BTO Annual Review 2012

2012

September-October 2012/ Issue 301 A look at the work and strategy of the British Trust for Ornithology

ENVIRONMENT conservation POPULATION Partners POPULATION Atlas counts Afric volunteers volunte science conservation ENVIRONMENT Atlas

species species survey partners

science

data Maps nes soss

breeding

woodland eco survey research

Migration results breeding

birdtrack

Annual Review

2012

BTO News 301/September–October 2012

The fieldwork phase for Bird Atlas 2007–11 was completed in July 2011, and attention then turned to validation and incorporating

welcome

information from other BTO schemes and allied organisations.

From the Chairman

Once more, the Regional Network Committee could focus on the BTO’s core surveys, such as the Breeding Bird Survey, which received additional funding from OPAL. With support from JNCC, we are simplifying on-line data entry for ringing and nest recording, providing improved facilities for both volunteers and staff. Outputs from the new system will feed into the BirdTrends report (www.bto.

This Annual Review provides an opportunity to reflect on

org/birdtrends), which was much improved during the year. Looking

the Trust’s achievements during the year ending 31 March

ahead, Ringing Committee and staff have developed a Demographic

2012. The full report and accounts for 2011/12 (see www.bto.

Targeting Strategy which identifies target species for improved

org/about-bto/accounts) has space for only a few headline

monitoring (page 22).

achievements but this Review provides opportunities to expand on key developments. Fittingly, in a year when five Cuckoos turned a

Communication is at the heart of what we do, and now

welcome spotlight on the work of the BTO, we start with an article

includes regular e-newsletters and blogs, as well as ringing and

about tracking. This complements the Ghanaian aspect of our

BirdTrack Apps for smartphones. Already, over 10,000 BirdTrack

research relating to migrants (pages 18/19) and a review of the

records per month are being submitted by phone (pages 10/11).

population trends for species wintering in different habitat zones

Our YouTube channel has received nearly 120,000 views, the

within western Africa (page 25).

majority targeting the bird identification videos. In 2011 the end-ofyear membership total rose by 4%, with the highest increases of

Migration research is just one strand within the BTO Strategy.

5.4% in Wales and Northern Ireland.

During the year we were pleased to open a new office in Bangor, to develop survey capacity and forge links with research partners

The breadth of the BTO’s fundraising has been growing for some

and decision-makers in Wales. We completed a project for Natural

years (page 35), but we urgently need additional unrestricted income

England re-assessing the impacts of Entry-Level Stewardship

to support our work, especially for research based on Atlas data and for

on farmland birds, producing the first evidence of national-

key long-term monitoring projects which make vital contributions to the

scale positive effects of ‘broad and shallow’ agri-environment

conservation of birds and other biodiversity. This is the biggest challenge

schemes. BTO scientists embarked on a major Defra- and Forestry

for 2012–13 and beyond, especially given the pressures of the economic

Commission-funded project investigating the influences of woodland

environment. I am hopeful that we will be able to secure the resources

management practices and deer browsing on birds (pages 20/21).

we need to continue to support our growing pool of skilled volunteers

Over the course of the last year, a series of climate-change articles

and further to develop the quality, breadth and relevance of our science.

has appeared in BTO News, and there is further evidence of this research on page 8.

BTO Chairman Professor Ian Newton FRS, OBE

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 Baroness Young of Old Scone Chairman Ian Newton Honorary Secretary Neil Bucknell Honorary Treasurer John Osmond

BTO Cymru, Thoday Building, Deiniol Rd., Bangor, Gwynedd. LL57 2UW

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2

When you have finished with this magazine, pass it to a friend or recycle it.

ISSN 0005 – 3392 BTO PRODUCTION Editors Graham Appleton, Su Gough Editorial Board Andy Clements, Graham Appleton, Jeff Baker and Ieuan Evans

Layout, design, imagesetting and typesetting O’Connor Design Consultants Printing Breckland Print, New Road, Attleborough, Norfolk. NR17 1YE 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 2012. Quotations should carry a full acknowledgement.

2013 BTO Membership Individual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £32 Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £42 Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £800 Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £54 Family Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £64 Life Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1,350 Monthly membership subscription options are also available.

Fellows receive Bird Study journal.

All membership subscriptions due 1 January and run for the calendar year.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Contents Inside this special issue of BTO News

pg10

David tipling/Steven Round/david kjaer/Northeastwildlife.co.uk

pg4

pg20 pg8

pg28

pg32 Changing times for woodland birds

Out of Africa: towards solving the migrant mysteries

20 22 24 26 28 30 31 32 34

An exciting piece of collaborative work in Africa

36

Acknowledgements & BTO partners

02

A message from the BTO Chairman

04 06 08 10 12 14 15 16 18

Birds on the map We reflect on the successes and future directions of atlases

The year of the Cuckoo Unravelling some of the mysteries surrounding this species

Scientific research in 2011 & 2012 Some fascinating findings from recent BTO papers

Great for your records and great for birds Conservation benefits of BirdTrack records

It’s all a matter of scale Adding a local dimension to Bird Atlas 2007–11

BTO people Tireless individuals who give their time to the BTO

A Coalition for conservation BTO and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI)

Birds and offshore wind power The potential impact of offshore wind power

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

We review the status of deer and other wildlife

Bringing it all together Demographic targeting: studying bird life cycles in a unified way

Scientific research in 2011 & 2012 More fascinating findings from recent BTO research

BTO Accounts 2011/12 Presenting the annual accounts

Partnerships Helping to spread the BTO’s message

Corporate Support Corporate support for BTO surveys and research

News from Northern Ireland Cockle Island seabirds and cameras

Raptor trends in Scotland Monitoring birds of prey and the diverse groups that study them

The BTO in print Snippets from recent research papers

3

Birds on the Map With Bird Atlas 2007–11 data now checked, maps in production and many first-draft species accounts written, Dawn Balmer, Simon Gillings and Graham Appleton reflect on successes and future directions.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The big story that came out of the last

atlas in 1988–91? Are there other groups

breeding atlas was that farmland birds

of species, linked by different habitats,

were in trouble. It was not until 1999 six

that are showing similar patterns of range

years after publication however, that we

change, such as those that are dependent

learned that the northern edge of species’

on upland grassland, for instance? Maps

distributions were moving further north.

seem to show that some species predicted

With continuing changes to both habitats

to extend their range in response to climate

and weather patterns it is important that, this

change are actually contracting – so what

time around, full and early use is made of the

does this tell us about the relative roles of

new set of research resources available to us,

climate change versus land-use change in

thanks to the forthcoming Bird Atlas 2007–11.

shaping distributions? Some have suggested

In response to specific requests, data

that species distributions need to change

have already been supplied to address

to match changing climatic conditions. If

urgent conservation issues affecting

this is the case, are there clues from the

individual species but it will be a few more

way that densities of individual species are

months until the final dataset is complete

distributed as to whether they actually have

and hence available for use. At this point

the dispersive capability to move to what

BTO scientists will be able to work, often with

may become more suitable areas? And,

academic, NGO and government partners,

underpinning these investigations, there is a

to make best use of the information that has

range of novel spatial mapping techniques

In a recent meeting with a team working

been collected by volunteers.

that can be developed with atlas data. These

on an atlas in another part of the world, we

data will be able to provide answers as well

were asked to explain the success of Bird

at. What has been happening to farmland

as raise many new questions to guide our

Atlas 2007–11. It was interesting to reflect

specialists since the last breeding bird

research in the coming years.

upon things that had gone well – either

There is a whole range of topics to look

ALL ABOUT Planning

because of sound planning or simply as a result of good fortune.

PREVIEWS OF ATLAS RESULTS

Although organisation is always important, it was the fact that sufficient funding was available throughout the course of the project that enabled us to work with thousands of birdwatchers to make the atlas a success. The BTO’s legacybased fund Birds in Trust and a specific legacy of £250,000 from the estates of Joy and Ted Danter gave BTO Council the confidence to make a commitment to Bird Atlas 2007–11 in 2004. This meant that Rob Fuller could continue discussions with our partners, SOC and BirdWatch Ireland,

Production of the Atlas is on track, with publication scheduled for August 2013. If you can’t wait to see some of the results make sure you look out for the Atlas species of the month on the website (www.bto.org/bird-of-themonth) – this month it’s Redwing

and October’s species will be Curlew.

Rob Fuller, Dawn Balmer, and Simon Gillings will all be giving Atlas talks at the BTO annual conference, over the weekend 7–9 December and there will be a joint SOC/BTO conference with an Atlas focus in Edinburgh on 16 March.

which had started in 2002, and we could inform bird clubs of our plans.

BTO supporters have been behind the project from the start; setting up standing orders, undertaking sponsored events, selling books, foregoing their ring subsidies etc., but six additional pieces

4

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

DATA COLLECTION

In Brief

David Tipling davidtipling.com

Facts & Figures

of good news arrived like a warm wind

Curlews will be the focus of one of the talks at the BTO Conference at Swanwick, Derbyshire, this year, as Alan Lauder shares concerns about Irish waders.

to fill the sails. Firstly, we were delighted when the Garfield Weston Foundation provided £50,000 in set-up costs, before we were in a position formally to launch the successful appeal. In 2007–08 there were three positive responses from trusts to requests to cover salary costs for the organisers in Thetford and Scotland, as well as a tremendous response to our species sponsorship initiative. Finally, in March 2009, with an economic crisis looming, we received a donation of £250,000 for general funds from a BTO member – about five times as big as any gift in the previous 20 years. With money flowing in, we could apply additional staff resources in areas where local birdwatchers needed help – which is why there are so few gaps

Online recording for Bird Atlas 2007–11 proved extremely popular. Elements from this system will be used in future online surveys.

in the maps.

FUNDING FOR THE ATLAS

We still need just under £100,000 for the Atlas

project. The appeal target of £1.4 million has just about been achieved but there are unexpected costs associated with keeping the web application open for a small number of local atlases and extra work to validate data. With the help of the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, we have extended the contract with Bob Swann; his role in Scotland had previously been funded by the AEB and J & JR Wilson Charitable Trusts. We continue to be grateful to the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation which has supported Dawn Balmer’s position since 2008 and to everyone else who has been involved in the field or financially.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

Over 20,000 birdwatchers have scoured the British and Irish countryside for the last four years to compile what is arguably the world’s most comprehensive ornithological atlas. With counts of over 240 million birds of over 550 species, 180,000 effort-controlled estimates of abundance in 50,000 2×2km squares, plus four million casual sightings from every 10×10km square of Britain and Ireland and a similar number of records from BirdTrack. Additional information to help fill gaps has been provided by a range of other organisations, including bird clubs, specialist raptor and owl groups and RSPB. A final top-up of records from all of the monitoring schemes run by BirdWatch Ireland and BTO, together with information from the Ringing Scheme, Nest Record Scheme and BTO Garden BirdWatch.

At least 40,000 birdwatchers have made contributions.

Continuing fieldwork Some of the 40 local atlas projects which have been taking place in parallel with Bird Atlas 2007–11 are still ongoing. You can help to fill gaps this winter and next breeding season in Devon, Shropshire, South-east Scotland and Lanarkshire.

Alternatively (or additionally) we hope that you will enjoy the Winter Thrushes Survey and that many people will wish to continue recording the birds seen on their local patches by using BirdTrack.

5

The year of the Cuckoo CHRIS HEWSON, PHIL ATKINSON and PAUL STANCLIFFE reveal just how much impact Cuckoo tracking work has had on perceptions of the BTO within the wider birdwatching community.

Although 2011–12 was another year

just a few kilometres from where the 1930

of surveys and atlas work for most BTO

bird was found, the other four revealed

members, in the minds of the public it

that Ghana and Ivory Coast are important

was the year when the BTO unveiled the

spring fattening areas. In the course of eight

migratory secrets of Cuckoos. In just a few

months in the vast continent of Africa we

months we went from having one ringing

know that our birds visited eighteen different

recovery of a Cuckoo in Africa – a bird taken

countries. Drilling down into the data for

for the pot in Cameroon way back in January

individual birds, it is clear that some birds

1930 – to creating links to 18 different African

rely heavily on remaining fragments of

countries across a wide range of habitats.

forest, spending long periods in the same

We also added a second migration pathway

areas and apparently making feeding trips

through Spain and western Africa to the

into the wider farmland which surround

recognised major flyway via northern Italy that

them. We lost touch with Martin in Spain,

had been deduced from a century of ring

following spring hailstorms, and Kasper in

recoveries.

Algeria. However, Chris and Lyster made

Much has been written about the stories of the five male Cuckoos – Chris, Clement, Kasper, Lyster and Martin. We were amazed

it back to East Anglia – and have since returned to Africa.

