor, Edith Lorna Thomas, Charles John Dalglish Shackles, Anthea Isabella Webb.
In memoriam 2013/14 John Sidney Ash, Norman ‘Norrie’ Avenell, Jean Barker, Michael Rowland Barker, Kay Bennett, Pamela Blyth, Michael Carpenter, David Clarke, Simon Douglas, Jean Elizabeth (Betty) Finnimore, Pete Goodlad, Phyllis Houseman, Penelope Hollow, Roger Jsted, Jillian Mary MacGuire, Duncan Mackenzie, Christine Martin, Sally Morgan, Andrew Winston Olden, Daniel Pawsey, Betty Robinson, Arthur Henry Smith, Bruce Webster, Dr Edward Williams, Mary Grassick Woolley, Hazel Joan Wright.
luke delve/Edmund Fellowes/Robert Greenhalf
Funders of BTO Work 2013/14 Anglian Water Group, Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency, APEM Ltd, Birdlife International, Breckland Society, Broads Authority, Buro Happold, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, Cefas, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Co-operative Society, Countryside Council for Wales, Dartmoor National Park Authority, Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Devon Birdwatching and Preservation Society, Environment Agency, Environment Wales, Essex & Suffolk Water, Footprint Ecology, Forewind Ltd, Forestry Commission, Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland, Forest Research, Foster & Partners, Fugro EMU Ltd, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Gardline Environmental Ltd, Gardman Ltd, lnstinctif Partners, James Hutton Institute, Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of the statutory nature conservation agencies: Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland), Land Securities, London Borough of Bexley, Make Architects, Manchester Ornithological Society, Manx Bird Life, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Neath & Dulais Angling Club, Natural Environment Research Council, NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Norfolk Biodiversity Information Services, Normandeau Associates, Northumbrian Water Ltd., Opticron, People’s Trust for Endangered Species, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, RWE nPower Ltd, Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Raptor Study Group, Scottish Renewables, Serco Ltd, Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, The Sound Approach, Sussex Ornithological Society, Stanny House Farm, State of Delaware (DNREC), Swarovski UK Ltd (Swarovski Optik), Syngenta, Tasso Leventis Foundation, University of Cambridge, University of East Anglia, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, US Fisheries & Wildlife, Welsh Government, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd, Zoological Society of London.
2 014 | BTO Annual Review
Where art can provide context for science In January 2014, a team of four artists (Robert Greenhalf, Bruce Pearson, Greg Poole and Esther Tyson) accompanied Dr Phil Atkinson, Head of BTO’s International Team, on a trip to Senegal. The trip was part of an innovative new partnership with the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA), forged to stimulate interest in bird migration and the scientific work being directed towards our migrant birds, many of which are in longterm decline. This trip, and the wider project of which it is a part, was made possible because of a generous gift from Penny Hollow in her Will and the kindness of her executors. Penny loved birds and loved art, being a long-standing BTO member and supporter of the SWLA. Her legacy has enabled us to bring together art and science, and to raise the profile of migrant birds in ways that should capture the imagination and interest of a broader audience. Work from the trip will feature at the 2014 Natural Eye exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London, and further trips will take place during 2015, where attention will shift to stopover sites in the Mediterranean and to places within the UK, where artists will be given new opportunities to engage with migrant birds. Penny’s legacy has provided the opportunity for the BTO and SWLA to develop something rather special. It has enabled us to engage with the issues facing migrant birds from different viewpoints and to present our work within a wider context. It has also enabled us to realise a project idea that would have appealed to Penny, with her interest in both art and birds.
35
SEABIRD MONITORING PROGRAMME
Welsh ornithological scottish ornitholo gists’ club
thern Ireland environm
natural Englan RSPB DEFRA Cymru
JNCC
Council for Nature
Conservation
atural heritage
Annual review 2014 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 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 run by BTO, and jointly funded by BTO, JNCC and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is a partnership between BTO, RSPB and JNCC, in association with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. BirdTrack is organised by BTO for BTO, RSPB, BirdWatch Ireland, Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) and Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS). Bird Atlas 2007–11 was a partnership between BTO, BirdWatch Ireland and the SOC. BTO Wales is supported by Natural Resources Wales, Environment Wales (on behalf of the Welsh Government), WOS 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 2014. BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU. Email: info@bto.org Website: www.bto.org Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) no. SC039193 (Scotland). Cover and back cover: david kjaer davidkjaer.com