The beauty of the Cuckoo tracking project

when Clement departed so early, on 3

is that it’s not just about scientific discoveries

June, but that Lyster stayed in Norfolk for a

of potential significance for the species’

further six weeks, presumably using the time

conservation. This is also a great story. Here

to secure extra mating opportunities. Birds

is a way to connect with birdwatchers and

made significant stopovers at a wide range

other people who like to unravel mysteries –

of European sites, from the docks in Antwerp

and these are people who share the same

to the Po Delta, took hugely different routes

fascination with birds as traditional BTO

through Africa and yet all ended up in the

members. Long-standing and new BTO friends

Congo rainforest. They all left the Congo and,

were keen to sponsor the ‘famous five’. Scores

although we soon lost Clement, ironically

of people became members and three of the

in detail: Kasper the Cuckoo’s African movements…

1. Kasper’s movements during October 2011 Whilst staging in Nigeria, it appears that this bird is using a forest reserve and neighbouring farmland. Kasper subsequently migrated further south to the Congo rainforests. On his return journey he spent time in Ivory Coast before crossing the Sahara.

His last transmission was on 9 April from Algeria.

2. african habitat It appears that Cuckoos make use of a variety of habitats on their wintering grounds. Most of these habitats, including this Guinea Savanna, experience a number of pressures, such as grazing.

6

1.

2.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

cuckoo

&

Facts Figures 63%

Decline in Cuckoo numbers in England between 1995 and 2010, compared to 34% in Wales and just 2% in Scotland, according to figures collected by BBS volunteers. It will be interesting to see if Scottish birds have different overwinter strategies to those that made the trip from Norfolk in autumn 2011.

www.davidkjaer.com/mark hulme

Although there is evidence that habitat change in Britain may be contributing to the decline of the Cuckoo, the satellitetracking project is providing information that will help us assess whether what’s going on elsewhere in the world could be playing a significant part.

people who had had no contact with the Trust

from the BTO; these numbered 6.9 million

beforehand went on to donate £3,000 each to

in May 2011 and a staggering 79.8 million

name their own Cuckoos in 2012.

in June.

The media interest in the story was

We have learned a lot from the Cuckoos and we would like to develop the project

The Independent. He was awarded the BTO’s

further, given sufficient funding. Rarely do a

Dilys Breese Medal in recognition of his ability

few days go by without there being another

to promote BTO research to new audiences

surprising revelation and yet another blog for

and Victoria Gill of BBC Science On-line. On 7

Chris Hewson or Rachel Gostling to write.

June 2011, BBC News, Springwatch and The

You can catch up with latest news at www. to become hooked and to find yourself

Atkinson and Paul Stancliffe, the BTO’s Media

checking out the blogs on a daily basis.

size of the ‘Cuckoo effect’ is the number of

e return this

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slip to BTO

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5 x £100 of

42 Opticro n Verano Bin oculars Ernest Cha rles birdfoo d

Return date : 1 February 2013 Draw date : 8 February 2013

1st prize:

2nd prize: 3rd prizes:

A 7-night BW WC break in the Highlan A pair of 8 ds x 42 Opticro n Verano Bin 5 x £100 of oculars Ernest Cha rles birdfoo d Return date : 1 February 2013 Draw date : 8 February 2013

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

£2

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visitors to websites containing information

Acknowledgements Thanks to BBC Wildlife Fund, Essex & Suffolk Water and all the Cuckoo sponsors and raffle ticket purchasers for funding this project. We are very grateful to Kasper Thorup, Mikkel Kristensen and Raymond Klaassen for providing technical advice and assistance and to Microwave Telemetry Inc. who supplied the tags.

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the story in other places. A measure of the

2012/13 1st prize: Last year the A 7-night BW raffle help ed to UK Wintering WC break 2nd prize: in the Highlan Thrushes Surv raise an amazing £26, A pair of 8 gathering cruci 000, which ey. It starts ds x 42 Opticro we’v al evidence this autumn 3rd prizes: Fieldfare. on the impo n Verano Bin and there are e used to build a new rtance of our 5 x £100 of system read lots of ways oculars country’s habi y for the first Ernest Cha for you to Four of the get comprehensive tats for the rles birdfoo involved! six survival of d wintering thru BTO volunteers will be that we learn species we will be mon itoring are more abou shes like Redw Return date landscapes on the red t ing and : 1 February or amber list of the UK have them. The survey will 2013 Draw date look at thrushes; Blac of birds of changed dram : 8 February conservation kbird, Song atically over thrush numbers, habi 2013 implicated concern, so Thrush and tats the past four as a cause it’s impo Mistle Thru decades, as and food resources in for the decli have the the countrysi rtant nes. Are berr sh. All of these birds Weather each de. The struggle durin fortunes of the three ies the key for these spec key UK bree g prolonged Please supp winter can vary huge ies and our ding winter weat ly, so we need ort this proje winter visito her, which to the Bird ct by takin 1st prize: has been rs? g part in the to run the survey for Watching & A 7-night BW two Wildlife Club raffl (BWWC) , Opti e or by including a donayears. This means that WC break 1st Prize : 2nd prize: we need to in the Highlan cron and Erne A seven-nig tion to the A pair of 8 raise more Wintering ht wildlife 2nd Prize: st Charles ds x 42 Opticro money.

Thru break for two for donating A pair of 8 3rd prizes: x 42 Verano people at the the following shes Appeal. A big than n Verano Bin 3rd Prizes: BGA HD bino 5 winners 5 x £100 of Grant Arm ks prizes: oculars will each win s Hotel in the culars Ernest Cha £100 of bird Cairngorm rles birdfoo Tickets are s National food just £2 each d Park , Scotland . If you wou 01842 7500 ld like furth 50. Further Return date er tickets for details on Good luck! : 1 February the prizes, yourself, frien 2013 Draw date how to requ ds or family, : 8 February est tickets then Thank you, and terms 2013 and condition please call our Fundraisi s are available ng Team on at www.bto. org/raffle.

Ieuan Evan 1st prize: s A 7-night BW Head of Mem bership & Volu WC break 2nd prize: nteer Enga in the Highlan gement A pair of 8 ds Pleas x

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landing pages and many others are following

survey for

7

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bto.org/cuckoos but, be warned, it’s easy

funding new

A 7-night BW WC break in the Highlan A pair of 8 ds x 42 Opticro n Verano Bin 5 x £100 of oculars Ernest Cha rles birdfoo d Return date : 1 February 2013 Draw date : 8 February 2013

If undeliver ed Thetford, Norf please return to: BTO , The Nunnery olk, IP24 2PU ,

BTO Raffle

tracking project, featuring Chris Hewson, Phil

different people have visited the Cuckoo

1st prize:

2nd prize: 3rd prizes:

Dear

Independent all ran stories about the Cuckoo

the huge spike in interest – over 50,000

£16,900

The amount raised BTO Raffle 2012/13 in sponsorship for the team of £2 five Cuckoos BTO Raffle 2012/13 in 2011/12, providing the £2 top-up we BTO Raffle 2012/13 needed for funding from £2 the BBC Wildlife Fund, Essex & BTO Raffle 2012/13 Suffolk Water and the BTO’s Raffle.

We continue to seek funds for this £2 exciting research; £24,000BTOhas Raffle already 2012/13 been received for the class of 2012.

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immense, ably led by Michael McCarthy of

Manager. Our website struggled to cope with

16,000km

Martin made the shortest journey south, at 6,700km, with Clement skirting around the western edge of the Sahara and clocking up 9,950km – half as much again. Chris and Lyster travelled 8,250km and 7,500km respectively on their journeys north, suggesting a round trip of typically around 16,000km.

Tel No:

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Scientific Research in 2011 & 2012 There have been many papers published by BTO scientists during the past year, and here we highlight just three of the fascinating stories that have emerged.

1. Climate change & bird trends

2. a new study of

James Pearce-Higgins shows how climate change is having a complex effect on bird communities.

BTO and mammal monitoring. Mike Toms explains.

Long-term monitoring is required to

more similar to each other. This is shown by a

Although the Hedgehog is widespread

identify the potential effects of climate change

second cross-European analysis of breeding bird

and locally common within the UK, concerns

on wildlife. Recent papers using BBS data

data, including BBS, which shows that generalists

expressed about its changing status have

provide the latest evidence for these impacts

are increasingly dominating bird communities.

resulted in the species being included in the

occurring. In one of the largest studies of its

jill pakenham/www.davidkjaer.com/David Tipling davidtipling.com

8

UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

It is important not to give the impression

Information on Hedgehog populations is

across Europe describe recent changes in

that climate change is the only factor driving

collected by a number of organisations, across

European bird communities. Changes during

these changes. Recent analysis of farmland bird

a suite of habitats and for varying purposes,

1990–2008 have been rapid and largely

population trends by Sarah Eglington at BTO

although none of these datasets has been used

consistent across the six countries and regions

shows that, for this declining bird community,

independently to derive robust measures of

studied (Catalonia, Czech Republic, France,

climate change has had relatively little impact.

population change. A new study, funded by the

Netherlands, Sweden, UK), with species

Indeed, whilst we would have expected

People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)

associated with warmer temperatures showing

populations of many species to have increased

and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society

more positive population trends than those

slightly in response to milder winters and warmer

(BHPS) and carried out by BTO, has assessed

associated with cool temperatures. The authors

breeding seasons, they have not done so,

the feasibility of generating national and regional

also show this shift is less than the change

because they have been limited by intensive

trends for Hedgehogs from seven existing

shown by butterflies, and also less than

agricultural management. Climate-change

schemes. These schemes include the BTO

expected from the degree of warming, which,

impacts on bird communities may therefore be

Garden BirdWatch (which collects weekly data on

they argue, may be a sign of problems to come

greatest in habitats where human impacts are

Hedgehogs in gardens), the BBS, Mammals on

for birds.

relatively low.

Roads (an annual survey of mammal carcasses

kind, Vincent Devictor and colleagues from

Some evidence that population changes may be linked to warming comes from more detailed analysis of BBS data by BTO that was led by Cath Davey. In warm years, widespread generalist species tend to be more abundant, leading to observers recording a greater diversity of birds in each square. In contrast, habitat specialists become relatively less common.

Rising temperatures may be one of the causes of what appears to be a widespread phenomenon of bird communities becoming

recorded during car journeys and organised by Find out more Davey, C.M., Chamberlain D.E., Newson S.E., Noble, D.G., Johnston, A. 2012. Rise of the generalists: evidence for climate driven homogenization in avian communities. Global Ecology and Biogeography 5: 568–578.

Devictor, V., van Swaay, C., Brereton, T. et al. 2012.

Differences in the climatic debts of birds and butterflies at a continental scale. Nature Climate Change 2: 121–124.

Eglington, S.M. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2012.

Disentangling the relative importance of changes in climate and land-use intensity in driving recent bird population trends. PLoS ONE 7: e30407.

PTES) and HogWatch (a joint PTES/BHPS survey carried out from 2005 to 2007).

BTO researchers carried out analyses to estimate trends for Hedgehogs and determine the statistical power of each survey to detect population declines of between 10% and 50% over periods of 10 and 25 years, the latter being a commonly-used time period for assessing population trends when assigning conservation status. The analysis revealed evidence of decline BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Behind the Images…

1. Pied Wagtail Evidence suggests that, as bird communities adjust to changing climate, it is the generalist species, such as this Pied Wagtail, that do well, at the expense of specialists, which become relatively less common.

Hedgehogs

2. Hedgehog BTO analysed data on Hedgehogs to derive robust estimates of population change for the first time. Results show that populations are declining, as well as demonstrating how best to monitor Hedgehog numbers in the future.

3. Swallow Swallows migrate during the day and can feed en route but they still fatten before making the crossing of the English Channel. On reaching the south of Europe they fatten again before tackling the crossing to Africa.

3. Fattening for migration Jacquie Clark explains how a Europe-wide ringing project has helped us to understand Swallow fattening.

in both the wider countryside and human-

As summer visitors prepare to leave our

dominated habitats, like gardens, supporting

shores in autumn, they fatten up in order to

Ireland have a much shorter initial Channel

earlier suggestions that Hedgehog populations

have fuel for the long journey south to their

crossing to the Continent, this study showed

were in difficulty. The work also highlighted the

wintering grounds, crossing obstacles such as

for the first time that the birds stage in

potential of many of the schemes for monitoring

mountain ranges, seas and deserts. Swallows

southern Britain and fatten before making

long-term changes in Hedgehog numbers and

make the longest journey amongst our small

the crossing. Juveniles put on about 2g of fat

highlighted the number of survey sites required

passerines, eventually reaching South Africa in

(c. 10% increase in body weight) and the

within each scheme to generate the necessary

the middle of our winter, but they are unusual

more experienced adults 2.8g (c. 15%) prior

measures of population change. Mammals on

in that they travel during the day, feeding on

to migration. The birds then reach southern

Roads and BTO Garden BirdWatch performed

aerial insects and thus reducing their need to

Europe before further fattening occurs, to carry

best overall and, importantly, had sufficient

fatten up before they leave.

them across the Mediterranean and into Africa.

statistical power to detect 25% declines across

A Europe-wide ringing project organised by

Although Swallows breeding in Britain &

The pattern of mass increase of Swallows in

all of the regions (England, Scotland and Wales)

EURING (Union of European Ringing Schemes)

Britain & Ireland in autumn was similar to that

included in the study.

has shown that Swallows do in fact fatten

in southern Europe, starting with a period

before migration, despite this ability to feed

when their weight was stable followed by a

While the results of this work don’t tell us why

en route. The study allowed us to understand

rapid increase. However, the period of rapid

Hedgehog numbers are in decline, they do

where, when and how the birds fatten,

weight gain started earlier and the increase

demonstrate that we have the tools available to

revealing some fascinating new information.

was smaller than in southern Europe.

monitor Hedgehog populations. This information

Ringers across Britain and Europe concentrated

Within Britain, Swallows caught at the more

can be used to identify areas of future research

on catching Swallows at autumn roosts to find

southerly roost sites carried more fat than

and, perhaps most importantly, to assess

out what these birds are doing. Analysis of

those caught in the north, suggesting that

the effectiveness of conservation measures

data collected in Italy and Spain, for instance,

our Swallows move to the south and then

employed to aid the recovery of the Hedgehog

showed that the amount of fat that Swallows

fatten again befo re crossing to the Continent,

population once we know what is behind the

gain in these countries is directly related to the

and emphasising the importance of these

observed decline.

width of the ecological barrier they will have to

south-coast roost sites for Swallows breeding

cross as they leave on the next stage of their

throughout our islands.

Find out more Roos, S., Johnston, A. & Noble, D. 2012. Hedgehog datasets and their potential for long-term monitoring. BTO Research Report No. 598.

Toms, M.P. & Newson, S.E. 2006. Volunteer surveys as a means of inferring trends in garden mammal populations. Mammal Review 36: 309–314.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

journey. Birds which had to cross a wide stretch of the Mediterranean followed by the Sahara were found to put on more weight than those with a shorter sea crossing before reaching the Sahara.

Find out more Coiffait, L., Robinson, R.A., Clark, J.A. & Griffin, B.M. 2011. Fattening strategies of British & Irish Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica prior to autumn migration.

Ringing & Migration 26, 15–23.

9

Great for your records and great for birds It’s good to know that BirdTrack records contribute to an increasing amount of scientific research and survey planning as well as providing you with exciting and rewarding ways to interact with your observations. Nick Moran explains.

BirdTrack and Conservation

also unique in its ability to generate year-

A core aim of BirdTrack is to capture

The seasonal dimension is particularly

information about arrival and departure times

powerful for research, offering the potential

of migratory bird species in both spring and

for insights into avifaunal dynamics

autumn. New research is under way at BTO to

throughout the year.

round patterns for a broad range of species.

‘Another recent study using BirdTrack data looked at changes in arrival timing of several longdistance summer migrants.’

BirdTrack plays an increasingly important

compare the timing of migration as indicated by the BirdTrack dataset with that of the

role in informing survey design. Whenever

observe and record birds is a key part of

Inland Observation Point (IOP) survey. The

planning a specific survey to focus on one

the process of designing and implementing

latter was a BTO survey that ran in the 1960s,

or a small group of species, a number

surveys that both deliver robust results, and

through which observers collected daily bird

of questions must be answered. What

are realistic and accessible for participants.

lists from 299 locations around Britain. A

is the current distribution of the species

Status reviews of several scarce and/

comparison of the two datasets offers the

concerned? Are there particular periods

or declining species have also employed

prospect of revealing significant changes to

of the year when they become difficult to

BirdTrack data. Whilst the status of our most

the timing of bird migration over a 50-year

detect? Which aspects of their movements,

numerous species are well understood, thanks

period – at once exciting, alarming and,

behaviour and habitat use are easy to

to large-scale monitoring schemes such as the

potentially, very powerful.

observe and record? The BTO’s 2012

BBS and WeBS, and the rarest species are well

Nightingale survey used BirdTrack records to

monitored by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel

data looked at changes in arrival timing of

help establish the known current range of

(RBBP), there is a ‘middle’ group of species

several long-distance summer migrants.

the species, identifying tetrads which were

where BirdTrack records can add a great deal

This suggests that arrival dates are indeed

newly occupied since the 1999 survey.

of contextual information. A recent update of

advancing, and that the biggest changes

This ensured that tetrads known to be

Waterbird Population Estimates was largely

appear to involve early-arriving species such

occupied by Nightingales were given high

based on WeBS data, but BirdTrack records

as Wheatear. Importantly, such shifts in

priority for coverage. BirdTrack also trialled

were valuable for shedding light on scarcer

arrival times may not be great enough to

some potential elements of the forthcoming

species such as Ruff, Slavonian Grebe, Smew

counteract the rate at which the seasons are

Winter Thrushes Survey, by exploring the

and Snow Goose. BirdTrack data made a

advancing, thus reducing the available time

capacity of birdwatchers to record extra

significant contribution to a paper estimating

for returning migrants to replace depleted

information on the activity, habitat usage

the number of Bitterns wintering in the UK, to

resources and secure a mate before the

and local movements of Redwings and

update a report on roosting and feeding areas

onset of the breeding season. BirdTrack is

Fieldfares. Understanding how birdwatchers

for Pink-footed Geese, and fed into the RSPB’s

Another recent study using BirdTrack

2012 Spotted Crake survey.

Cuckoo

Atlas results are already exposing some striking changes. A recent paper, focusing on Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, highlighted that this species now occupies 30% fewer 10-km squares than in the 1988–91 Atlas, qualifying it for RBBP monitoring from

-5

2011 onwards. Conservation action must necessarily be evidence-based; indeed, the importance of adding records to BirdTrack for

-10

the conservation of scarce species like Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is underlined by the authors’ closing statement: “By submitting

-20

their records… birdwatchers can make a Sand Martin

-25

big contribution to our knowledge base, and, in due course, to the development of conservation measures.”

10

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/northeastwildlife.co.uk

million BirdTrack records, and preliminary Turtle Dove

Spotted Flycatcher

Garden Warbler

Swift

Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat Willow Warbler

Chiffchaff

Wheatear

House Martin

Blackcap

Swallow

Sand Martin

0

Difference in median arrival date

Some species are advancing their arrival dates at a faster rate than others. It is noticeable that species that are doing well, such as Sand Martin, are keeping pace with advancing seasons, whereas declining migrants, such as Turtle Dove and Cuckoo, are becoming increasingly out-of-sync.

Yellow Wagtail

Bird Atlas 2007–11 has incorporated 4.6

Keeping pace with the Seasons...

Shedding light on scarcer species...

Slavonian Grebe is a beautiful but declining breeding bird in the Scottish Highlands. The picture in winter is more mixed however. Information from a wide variety of sources, including WeBS and BirdTrack, suggests that declines in the southeast are more than compensated for by increases in the northwest, with an estimated 1,100 birds now spending the winter in the UK. This may indicate that different factors are operating on birds migrating here from Iceland and Fennoscandia.

BirdTrack for Bird Clubs A long-standing aim of BirdTrack is to enable a better, more manageable flow of records from the ever-increasing number of birdwatchers to local bird recorders, report editors and database managers. Several facilities, such as a filterable record download system and a validation system, were recently added to BirdTrack to assist with this process.

Many of these valuable new tools were developed via an SNH-supported project, conducted in collaboration with the SOC and 2 012 | BTO Annual Review

the Scottish Bird Recording community.

A number of regional organisations, such as Bedfordshire Bird Club, are already actively encouraging their members to submit their records via BirdTrack. One significant advantage of this approach is that these observations are available to local recorders in a single, standardised format, saving them the time-consuming task of adapting each observer’s records to fit the local database structure.

Find out more To explore the wide range of features available, or to register to use BirdTrack, visit www.birdtrack.net

11

It’s all a matter of scale

Bird Atlas

SIMON GILLINGS and GORDON KIRK, the Local Atlas Organiser for Gloucestershire, show how much clearer some of the atlas stories become when viewed at local scales.

sketch out the distribution of a bird species across the whole of Britain & Ireland? That’s exactly the resolution of the maps in the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. If, in your imagination, you open up the map, zoom in and leap forward ten years or so to Bird Atlas 2007–11, you’ll see 3,800 dots begin to appear, each one of which represents a 10-km square. Then patterns, such as the association of Magpies with large conurbations, start to emerge. But why stop there?

We use the EBCC scale to look at global patterns but that’s not the scale at which these patterns are created. The processes that generate the distribution maps operate at the scale of the individual, the pair, the territory and the flock. Look again at the European Atlas and you’ll see that the distributions of Bonelli’s, Wood and Willow Warblers are progressively more northerly in distribution. At the UK-scale, in Bird Atlas 2007–11, we can see that Willow Warblers are more northerly than Chiffchaffs and, using comparisons to previous atlases, the ‘centre of gravity’ for both species is moving northwards. This is not because individual birds are moving north, however; processes such as differential productivity, survival and dispersal are causing the changes.

When it is published, next summer, the new Bird Atlas will show distributions and abundance at the 10-km scale but the

Yellowhammer an interesting story…

1.

1. COMMON SPECIES The Yellowhammer story is interesting.

Maps show further shrinkage of the species’ distribution since the last atlas but there have been additional, significant changes in abundance in local areas, with major losses in the counties forming the boundary of England and Wales. This redlisted farmland species has been the focus of agri-environment schemes so it will be interesting to see how mitigation measures are influencing local numbers.

2. NATIONAL YELLOWHAMMER MAP At the 10-km scale, the distribution map of Yellowhammers in Gloucestershire is very similar to the one for Nuthatch, despite their completely different habitat requirements. The relatively heterogeneous mix of habitats within the county provides suitable woodland patches for Nuthatches and areas of farmland for Yellowhammer within most 10-km squares.

3. INCREASING RESOLUTION The abundance map for Gloucestershire, showing the number of birds per hour recorded during timed tetrad visits, reveals that Yellowhammers’ favoured areas are in the east, on the higher Cotswold farms where cereals predominate. They are far less likely to be found in the low-lying Severn Vale (mainly pasture/silage) and of course are largely absent from the dense woodland of the Forest of Dean in the west and from urban areas (shown in purple).

Northeastwildlife.co.uk/Gloucestershire Map: Phil Davis

Can you imagine how much information would be lost if you had only 182 dots to

&

Facts Figures

underlying data are far more powerful. If you could zoom in again, to the local atlas

birds will help to push at the edge of the

the online facilities enabled the local atlas

tetrad resolution, you’d see about 85,000

distribution map for that species.

team to monitor progress and validate the

tetrads. And there are more data to use too.

12

One of the major advances for Bird Atlas

records submitted by hundreds of volunteers.

Zoom in again and you’d see the clusters

2007–11 has been the partnerships that

of registrations on Common Birds Census

were developed with local bird clubs and

Gloucestershire has several local

maps that indicate territories. Zoom in again,

consortia. Local organisers have been able to

bird clubs rather than a single county-wide

apply some technology, and radio and GPS

manage coverage and submit data through

organisation, so a co-ordinating committee

tags can trace the movements of individual

the BTO website and have been provided with

led the atlas project, chaired by the BTO’s

birds. It’s all a matter of scale. If a pair of

data in raw and part-analysed form every six

Regional Representative, and including

Nuthatches nesting in a Scottish oakwood

months. An online forum has facilitated the

representatives of bird clubs, RSPB, WWT

can increase the probability that both will

exchange of ideas and given direction to the

Slimbridge, the county Wildlife Trust and the

survive the winter, simply by feeding on

developments that have been made to the

Naturalists’ Society. This broad membership

peanuts in a local garden, then those two

website. In Gloucestershire, just as elsewhere,

meant not only that everyone felt involved, BTO Annual Review | 2 012

1.

58

Atlas data have come from an array of recording schemes and organisations, including 58 county and regional bird clubs, to ensure maps are as complete as possible.

73,112

The number of tetrads across Britain & Ireland for which data were received, out of a possible 85,000, with most being visited in both winter and summer.

2

In addition to Bird Atlas 2007– 11, BTO Books will be publishing two county atlas avifaunas (in 2014): Nottinghamshire Avifauna and The New Birds of Sussex.

298

The number of species accounts that have been written for the forthcoming Bird Atlas 2007–11, including regular breeding and wintering species as well as rarities.

2.

3.

but also that the bodies with responsibilities

move by Yellow Wagtails to arable farmland.

next year’s book, across Britain & Ireland,

for conservation in the county were made

Dippers provide one of the most fascinating

local authors will be revealing a whole

fully aware of the results. The collaborative

stories, with a decline in the hillier areas but

raft of new stories, hinting at how species

approach certainly worked in Gloucestershire

no losses in lower areas or near towns. Two

as diverse as Redstart, Redwing and Red

– 100% tetrad coverage was achieved and

potential theories have been put forward;

Grouse might be being affected by the

The Birds of Gloucestershire will be published

further downstream, populations may not

changes to which they are subject, both

in autumn 2013: a full county avifauna as

be as affected by run-off as they are in

directly by man and through the indirect

well as Gloucestershire’s first bird atlas.

agricultural areas or there could be lower

effects of climate change. At a larger

water tables, a change which would have a

scale, the Bird Atlas data that thousands

larger effect further upstream.

of people have collected will help to plot

As well as reflecting national trends, such as the steep decline in Cuckoo and

the changing fortunes of species across

almost complete loss of Grey Partridge, in Gloucestershire there are local changes,

Whilst the BTO team is bringing

Europe, setting the conservation agenda for

such as the spread of Cetti’s Warblers and a

together the stories that will appear in

the next twenty years.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

13

BTO People We’ve had some great opportunities to celebrate members, volunteers and BTO friends who contribute to our work and our knowledge of birds. We value these occasions, allowing us to thank those who have helped so much.

Longest-serving BTO Reps Celebrate in style BTO is fortunate to benefit from the

capacity for at least 25 years, with the

skills and experience of a large number

longest in post having reached 39 years’

of volunteer Regional Representatives

service! It was a great pleasure for us to

(RRs) who organise surveys and promote

welcome these remarkable volunteers

the work of the Trust across the whole

at a reception with the Minister for the

of the UK. In 2011 we awarded the BTO

Environment, Richard Benyon, and then

Regional Network Long-Service Award to

at a behind-the-scenes tour of the

Peter Overton who has served as RR for

Houses of Parliament led by our very own

West Lincolnshire since 1996. We also

president, Baroness Young. Celebrations

celebrated the amazing contributions of

like this are a reflection of the gratitude

a growing band of even-longer-serving

we feel for the hard work and dedication

RRs. In 2011, there were 13 RRs who

from across our entire network of over 130

had served the BTO in an organisational

volunteer RRs and survey organisers.

Last autumn we worked with renowned photographer David Tipling and University of East Anglia Ringing Group to provide us with some fresh new people images for our image library.

The Welsh Council for Voluntary Action recognised the outstanding contribution that BTO’s RR for Brecknock and Honorary Wales Officer, John Lloyd, has made to ornithology in his community over the years, when they presented him with a ‘highly commended’ at their annual awards ceremony last November. John’s contribution to the BTO spans all aspects of our work from ringing and nest recording to chairing our Regional Network Committee and contributing to BTO Council.

BTO supporters honoured Spotlight on BTO Medal winners

John Bonell is a man on a mission. In

recording and through his training of and

the last few years he has taken on the

collaboration with others. Mike has been

daunting task of converting old paper-

the main contributor to the monitoring

based ringing records into electronic

of raptors (particularly Golden Eagles

format. John has so far input the details

and Peregrines) in the county of Angus

of just over three million birds. In addition

since the 1970s and helped form the

to helping the Ringing Scheme get its

first raptor study group in 1981.

older records into the 21st century, this

In many ways, Mike’s greatest

effort has made a variety of additional

contribution is measured

analyses possible, such as a recent study

by the number of people

of Oystercatchers (right) on the Burry Inlet.

who have learned

At the 2011 Annual Conference John

conservation through

committed devotion to the trust. At

the time spent in his

the same conference we awarded the

company.

Trust’s Bernard Tucker Medal to Mike Nicoll, who has been a pivotal influence in ornithology in Scotland for over four decades, through his own ringing and bird

14

about ornithology and

was awarded BTO’s Jubilee Medal for

At our annual BTO Medal & Awards Reception we celebrate those who have made a significant contribution to ornithology and communicating BTO science. In 2011 the Dilys Breese Medal went to The Independent’s Environmental Editor, Michael McCarthy. The Marsh Award for Ornithology was won by Dr Ian Hartley, while Henfield Birdwatch received the Marsh Local Ornithology Award. The ceremony was hosted by the Society of Wildlife Artists at the Mall Galleries, London.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

A Coalition for Conservation

1.

On his first day as BTO Director, Andy Clements was handed a letter from Cambridge University inviting BTO to become a founding member of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI). Here, he takes up the story.

It was at this point that I first realised that

2.

Cambridge and its surroundings (yes, even out as far as Thetford and Sandy) is home to one of the world’s largest clusters of people and institutions working to conserve global biodiversity.

Cambridge University, together with nine conservation organisations and networks founded CCI, a coalition of scientific researchers, policy experts and practitioners who have come together to change the way we work, through collaboration.

collaborative advantages Each CCI partner already has an established programme of conservation and scientific work, so what are the benefits of coming together? If we only do what we always do, we’ll only get

3.

what we always get and, as the state of global biodiversity decline currently shows, that is not

african aspects...

enough. Together we can tackle new and existing issues with innovative approaches, and across disciplines, in ways that one of us cannot achieve alone. Take for example the BTO/RSPB migration studies on the ground in West Africa. The survey

David Tipling davidtipling.com/Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/Mike Atkinson/Mark Hulme

and ringing methodologies are well-known expert areas for us, and we are more than capable of building the capacity of local partners, such as Naturama in Burkina Faso, to undertake more of this work to understand the ecology of Palearctic migrants in winter. Add to that BTO’s own tracking of Swift and Nightingale and we have most of the picture. A collaboration through CCI, in part funded through the CCI Collaborative Fund, adds a new dimension. Working with Geography and Land Economy Departments in the University

‘CCI and the proposed campus will facilitate and sustain the flow of conservation research and practical solutions, enhance global conservation capacity and leadership, and help to transform public understanding of nature.’

Dr Mike Rands, Executive Director, CCI

we have jointly designed and undertaken social science research to explore the relationships

solutions. BTO staff teach on the Masters course

between ecology and land-use change driven by

in Conservation Leadership, where international

people’s development. We won’t get traction in

students benefit from experienced conservation

society for the needs of wildlife in sub-Saharan

leaders in terms of science content and how best to

Africa unless we set it in the context of human

lead conservation organisations. And there will be a

land-use needs. CCI has enabled us to broaden

new CCI campus in the University where BTO will

the impact of our science.

retain a foothold through a small number of desk spaces, further assisting our collaborative working. I

BTO involvement

believe that when we all come together in a positive

BTO is directly involved in three CCI programmes.

collaborative environment provided by CCI, we are

For a small financial outlay we jointly fund a post

innovative, powerful and influential. CCI extends the

to watch for new environmental issues coming

reach of BTO science, internationalises our work,

over the horizon, and to work together in thinking

and sharpens the relevance of our knowledge of the

about the right responses as we look for positive

status of global biodiversity.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

1. Garden Warbler Surveying and ringing are some of the skills BTO brought to the multi-disciplinary work that is being carried out in the wintering grounds of many of our migrants.

2. African Scene A collaboration between UK and African organisations has led to new insights into the wintering habitats of migrant birds throughout a range of habitats in Africa.

3. Swift Recent developments have allowed us to follow some of these migrants on their journeys including, last year, tracking Swifts for the first time.

CCI Details CCI partners: BirdLife International, BTO, Cambridge Conservation Forum, Fauna & Flora International.

IUCN, RSPB, Traffic International, Tropical Biology Association, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, University of Cambridge.

15

Birds and Offshore Wind Power Lucy Wright explains how, as The Crown Estate announced the most ambitious marine renewable energy programme in the world, it highlighted the urgent need to better understand the potential impact of offshore wind power on birds.

Offshore wind farms are one of the

aim of addressing these uncertainties and

principal methods of generating power without

building on our knowledge about the effects of

using fossil fuels, but they can cause problems

offshore wind farms. Work was funded by The

for birds, either directly (birds may collide

Crown Estate, and guided by a steering group

with them), or indirectly (constructing wind

including representatives of regulators, statutory

farms might change the habitat and, therefore,

advisory bodies, the RSPB and all UK offshore

the species that can live there) and little is

wind developers. BTO’s role was to coordinate

currently known about these impacts. Currently

the group, provide impartial scientific advice

assessments follow the precautionary principle

and conduct some of the work, with support

and focus on a ‘worst-case scenario’ to ensure

from Bureau Waardenburg (specialists in

all possible impacts are captured. In practice,

using radar to monitor birds) and the Centre

this means that the predicted impact may

for Research in Ecology and Environmental

be higher than the real, but this uncertainty is

Modelling (CREEM) at the University of St

risky for everyone: it poses a financial risk to

Andrews.

developers, who may not get planning consent,

Perhaps the most obvious risk of wind

may have to make design changes that reduce

farms to birds, both off and onshore, is that of

power output, or may have planning consent

potential collision with the turbines. As part of

delayed; it poses a political risk to meeting

the project, a new tool for modelling collision

government targets for renewable energy

risk at offshore sites has been developed by

capacity; it poses an environmental risk by

Bill Band (a collision modelling expert). To

making it difficult to know how and where to

understand the risk you need to know the

build wind farms while minimising the risk to

proportion of birds flying at the height of the

birds.

rotors and the proportion of birds that will take

SOSS (the Strategic Ornithological Support Services group) was set up in 2010 with the

action to avoid turbine blades (‘avoidance

Seabirds, like this Sandwich Tern, can potentially be affected by wind farms in a number of different ways including collision, displacement or even attraction to the structures. The fourth SOSS study modelled the effect different collision rates would have on the population of Gannet and developed the methods needed to model the impacts of all existing and consented wind farms on other seabird populations.

rate’). Previously, many surveys of potential wind farm sites recorded birds in height bands related to the specific rotor height planned.

BTO has developed generic models of birds’ flight height distributions which can be used to assess the effects of different turbine designs.

Results point towards avoidance rates being at least 99% for some species but this is based on limited evidence which is not considered sufficient to change current recommendations.

To increase the confidence in these results, Bureau Waardenburg investigated ways to provide better evidence of avoidance and collision rates, which are hard to measure.

Collisions are rare and they are more likely to happen in bad weather or at night, when surveys cannot be conducted. Several remote systems are available to detect collisions, using

Migrating birdS

16

Migration involves large numbers of birds but occurs during

cameras and microphones, but these must be

a short time-window, sometimes in bad weather and often at night, making it difficult to

combined with other methods that record the

monitor. Each species also varies in its migration strategy. Oystercatchers, for example,

number of birds passing the area and taking

migrate between breeding sites in Norway and wintering sites on The Wash, but we don’t

avoidance action. To provide robust evidence,

know whether they fly directly or minimise the North Sea crossing distance and, hence, spend

monitoring of collisions and avoidance needs

more time following the coast. This strategy would lead to more encounters with wind farms.

to be conducted at a number of sites. SOSS has BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Wind power

&

Displacement: how to measure it

Facts Figures

Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/david Tipling davidtipling.com

It is thought that some birds will stop using an area after a wind farm is built while others may be attracted to the site (e.g. turbine bases are popular perches for Cormorants). In an attempt to measure how different species respond when wind farms are built, experts from the University of St Andrews analysed data from an existing wind farm where bird surveys had been conducted before and after construction. The project found that the data collected were not effective in measuring displacement. The group has provided recommendations on how to distribute survey effort (without spending more money) to get better measures of displacement in the future.

identified this critical gap in the understanding

Operational

of collision risk and avoidance rates.

Consented/under construction

As a result of this key recommendation from SOSS, The Crown Estate is now in the initial stages

Proposed Refused

of developing a large-scale field project, using existing wind farms to test equipment and gather expertise from many organisations, including BTO. If we can better understand the avoidance rates and collision risk to birds from offshore wind farms it will help achieve the goal of reducing climate change through renewable energy production without compromising bird populations.

Find out more To find out more, visit www.bto.org/soss

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

25

The number of organisations involved with SOSS. While managing the steering group consisting of those 25 organisations presented its own challenges, the combined expertise and approaches of members was extremely valuable, with stakeholders bringing different perspectives to discussions, sharing information and agreeing solutions that were based on the best available evidence.

1%

data. Such a project requires support, funding and

Acknowledgements Thanks to The Crown Estate for funding, our collaborators who did some of the work (Bureau Waardenburg, CREEM, WWT Consulting, MacArthur Green, RPS, Bill Band) and all members of the SOSS steering group who contributed ideas for projects, guided the work and commented on early drafts of reports.

5

The number of research projects conducted as part of SOSS. These projects addressed uncertainties relating to the displacement of birds from wind farms, the assessment of potential population-level impacts, the estimation of risks to migrating birds and collision risk (two projects). These all had the aim of increasing our understanding of the impacts of offshore wind farms on birds and thus reducing uncertainties in decision making.

Map showing the locations of all existing (blue) and potential wind farms. Operational, consented and refused dots are enlarged and show location but not extent. Proposed sites (green) show both location and extent.

There is debate among ornithologists as to whether to change the acceptable avoidance rate from the currently recommended 98%. It is argued that 99% or more should be used as a ‘realistically precautionary’ estimate of avoidance rate.

Increasing the acceptable avoidance rate by 1% in this way for some species would halve the numbers of birds estimated to collide. We recommended that collision risk predictions based on a range of avoidance rates, including 98% and 99%, are presented in assessments, and, crucially, that further work to measure avoidance rates is a high priority.

17

Out of Africa: solving migrant mysteries Phil Atkinson, Chris Hewson, Mark Hulme (BTO), Danaë Sheehan, Chris Orsman, Graeme Buchanan, Juliet Vickery (RSPB), Augustus Asamoah (Ghana Wildlife Society) and Georges Oueda (Naturama) describe the exciting collaborative work being carried out in Africa.

Over the past three years, BTO and the

migrants, but some, such as Wood Warbler,

RSPB, in collaboration with the Ghana

Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler,

Wildlife Society and Naturama (the BirdLife

were found only in very small numbers. We

partners in Ghana and Burkina Faso) have

therefore spent the second winter visiting

been working together on an exciting

a number of new areas where we thought

project on migrant birds in Africa. Many

we might find these species. In the first

of the UK’s long-distance migrants are in

winter, we had spent our time in the four

rapid decline and the recent analyses led

main vegetation zones from the Sahel to

by Nancy Ockendon (page 25) provided

the humid rainforest. What we didn’t do,

much of the evidence-base for our work in

however, was spend time in the ‘transitional’

Africa. The direction of a species’ population

zones – the sometimes quite narrow, but

trend (increasing or decreasing) is related

very characteristic, areas of habitat between

to where the birds winter in Africa and

the main habitat zones. The results from

which habitats they occupy whilst there.

the transitional zone between the humid

Populations of birds wintering in the arid

rainforest and the Guinea savanna were

habitats of the Sahel tend to be stable or

impressive – we found good numbers of

increasing (with the notable exceptions of

Wood Warblers, but also Garden Warblers,

Turtle Dove and Yellow Wagtail), whereas

Nightingales and Spotted Flycatchers. Habitat

those wintering in the humid zone, such as

within this ‘transitional’ zone retains features

Nightingale, Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler

of the two main habitat zones and in places

and Cuckoo, tend to be in decline.

resembles parkland – tall mature trees with

Although much is known about habitats

1.

a relatively open habitat below them. Wood

during the breeding season for these

Warbler and Willow Warbler were both

species, we know very little indeed about

frequently recorded, feeding in the crowns

where they winter. Even basic, but essential,

of the mature trees alongside resident

information such as what habitats the birds

African warblers. We are now combining

use at different stages of the non-breeding

these ‘roving records’ with those from the

period was unknown. To find out more we

first-year transects in an exciting piece of

set up five sampling areas in the winter

new modelling work (maximum entropy

of 2009/10, arranged from the Sahel in

modelling), led by the RSPB, that overlays

northern Burkina Faso southwards through the Sudan and Guinea savannas to the Guinea forest in southern Ghana (Fig. 1).

The five sampling areas in west africa…

The five areas represented all the major vegetation types in the region, working along a dry to wet gradient and from the arid zones

Oursi, Burkina Faso Sahel, arid

in the north through to the rainforest in the south. Logistically, this took some doing and necessitated operating two teams, one in each country. We visited the five sampling

Nazinga, Burkina Faso Sudan savanna, semi-arid

Damongo, Ghana Northern Guinea savanna, semi-humid

areas four times through the winter – twice before Christmas and twice after. As well as undertaking bird counts along many kilometres of transects in each sampling area, we also used mist nets to try to catch species

Kakum, Ghana Semi-deciduous /evergreen forest transition, humid

Kogyae, Ghana Southern Guinea savanna, sub-humid

such as Nightingale and Garden Warbler that would otherwise be difficult to detect.

After the first winter of fieldwork we had information about most of our familiar

18

Stretching from the arid Sahel in Burkina Faso in the north through to the lush Guinea forest in Ghana in the south. Four visits were made to each site, looking for wintering migrants.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

A closer look at African Migrants…

1. Pied Flycatcher Amber-listed due to a steep population decline, Pied Flycatchers showed a strong preference for the more southerly, lusher habitats during the whole of the wintering period.

2. Willow Warbler A species that is declining in England but stable further north, is shown making use of the more arid habitats in Africa at the start of the winter period before moving further south as the season progresses.

Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk/© google maps

2.

3.

the count data for each species onto satellite

fieldwork on Nightingale and Wood

images, to produce maps giving a predicted

Warbler. In the third winter (2011/12), we

distribution of the species within the wider

began working at sites within the Guinea

landscape. As this work progresses the maps

forest/savanna transition zone on research

will become more refined and, since satellite

aimed at understanding more about the

images go back at least 15 years, will enable

detailed winter ecology of these two

us to explore the impact of recent habitat

species, and how and why habitat within

change on species distribution.

this region has changed. This latter piece of research is going to mean a whole new

The first two winters of fieldwork have

approach to our work and will require

given us a much clearer picture of how

forging new partnerships with social

birds use habitats in West Africa and

scientists and the development sector

also provided a great deal of new large-

(page 15). It is an exciting project, and

scale information about habitat use and

the work has been made possible only

seasonality. They showed us the potential

through dedicated internal funding and

importance of the transitional zones for

the support of members and sponsors of

some of our target migrant species and

the BTO and the RSPB, to whom we are

provided a baseline for us to plan detailed

extremely grateful.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

3. Spotted Flycatcher Initial fieldwork failed to find significant numbers of this species in the habitats sampled but, during the second winter, surveys were conducted in transitional habitats where good numbers were found.

‘Although much is known about habitats during the breeding season for these species, we know very little indeed about where they winter. Even basic, but essential, information such as what habitats the birds use at different stages of the non-breeding period was unknown.’

19

Changing times for woodland birds Since 1970, there has been a drop of 32% in the UK index of specialist woodland birds.

ROB FULLER reflects on some of the issues facing species such as Nightingale and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and options for the people managing the habitats that sustain them.

During 2011 and 2012 there has

ways. There will also be ongoing changes in

been unprecedented debate about the

predation pressure from both mammals and

future of our woodlands and forests. The

birds. Many of our widespread woodland

Independent Panel on Forestry, which

residents have increased substantially in

reported in July 2012, addressed many

recent decades and this may have resulted

of the issues in an English context and

in increased predation, or competition for

identified the wide range of functions

nest sites or food.

– environmental, social and economic

Woodland management profoundly affects the quality of habitats available for birds.

This is emphasised by results from the BTO’s Scarce Woodland Bird Survey. There were considerable differences in the habitat associations of 28 species. Tree species composition, woodland growth stage and foliage density were amongst important predictors of species’ occurrence, with the exact combination of features varying across the species. All of these habitat features are strongly affected by management decisions.

It is essential to learn more about how birds and other wildlife respond to woodland management in order to make the most of the proposed expansion in woodland area.

If we wish to integrate high-quality wildlife habitat into future woodland, we need to develop a better understanding of the resources needed by different species and how contrasting management approaches affect these resources. This is the subject of a new project led by BTO and funded by Defra and the Forestry Commission.

There is currently much interest in

– provided by woodland. There are

managing woods to produce woodfuel. One

ambitious plans for forest expansion in

of the potential benefits is the creation of

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and

habitat for species that use young woodland

Wales. Furthermore, the importance of

and other stands with dense regeneration.

managing woodlands in appropriate ways

Whether these benefits will actually

is increasingly appreciated.

materialise depends critically on details of

Approximately a third of woodland bird

Management matters

management. If large areas were to revert

species have declined in population size

to coppicing there may well be considerable

and/or contracted in range over the past

gains for birds, providing that deer impacts

two or three decades. The potential causes

were not large. However, if much of the

are numerous. One factor that has probably

woodfuel is generated from thinnings, which

affected several species has been reduction

is currently the situation, there may be little

in the complexity of understorey vegetation

improvement in habitat quality.

escalating numbers of deer, coupled with

Foresters are concerned about the

lower levels of woodland management.

increasing numbers of tree diseases. There

Increases in browsing pressure and canopy

is much discussion about how best to make

shading can both reduce the density of low

woodland resilient to climate change. The

vegetation upon which many birds depend

coming decades will doubtless see new

for nesting and feeding sites. BTO research

trends emerging in the choice of tree species

shows that deer can have an effect on

and management systems as efforts are

habitat quality for some bird species.

made to maintain yields from our forests. This

Experimental comparisons of browsed

will present new challenges for conservation.

and unbrowsed coppiced woodland

The BTO has an important role in monitoring

indicate that Dunnocks, Garden Warblers,

how birds use these future forests and in

Nightingales and overall densities of

researching how they can accommodate

breeding migrant birds can be substantially

abundant and diverse bird populations.

reduced by heavy deer browsing. Analyses of BBS data demonstrate that several species dependent on the understorey, including Nightingale and Willow Tit, have declined the most in those areas where deer have increased the most.

Deer and lack of woodland management are not the only factors involved. It is difficult, for example, to believe that they have driven the declines of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker or Hawfinch. Changing climate will have interacted with the availability of invertebrates and seed resources in complex

20

Find out more Hewson, C.M., Austin, G.E., Gough, S.J. & Fuller, R.J. 2011. Species-specific responses of woodland birds to stand-level habitat characteristics: the dual importance of forest structure and floristics. Forest Ecology & Management, 261, 1224-1240.

Holt, C.A., Fuller, R.J. & Dolman, P.M. 2011.

Breeding and post-breeding responses of woodland birds to modification of habitat structure by deer.

Biological Conservation, 144, 2151-2162.

Newson, S.E., Johnston, A., Renwick, A.R., Baillie, S.R. & Fuller, R.J. 2011. Modelling large-scale relationships between changes in woodland deer and bird populations. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49, 278-286.

david Tipling davidtipling.com/amy lewis/Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk

within many woods. This has resulted from

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

1.

2.

3.

cause & effect: woodland habitat 1. Expanding populations of Roe (above), Fallow, Red, Sika and Muntjac Deer in lowland Britain have led to a dramatic change in the structure of much woodland, with a very obvious browse line occurring at deer-head height and well-grazed ground beneath, often lacking bramble and saplings.

2. Nightingales in the UK need a particular habitat structure to thrive, with dense thicket growth and bare ground beneath.

Heavy grazing by deer can prevent this structure forming and has reduced habitat quality for the species in some regions.

3. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have declined so seriously in Britain that they have been added to the red list of Birds of Conservation Concern. The exact causes remain unclear and are not related in any obvious way to habitat change.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

21

Bringing it all together Each BTO survey is designed to provide information on a particular aspect of birds’ lives. A key task for our analysts is fitting these pieces together to monitor the true health of their populations. Rob Robinson tells us how we go about it.

When was the last time you saw a

but which has needed to wait for recent

House Sparrow? Or Little Egret? We notice

advances in computing power to be

changes in the number of birds around us

practical to implement. Bayes’ technique

all the time, changes BTO volunteers track

allows us to combine different types of

by surveying their BBS square, contributing

data in one analysis, meaning we can get

records to the Alas or sending in their

much more from them, especially when

sightings to BirdTrack. But what causes

we have only a few observations.

them? Why are some species doing well, whilst others seem to be fast disappearing?

Our goal is to be able undertake such

Step forward the ringer and the nest-

analyses for a wide range of species, so

recorder. These dedicated souls spend

we can improve the advice we provide to

hours and days getting up close and

conservation bodies, such as the RSPB,

personal with our birds. By watching a

government agencies, such as Natural

Willow Warbler back to its nest, or catching

England or Scottish Natural Heritage, and

a Blue Tit which has previously been

anyone else interested in the health of

ringed, they contribute vital information

our bird populations. Key to the success

to allow us to understand how and why

of this will be having sufficient data. For

our bird populations are changing. Just as

some species, ringers and nest recorders

government statisticians record our births

are already collecting quite a lot of data,

and deaths, so ringers and nest-recorders

for example, on Blackbirds through the

tally the number of young fledged and

Constant Effort Sites scheme (CES), or

observe how well they subsequently

Pied Flycatchers through the Retrapping

survive.

Adults for Survival scheme (RAS).

Birds lead hazardous lives. By following

Over the last year we have developed

them in detail we can work out where

a strategy to guide ringers and nest

any problems might lie and, hence, where

recorders on those species for which extra

future research or conservation action

data would be most helpful. This includes

might be required. So, we need to know

species like Tree Sparrow and Stonechat

which individuals breed, how many eggs

which can be the focus of good RAS

they lay, how many of these eggs hatch

projects, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting,

and chicks fledge, how well do they

where more nest records are needed, and

survive – both in the first few weeks of

Redshank and Herring Gull, where more

life and then subsequently when they are

ringing will help. These data and analyses

more experienced at avoiding predators

will help improve the advice we give

and finding food. Thanks to the efforts

through the BirdTrends website (page 23).

So, How does bayes’ method work?

To see how his method works, consider that we generally have good data on breeding numbers (from BBS, for example) and chicks fledged (from the Nest Record Scheme), but often poorer information on survival (simply because it is harder to measure). Given that population change is, in essence, the sum of productivity and survival, then any difference between the counts and productivity data should reflect changes in survival; each dataset supports the other. The beauty of Bayes’ insight (see main text) was being able to do this combining in a simple but statistically robust way.

A recent analysis of Blackbird data, for example, showed that changes in adult survival were particularly important in driving population changes over the period studied. Furthermore, in western Britain, Blackbirds were better able to cope with cold weather in winter, perhaps because landscapes are less intensively managed, or there is more grassland habitat in which to forage.

of its volunteers, the BTO is in a unique numbers, productivity and survival in this way, to inform conservation and policy more generally.

Acknowledgements This work is funded through the BTO–JNCC partnership.

Analysts at BTO HQ have been collaborating recently with statisticians from the Universities of St Andrews, Kent and elsewhere to improve the ways we analyse these data. This involves application of a method devised as long ago as 1760 by the Rev’d Thomas Bayes (a contemporary of another church minister, Gilbert White),

22

Find out more Robinson, R.A., Baillie, S.R. & King, R. 2012.

Population processes in European blackbirds Turdus merula: a state-space approach. Journal of Ornithology 152: S419–S433.

Getting more out of Ringing and Nest Recording: www.bto.org/targeting-strategy.

Birds can suffer mortality at any stage of their lifecycle, but analysing all of these different datasets together can help identify which stage drives population decline to focus further research and conservation effort.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

northeastwildlife.co.uk/Mark Grantham

position to bring together data on bird

‘Birds lead hazardous lives.

By following them in detail we can work out where any problems might lie and, hence, where future research or conservation action might be required.’

Look beyond Little Egrets @ BirdTrends...

Populations of birds are dynamic, responding to everchanging conditions. No one can have failed to notice the arrival of Little Egrets into the UK, with the birds a real rarity as late as the 1980s, then breeding for the first time in 1996. Nowadays, the species is found around the country, with new breeding locations arising every year, but not all birds are as obvious and easy to monitor as Little Egret; are we as likely to notice changes in the numbers of a skulking warbler, for instance?

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

The BirdTrends site (www.bto.org/birdtrends) has become the key place for people looking for information on the status of our bird populations.

Over the coming years we will increase the amount of information on productivity and survival included, to provide a better picture of their health. Data collected by BTO surveyors, ringers and nest-recorders continue to be at the heart of formulating effective evidence-based conservation policies.

23

Scientific Research in 2011 & 2012 In the triptych below GAVIN SIRIWARDENA, JAMES BRAY and PHIL ATKINSON present more fascinating stories that have emerged from BTO work in 2011, demonstrating the wide range of research in which BTO scientists are involved.

1. farmland environment & birds

2. what Whinchats

It’s not just the crops that are important for farmland birds.

Surprising results from a Scottish Whinchat study.

Populations of many species of farmland

constrained by the features of the landscapes in

Whinchats, have declined as breeding birds

bird have declined in recent decades because of

which they are found.

across Europe as agricultural practices have

Rebecca Nason/David tipling davidtipling.com/Steven Round stevenround-birdphotography.co.uk

agricultural intensification, changes in cropping

24

intensified and they have become increasingly

patterns, loss and deterioration of hedgerows

Among the specific habitat influences tested,

restricted to abandoned agricultural land and

and landscape simplification. Management to

the presence of hedges with trees, which

upland areas.

enhance farmland bird populations could aim to

provide nesting habitat and song-posts as well

With funding from Forest Research and

influence any of these, but which set of factors is

as rich insect diversity, was positively associated

the Perth and Kinross Quality of Life Trust,

the most important? BTO’s Land-Use Research

with the abundance of several species, such

BTO Scotland examined the associations

Team and the University of Cambridge, using

as Swallow, Yellowhammer and Bullfinch. High

of Whinchat territories with habitat and

the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s Land

levels of landscape and cropping heterogeneity

landscape attributes within a study area in

Cover Map, has investigated this question.

were also generally positive. These latter features,

central Scotland that supports a relatively

which represent patchier, more mixed gross

dense breeding population. The 410ha study

species, variation in abundance within farmland-

Using BBS data, they showed that, for most

habitats (woodland, arable, etc.) and crop types,

area, managed by the Woodland Trust, in the

dominated BBS squares was best predicted by

respectively, boost habitat and resource variety

Ochil Hills in central Scotland supported 36

landscape structure, followed by field boundary

and therefore the number of individuals and

Whinchat territories in 2010 (more than 8

composition and finally crop types. This means

species that can be supported.

per km2). With an altitude range of 225–610

that landscape features, such as the presence

This study has important conservation

of woods, villages or the mixture of grass and

implications as it shows the general potential

extensive upland pasture where grazing had

arable farming, have the strongest influence

of management of different components of

been excluded and which had been planted

on farmland bird populations. These features

farm landscapes, including what is practical

with native broad-leaf trees seven to eight

are hard to modify because they are beyond

under national agri-environment schemes and

years before the study. With developing grass

the scope of farm management or are more-

the Common Agricultural Policy, to contribute

and ericaceous ground vegetation (equivalent

or-less permanent features of the landscape.

to bird conservation. It also demonstrates the

to abandoned pasture) and young trees

Field boundary types (e.g. hedges or ditches)

overriding importance of landscape structure in

(equivalent to developing scrub), the area

and, especially, crops can both be changed

determining bird community composition, even

supports a considerably higher density of

more easily and have changed more over time

within landscapes dominated by farmland.

breeding Whinchats than the majority of the

than landscape features, and so have a key role to play in driving farmland bird population trends. This also makes them realistic targets for management action, although the extent to which modifications can affect change will be

metres above sea level, the area is former

Ochil Hills where grazing continues (typically Find out more Siriwardena, G.M., Cooke, I.R. & Sutherland, W.J. 2012. Landscape, cropping and field boundary influences on bird abundance. Ecography 35, 162–173. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2011.06839.x

less than 0.5 per km2 in areas of similar topography and altitude).

No significant influences of vegetation type or structure were apparent, suggesting BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Behind the Images…

1. Bullfinch & Farmland The presence of hedges with trees, which provide nesting habitat, song-posts and rich insect diversity, was positively associated with the abundance of several species.

want

2. Scottish Whinchat Study Whinchats favoured warmer south- and eastfacing breeding sites, which can support birds at higher altitudes than cooler north- and west-facing sites.

3. Wood Warbler & other migrants Migrants wintering further south in Africa were much more likely to be declining, whereas those wintering further north have generally stable or increasing populations.

3. African conundrum Why are some African migrants increasing, while others are decreasing?

that most combinations of sparse shrubs and

Many people remember (or at least

were clear cut: the key thing that determined

a developing ground vegetation provided

have heard of!) the spectacular crash in

whether a species was increasing or declining

favourable conditions, but there were marked

populations of Sand Martins, Whitethroats

was not just the bioclimatic zone in which it

influences of both altitude and aspect. The

and Sedge Warblers in the late 1960s,

wintered (dry or wet essentially) but also the

research found that Whinchats favour warmer

caused by drought in their west African

specific habitat it wintered in.

south- and east-facing sites, which can support

wintering areas. These populations are

birds at higher altitudes than cooler north-

recovering slowly as, since the 1980s, the

(the band immediately south of the Sahara

and west-facing sites. Territory size increased

Sahel has been getting wetter and rainfall is

Desert) were generally stable or increasing

with altitude, which, along with a reduced

now back at the long-term average. Although

whereas most species wintering in the more

likelihood of Whinchats being found on higher

Whitethroat numbers have been increasing,

southerly humid zone (the Guinea savannas

ground, provides further evidence of altitudinal

the population is still only a fraction of what it

and rainforest zone) tended to be in decline.

constraints.

was before the crash.

Woodland species in particular were shown

In contrast to the recovering populations

Birds in the dry Sahel and Sudan savannas

to be especially affected. These correlations

Within upland areas Whinchats are

of Whitethroat, Sand Martin, Redstart and

suggested that regional changes in climate

constrained at their lower altitudinal limit by

Sedge Warbler, we are now concerned about

or land-use in the humid tropics, are driving

intensive agricultural land use and at their

other African migrants such as Wood Warbler,

declines in many long-distance migrant species.

upper altitudinal limit by environmental

Nightingale and Spotted Flycatcher, all of

restrictions on their breeding biology. As

which are now in very rapid decline. Is it

This paper really draws a line in the sand

uplands represent a refuge for a number of

caused by climate change on their breeding

and gives an up-to-date picture of what is

declining bird species, the management of

grounds, conditions on their wintering

happening to African–Palearctic migrants

the hill margins has important conservation

grounds or something else?

that breed in the UK. This analysis has been

implications. Consideration of aspect and

This paper set out to answer some

used as a base for our work in Africa to try to

altitude in targeted habitat management could

of these very broad questions and set

understand what is happening to migrant birds

help to optimize the breeding sites available

a baseline for future research – why are

and their habitats in the humid tropics.

for Whinchats and other vulnerable species.

some migrant species that winter in Africa increasing whilst others are declining? We

Find out more Calladine, J. & Bray, J. 2012. The importance of altitude and aspect for breeding Whinchat Saxicola rubetra in the uplands: limitations of the uplands as a refuge for a declining, formerly widespread species?

Bird Study, 59:1. 43–51

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

investigated whether regional factors on wintering grounds, phenological change (changes in arrival time in spring), or habitat on breeding or wintering grounds were related to population change. The results

Find out more Ockendon, N., Hewson, C.M., Johnston, A. & Atkinson, P.W. 2012. Declines in British-breeding populations of Afro-Palaearctic migrant birds are linked to bioclimatic wintering zone in Africa, possibly via constraints on arrival time advancement.

Bird Study, 59:2. 111–125.

25

BTO Accounts 2011/12 Council is seeking to secure the resources needed to continue to support our growing pool of skilled volunteers and further to develop the quality, breadth and relevance of our science.

The trustees aim to maintain unrestricted reserves of three months’ operating expenditure, equivalent to £1,274k at 2012/13 budgeted costs, in order to deal with any unexpected falls in income or other unforeseen circumstances. Unrestricted funds excluding tangible fixed assets and pension fund liability at 31 March 2012 totalled £1,336k, of which approximately £60k is committed to existing BTO-funded projects, and £200k is earmarked for the third pension fund deficit payment.

New funding ideas were developed, with the aid of a Strategic Funding Working Group, and these will be driven forward during 2012/13. In order better to be able to raise funds for specific projects and for our core work, from our growing group of supporters and potential donors, Gary Conway was appointed as Head of the Fundraising Team. It is anticipated that, by strengthening this area of our operations, we will deliver significant benefit in the medium term. Successful initiatives during 2011/12 included the Nightingale Appeal, a raffle in aid of the Winter Thrushes Survey and an auction of remaining Atlas species. The generosity of individuals helped to balance reduced income from Trusts and a relatively slow year for legacy income.

Summarised Accounts 2011/12 There was a net operating deficit of £192k for the year (2011: £87k deficit). The principal funding sources continued to be research and surveys (£1,677k), membership and communications (including BTO, Garden BirdWatch and the Ringing Scheme) (£1,111k), and trading and consultancy (including BTO Services Ltd turnover) (£948k). Appeals raised

Incoming resources General donations

We have examined the summarised financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2012 set out [right]. The Council Members are responsible for preparing the summarised financial statements in accordance with applicable United Kingdom law and the recommendations of the Charities SORP. Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summarised financial statements with the full annual financial statements and the Council Annual Report. We also read other information contained in the summarised annual report and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the summarised financial statements. We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2008/3 issued by the Auditing Practices Board.

In our opinion the summarised financial statements are consistent with the full annual financial statements and the Council Annual Report of the British Trust for Ornithology for the year ended 31 March 2012.

LOVEWELL BLAKE LLP Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditor Bankside 300, Peachman Way, Broadland Business Park, Norwich. NR7 0LB 22 August 2012

26

2011/12 2010/11 £'000 £'000 Restated

75

53

346

237

Legacies

215

444

Trading and consultancy

948

705

Royalties and copyright

123

164

21

26

Appeals

Corporate membership and sponsorship Other income Investment income

Independent Auditor’s Statement to the Members of the British Trust For Ornithology

£346k, and £215k was received from legacies. A total of £3,858k was spent during the year on carrying out, supporting and communicating ornithological research. There was a small loss in the market value of investments, but the unusual conditions in the bond markets meant a significant deterioration in the FRS17 pension fund valuation.

Membership and communications

4

3

35

48

1,111

1,042

Research and surveys

1,677

2,042

Total incoming resources

4,555

4,764

Costs of generating voluntary income

142

104

Costs of activities for generating funds

711

591

Membership, volunteers and communications

1,400

1,290

Research and surveys

2,457

2,829

Resources expended

Governance costs

Total resources expended Net outgoing resources Other recognised gains and losses

Net movement in funds

37

37

4,747

4,851

-192

-87

-1,497

355

-1,689

268

2,002

1,734

313

2,002

Fixed assets

1,638

2,070

Net current assets

1,198

1,547

Total funds brought forward

Total funds carried forward

Represented by: Other creditors Pension fund liability

TOTAL

-22

-23

-2,501

-1,592

313 2,002

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Accounts

‘There is a growing need for unrestricted income to support the general work of the Trust, especially our contributions to the JNCC partnership and to projects such as BBS, WeBS and BirdTrack.’

&

Facts Figures

JOHN OSMOND, HON. treasurer

income 2011/12 37% Research & surveys

2% General donations

Expenditure 2011/12

7% Appeals

1% Governance costs

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

5% Legacies

21% Trading & consultancy 3% Royalties & copyright 0% Corporate membership & sponsorship

24% Membership & communications

1% Investment income

0% Other income

income 2010/11 43% Research & surveys

1% General donations

230

29% Membership, volunteer and communications

The number of garden centres around the country that stock some, or all, of the Gardman BTO-branded bird care products and food.

52% Research and surveys

5.4%

The biggest growth in BTO membership was in Wales, where a new office was opened for BTO Cymru within Bangor University.

Expenditure 2010/11

5% Appeals

1% Governance costs

2% Costs of generating voluntary income 12% Costs of activities for generating funds

9% Legacies

15% Trading & consultancy 3% Royalties & copyright

27% Membership, volunteer and communications

1% Corporate membership & sponsorship

22% Membership & communications

1% Investment income

0% Other income

250,000

58% Research and surveys

There have been over a quarter of a million unique views of the main map on the Cuckoo Tracking front page on the BTO website, with over 700,000 views of all the maps.

Further Information

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

£8,000

Nightjar research was funded through a legacy and donations.

Birds tagged in 2011 returned with valuable data collected during the previous year. 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).

david tipling davidtipling.com/paul stancliffe

These summarised accounts have been extracted from the Trust’s annual accounts. They may not contain sufficient information to provide a full understanding of the financial affairs of the Trust. For further information, the full accounts, the auditor’s report and the Council (Trustees’) Report should be consulted. These are available on the BTO 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 11 July 2012 and have been submitted to the Registrar of Companies, the Charities Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. The accounts include the auditor’s report which is unqualified and does not

The corporate membership scheme has delivered income of £8,000 to support the WinterThrushes Appeal.

Each year we shall be choosing a core project to benefit in this way.

13

We were notified of 13 legacies during 2011–12, of which 10 were from BTO members or former members.

This is an increasingly important source of income.

27

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

1. Boosting BTO Scotland

BTO’s long-standing partnership with SOC pays dividends.

2. Need a HINT?

Bird ID gets a helping hand.

You never stop learning bird identification, making it both an enjoyable and, at times, frustrating pursuit. Being able to identify a bird from a good, clear view is one thing, but would you be so confident if you just caught a glimpse, obscured by vegetation, or heard a brief snatch of song? What does ‘intermediate’ or ‘advanced’ level really mean?

Set up by Nord-Trøndelag University College and supported by BTO in the UK, the Hint ID website is one of the most helpful online tools. Take the training quizzes, arranged in six levels of photos or sounds of increasing difficulty – choose the correct ID from a number of possible confusion species offered for each. Level 1 is for complete beginners, Undertaking fieldwork himself and enthusing a huge number of volunteers to take part in Bird Atlas 2007–11, Bob Swann, Atlas Co-ordinator, supported members of BTO and SOC.

level 3 will bring you to the standard required to take the formal test in your chosen country, level 5 is for the whole of the Western

Across the UK, the BTO promotes local

through its members’ branches, Local

Palearctic and level 6 a real challenge! Work

partnerships with birdwatching societies

Bird Recorder network, and superb

towards the two formal quizzes, which are free

in order to organise surveys and there

publications like the Birds of Scotland,

of charge, and if you pass you will receive a

are even broader potential benefits at the

is absolutely invaluable. Together we

validated certificate at higher education level.

country level, as our work with the Scottish

provide training opportunities to involve

BTO is helping to develop the site further, with

Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) illustrates.

more birdwatchers in recording birds in

videos and multiple birds singing the next

Scotland and expanded coverage for

step. Give it a go: www.birdid.no

Bird Atlas 2007–11 is one tremendous example of successful cooperation

long-term monitoring programmes. Recent

in Scotland, with BTO looking after

major projects have been ‘Building Bird

fundraising, overall organisation and

Monitoring in Scotland’, funded by SNH

website development for the project

and the Gillman Trust, that has introduced

and with Bob Swann enthusing Scottish

almost 400 new people across Scotland

birdwatchers by using the networks of

to bird recording, and the promotion and

both SOC and BTO. The resulting tetrad

development of BirdTrack, of which SOC

coverage for Scotland is virtually as

is now a formal partner. Plans are well

complete as for England, which is amazing

developed to run another ambitious joint

given the distances to walk, the number

project focusing on upland birds over

of birdwatchers and the smaller reward in

the next three years. We thank the SOC

terms of species diversity, especially during

in particular, and all our other partners in

winter visits.

Scotland, for making it such a pleasure to

The SOC (www.the-soc.org.uk) has been Scotland’s bird club for more than

28

be part of the Scottish biodiversity scene.

Join us at Our Dynamic Earth in

75 years, bringing together experienced

Edinburgh on 16 March 2013 for the next

birders and those keen to learn, in order

joint BTO and SOC conference, which

to foster the recording, study and pure

will celebrate the success of Bird Atlas

enjoyment of birds. Local knowledge,

2007–11 and reflect on the changing

established and maintained by the SOC

landscape for Scotland’s birds.

Bewick’s or Whooper? Use the Hint ID website to test your ID skills – this is a Whooper Swan – and progress towards formal qualifications.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

‘Across the UK, the BTO uses local partnerships with birdwatching societies in order to organise surveys but there are even broader potential benefits at the country level, as our work with the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club illustrates.’

Partnerships

&

Facts Figures

3. An ACADEMIC partnership How can we understand Willow Warbler declines?

172

The number of people who attended centrally-organised training courses in 2011/12. Attendees receive a newly-mastered set of three CDs, thanks to sponsorship from Swarovski, who continue to support the annual conference at Swanwick. Courses are also organised by BTO Cymru, BTO Scotland, scheme organisers and Regional Representatives.

Population trends in Willow Warbler vary widely across Britain & Ireland. One BTO-supported PhD looked at the causes of these variations, using data from a number of BTO surveys.

A great way to increase the amount the

could also be linked to conditions during

BTO can do – and to be cost-effective – is

winter or on migration.

Luke delve/David Tipling davidtipling.com/CARL BARIMORE

to get involved in graduate-level research

To explore the causes of these patterns in

with academic partners. BTO’s Jacquie Clark

population change, Cat also used CES data

and Rob Robinson, along with Jennifer Gill

to compare Willow Warbler survival between

of University of East Anglia, did just this with

the regions and, with Dave Leech, used Nest

Catriona Morrison’s PhD on the causes of

Record Scheme data to compare regional

population changes of Willow Warblers.

differences in productivity. Finally, and thanks

This study used the records of up to 5,000

to dozens of bird ringers who snipped off a

birdwatchers who had seen a Willow Warbler

tiny bit of an individual feather when they

on a BBS visit, recorded the contents of a

caught an adult, Cat was also able to use

nest or ringed an individual, and also those

stable isotope analyses to compare the

who failed to see or catch a Willow Warbler,

feather composition of Willow Warblers from

thus providing those valuable zeros that are

different areas of Britain, to assess whether

needed to identify and understand change.

they may use different locations or resources

Cat used national survey data from Britain

during winter and on migration.

& Ireland (BBS and its Irish equivalent, CBS) to model the variation in Willow Warbler

The BTO’s contribution to this work, about

population trends. Across Britain & Ireland,

£4,000 per year over four years, was funded

these trends follow a gradient from sharp

from the Young Scientists’ Fund and the ‘Out of

declines in the south and east of England

Africa’ Appeal. This is a great way to make sure

to shallow declines and/or slight increases

that individual donations are used effectively.

in parts of north and west England, across Scotland and in Ireland. The gradient in breeding-season trends suggests regionalscale drivers of population change across different parts of Britain & Ireland, which 2 012 | BTO Annual Review

Find out more Morrison, C.A., Robinson, R.A., Clark, J.A. & Gill, J.A. 2010. Spatial and temporal variation in population trends in a long-distance migratory bird.

Diversity & Distributions 16, 620–627.

5

STOP PRESS: The Welsh Ornithological Society has become the fifth BirdTrack partner, joining BTO, RSPB, BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club.

This was another good excuse to cut a celebratory cake at Bird Fair in August.

18

Our partnership with BirdGuides provides access to video clips that are used in BTO bird identification training videos, available via YouTube and the BTO website. 18 videos have already been produced, focusing on topical species and upcoming surveys, with more being added regularly. There have been almost 120,000 views of these useful materials and the number will grow as new resources come on stream.

29

Corporate support

Nightingale

This year marked the launch of a new corporate membership scheme to further enhance working relationships with businesses, reveals GARY CONWAY, BTO’s new Head of Fundraising.

CORPORATE FUNDING FOR BTO RESEARCH CUCKOOS

THRUSHES SURVEY

The BTO’s Cuckoo-tracking work has caught

The 2011 raffle, for which Ornitholidays, Zeiss

the imagination of thousands of followers,

and Gardenature provided prizes, was in aid of

not least our corporate partners. In the

the upcoming Winter Thrushes Survey. This is

first year, Essex & Suffolk Water provided

a key BTO project this winter and will engage

significant funding, alongside the BBC

people who enjoyed winter Atlas fieldwork.

Wildlife Fund, and are continuing to

With no dragonflies, bats and butterflies to

support the project both financially and

count, there’s more time to look at birds! You

through promotional work with employees.

can help the project funding by buying raffle

Swallowtail Print printed the Cuckoo text-

tickets. Please phone Rachel Gostling on

giving cards, the Grant Arms Hotel and Zeiss

01842 750050 and she will send you some if

provided the prizes for the 2010 Cuckoo

you want more. This year’s raffle is supported

raffle and Opticron, Wildsounds, Vine House

by BWWC at the Grant Arms Hotel, Opticron

Farms, Heatherlea and Sound Approach all

and Ernest Charles. The Winter Thrushes

helped with the fundraising or sponsored

Survey is the annual corporate membership

Cuckoos.

project. Thank you to all BTO Corporate Members who have supported this vital

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

survey through their membership this year.

Many of the companies which support the BTO take part in the biennial Business Sites

BTO FUNDING

Challenge, where we look for the sites that

We are pleased to acknowledge the huge

champion birds, conservation and local

support we receive from Gardman and Ernest

communities. The awards ceremony for

Charles, with whom we continue to develop

the 2010 challenge, which was sponsored

birdcare products. Ernest Charles is the

by EDF Energy, took place at Heysham

distributor of BTO sales items (except ringing

Power Station in June 2011. NatureCounters

sales), thereby providing significant cost

supplied the prizes to the winners.

savings for us. Financial and practical support

Unfortunately, we were unable to find a

also come from Jacobi Jayne (National Nest

sponsor for the competition in 2012 but will

Box Week), with Ark Wildlife and BirdBox

look for opportunities to reinstate it in 2014.

Cameras promoting BTO through their sales.

Night-night 2012…

The recently-completed Nightingale Survey is just part of a programme of new work being planned for this iconic species.

Anglian Water is once again our project partner for this work, which is appropriate given their efforts to conserve the species within the company’s own landholdings. National survey work will be complemented by research to help develop ways to attract Nightingales to restored habitats and tracking work in the UK and in Ghana.

Another nocturnal species is benefiting from business support, this time from Biotrack who are involved with ongoing tracking of Nightjars that breed in Thetford Forest (see July/August BTO News).

BTO CORPORATE MEMBERS…

Carl Zeiss Ltd EDF Energy

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Gardman Ltd JustAddBirds Nature Counters Opticron Swarovski UK Ltd The Birdtable Ltd Unilever R & D Colworth Silver Members: Bird Box Cameras Ltd

Bronze Members: Anglian Sports & Schoolwear Ltd Birdwatching & Wildlife Club, Grant Arms Hotel British Airways Ernest Charles Essex & Suffolk Water Frontier Holidays Ltd

Gardenature Heatherlea Jacobi Jayne & Co John E Haith Ltd Northumbrian Water Paddocks Farm Partnership Ltd Parkhill Nurseries & Garden Centre Ltd

Porzana R & E Bamford Ltd Scarecrow Bio-Acoustic Systems Ltd Swallowtail Print Ltd Syngenta Tendley Quarries Ltd Thames Water Utilities Ltd

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

Edmund fellowes

Gold Members: Anglian Water Ark Wildlife Biotrack Ltd BirdGuides Birdseye / Iglo Food Group

Northern Ireland The recruitment of new volunteer surveyors to enhance the coverage of our regular surveys has been a priority in Northern Ireland. Shane Wolsey, BTO Northern Ireland Officer, describes the different ways he is getting people involved.

Over 400 pairs of Sandwich Tern bred successfully on Cockle Island in 2012, with some of the activity on the island watched on remote cameras from the mainland.

Cockle Island Success A new initiative to engage with people,

installing the system has been technically

and potential new volunteers, has been the

difficult, but we have been helped by two

establishment of Cockle Island Seabird Centre,

young electronic whizz-kids who set up a new

in the village of Groomsport, Co Down. Cockle

company, Spark4, to deliver this project.

Island is a tiny island which holds 800+ pairs of breeding seabirds – mostly Sandwich, Arctic

Operating the Centre has resulted in

and Common Terns, and Black-headed Gulls.

great volunteer involvement, and at the time

It is an ASSI (Area of Special Scientific Interest)

of writing has resulted in about a thousand

owned by National Trust and is very close

visitors viewing the nesting birds and hearing

to shore, but little recognised by the local

about the BTO. The images are network-based

community. This project was led by BTO in

video and are therefore ready for viewing on

partnership with the National Trust and North

the Internet – this will be next year’s challenge!

Down Borough Council.

Using a grant from the NIEA Challenge Fund (administered by Northern Ireland Environment Link) BTO was able to establish Jill Pakenham/Mark R Taylor/LUKE delve

two cameras on the island. To avoid disturbance associated with the changing of batteries, or an unsightly solar array, we hardwired electric power from the local harbour streetlight supply. Images are sent ashore using a long-range Wi-Fi connection and the panning, tilting and zooming of the cameras controlled by the same connection.

Viewing screens were installed on the mainland in Cockle Row Cottages (owned by North Down Borough Council). Designing and 2 012 | BTO Annual Review

About 50 pairs of both Common and Arctic (above) Tern bred in 2012, but sadly none were successful because of the dreadful weather.

Provision of short, one-day, training courses has proved particularly popular and successful in Northern Ireland.

A WeBS training day held at WWT Castle Espie in October attracted 30 people, with most agreeing to take on some survey work (not just WeBS).

A programme of 12 courses during 2012 was publicised in December 2011, including six BBS training days in the first three months of the new year. These were delivered in localities across Northern Ireland and were all well attended, and resulted in 33 new BBS squares being taken up. The training programme also included a nest finding course – the first to be run in Northern Ireland. Ten people participated and we hope to see more nest records being submitted.

31

Raptor trends in Scotland CHRIS WERNHAM and ANDY DOBSON explain major developments in raptor trends and indicators in Scotland in 2011 and why they are increasingly important for biodiversity management.

Healthy raptor populations are

for reporting this information needed

considered indicative of healthy ecosystems,

development, partly because of major

particularly when stable populations of

sensitivities over sharing information

a range of different species occupying

(because of risks to the conservation of

different ecological niches co-exist. In the

species if breeding locations were divulged).

past, some species have come into conflict

The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme

with humans over their game bird, livestock

(SRMS) was set up in 2002 through an

and game fish prey, or experienced declines

agreement between seven partners (the

due to the effects of organochlorine

Scottish Raptor Study Groups; Scottish

pesticides. In more recent years, many

Natural Heritage; BTO Scotland; RSPB

species have fared much better as a result

Scotland; Scottish Ornithologists’ Club;

of legislative change, changed attitudes and

Rare Breeding Birds Panel; and JNCC)

proactive reintroduction schemes, leading

with the aim of building trust, increasing

to renewed concerns over their effects on

data-sharing and mobilising information on

some human activities, including game

raptor breeding numbers and demography

and livestock rearing and pigeon racing.

in Scotland. Data submission began in

Meanwhile, the conservation status of some

2003. Partnerships take time to develop

species is still in jeopardy in some areas,

but Brian Etheridge, the Raptor Monitoring

and a whole range of environmental and

Officer currently employed by BTO on

anthropogenic factors continues to influence

behalf of the SRMS, has great empathy with

2003. BTO Scotland led on this work in

populations across the UK.

the raptor volunteers and the volume of

collaboration with RSPB Scotland, Haworth

There is an ever-increasing need for

in the balance The Kestrel is just one of the raptor species in Scotland for which long-term studies by dedicated, volunteer raptor workers are making important contributions to the evidence-base of information on population changes and demography being collated by the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme.

data submitted to the scheme has grown

Conservation and other partners to the

knowledge about how raptor populations

year-on-year. In 2009 the SRMS won a

SRMS. Together, we were able to produce

are changing to enable their effective

prestigious ‘Best Practice Award’, given

trends for at least the period 2003–09

conservation management. Centralised,

annually by the Institute of Ecology and

in breeding numbers and/or breeding

accessible and timely information on trends

Environmental Management (IEEM).

success for 12 raptor species. For applied

has been less available than for other

conservation purposes, such as assessing

widespread terrestrial species and other

By 2011, the SRMS was in a position

the cumulative effects on bird populations

groups, like seabirds. Many skilled raptor

to review its data holdings and produce

of onshore wind farms, SNH often uses

workers collect high-quality information

a preliminary set of trends in breeding

a series of 21 biogeographical regions

on raptor numbers and breeding success

numbers and breeding success for species

or Natural Heritage Zones (NHZs), and

across the UK annually but the process

with sufficient monitoring information since

wherever possible trends were produced at

Uses of Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme data

Information collated by the SRMS is important for many other purposes as well as assessing changes in raptor population size and breeding success. Every year, information on breeding locations and breeding success is used by government organisations and NGOs for specific casework purposes, such as appraising the likely effects on biodiversity of windfarm development applications and

32

planning the sensitive management of state forests for biodiversity.

Illegal disturbance and killing of raptors still occurs in some parts of Scotland, and the SRMS has an important role to play here too by supplementing evidence on incidents and causes of breeding failure collected via other routes and making them available in a timely manner to those organisations working to eradicate wildlife crime.

Shot Goshawk Unfortunately, raptors are still subject to persecution, such as illegal shooting, poisoning and nest destruction.

BTO Annual Review | 2 012

RAPTOR

&

Northeastwildlife.co.uk/Su Delve/amy lewis

Facts Figures

that scale, as well as nationally for species

The work to review the raptor data and

where monitoring coverage was sufficiently

produce initial trends means that the SRMS

broad and representative of the Scottish

is now well informed about current gaps in

population. At the moment, the trends for

survey coverage. Ideas for involving more

many species are preliminary because of

volunteers to expand monitoring coverage,

the modest time series involved. For some

particularly of the more widespread

species that are still of high conservation

species, are in development. It is hoped

concern, like the Hen Harrier, trends that

that the SRMS and the evidence-base that

cover the most recent 10 years cannot tell

it is delivering for Scottish raptors can be

the whole story because, as the numbers

used as a model for developing raptor

of breeding pairs decrease (to zero in some

monitoring in other parts of the UK.

100

The number of failed Peregrine breeding attempts reported during the first six years of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme that point towards deliberate human interference. These represent 56% of failures with a known cause, 23% of all failures reported and 6% of all breeding outcomes reported. The SRMS also holds important objective information on human interference for the other raptor species in Scotland.

5,000

The approximate number of nest sites or home ranges of breeding raptors of 19 species that are checked for occupancy by volunteers in Scotland each year and submitted to the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme. Around 2,800 of these nesting attempts are also followed.

geographical areas), sample sizes are too small to produce trends. This can mean that a national trend will be biased if knowledge from these areas is not incorporated adequately. As the SRMS continues to collate the annual survey information from raptor workers across Scotland, the value of these trends will increase year-on-year. The SRMS is now also in a position to start collecting pre-2003 data from its volunteers (many of whom have been carrying out longer-term surveying in their study areas), which, when added to the recent trend information, will provide a much more comprehensive picture of changes across Scotland. That we are now in a position to request and receive this past information from raptor workers is testimony to the great success of the Scheme in building a trusting partnership.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

Acknowledgements The SRMS is funded by SNH grant-aid and in-kind contributions from all the partners.

The 2011 trends and indicators work was funded

by SNH. We are grateful to all the SRMS partners for their huge contributions since 2002, particularly the many SRSG volunteers who collect the majority of the data. Our special thanks go to Staffan Roos (now RSPB Scotland), Simon Foster, Andrew Stevenson and Des Thompson (SNH), Helen Riley (SRMS Secretariat), Brian Etheridge, David Noble and Anne Cotton (BTO), Paul Haworth and Alan Fielding for major contributions to the trends project.

Find out more Etheridge, B. et al. 2012. Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme Report 2010. Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group. (www.scottishraptorgroups.org/media/ SRMS_Report10.pdf) Roos, S. et al. (In press) Raptors in Scotland – developing trends and indicators. SNH Commissioned Report.

170+

The number of breeding pairs of Red Kite (above) in Scotland today, following the first successful breeding of the reintroduced birds in 1992 on the Black Isle (Ross-shire). Thanks to comprehensive monitoring of this species, trends in numbers and breeding success can be produced back to the time of the first reintroductions and national trends can be reported.

33

The BTO in print 44 staff-authored peer-reviewed papers were published in 2011 and a further seven were presented at the Seabird Group International Conference. Here we highlight some of the interesting results from last year.

Looking at some BTO PAPERS...

Disease spread

Helping Sparrows

BTO ringing data have

Gardens are the

been used to chart the

preferred habitat for

Survey has revealed how

spread of an emerging

House Sparrows within

birds show species-specific

disease affecting

urban landscapes, with

responses to the structure

finches across Britain

allotments becoming

and composition of

and into other parts of Europe. The research

important in the suburbs. Mitigation measures

woodland. This knowledge should prove a key

suggests that migrating Chaffinches carried

to prevent colony loss should concentrate on

element in future forest conservation planning.

trichomonosis disease to Fennoscandia, from

increasing the habitat quality of gardens.

Woodland birds The Scarce Woodland Bird

Lawson, B., Robinson, R.A. et al. (2011). Evidence of spread of emerging infectious disease, finch trichomonosis, by migrating birds. EcoHealth 8 (2): 143–153.

Shaw, L.M., Chamberlain, D.E., Conway, G.J. & Toms, M. (2011). Spatial distribution and habitat preferences of the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus in urbanised landscape. BTO Research Report No. 599.

Hewson, C.M., Austin, G.E., Gough, S.J. & Fuller, R.J. (2011). Species-specific responses of woodland birds to stand-level habitat characteristics: the dual importance of forest structure and floristics. Forest Ecology & Management 261: 1224–1240.

Understorey browsing

Competition for cavities

Confidence in indicators

Large-scale analyses of

A Belgian study suggests

Ecological indicators

BBS bird and deer data

that Ring-necked Parakeets

are increasingly used to

show that deer-related

potentially reduce the

monitor the state of the

habitat modification

abundance of Nuthatch

environment. We assessed

may be affecting some bird species that are

through nest site competition. We found no

wild bird indicators objectively, by examining

associated with dense understorey habitats on

evidence for a significant impact on Nuthatch or

the effects of changing the criteria for species

far larger scales than previously appreciated.

any other cavity-nesting species in the UK.

inclusion, and show that they are fit for purpose.

Newson, S.E., Johnston, A., Renwick, A.R., Baillie, S.R. & Fuller, R.J. (2012). Modelling large-scale relationships between changes in woodland deer and bird populations. J. Appl. Ecol. 49: 278–286.

Newson, S.E., Johnston, A., Parrott, D. & Leech, D.I. (2011). Evaluating the population-level impact of an invasive species, Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri, on native avifauna. Ibis 153: 509–516.

Renwick, A.R., Johnson, A., Joys, A., Newson, S.E., Noble, D.G. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2012). Composite bird indicators robust to variation in species selection and habitat specificity. Ecological Indicators 18: 200–207.

where it then spread to Germany.

Making waves: BTO at the Seabird Group International Conference...

BTO’s marine research has developed rapidly over the last few years, and certainly made a splash at the Seabird Group’s biennial International Conference at Plymouth University in September 2011. Four members of the BTO’s Wetland and Marine Team attended the conference, and between them presented seven pieces of work describing research by 11 staff members. These presentations demonstrated the strength and depth we have achieved in this important and growing area of research.

Cook A.S.C.P., Parsons M., Mitchell I. & Robinson R.A. Reconciling policy with ecological requirements in biodiversity monitoring (poster).

Cook A.S.C.P., Wright L.J. & Burton N.H.K. Flight heights and avoidance rates of seabirds in relation to offshore wind farms (poster).

Cooke F., Cook A.S.C.P., Barker S., Andrews J., Wright L.J. & Burton N.H.K. Standardised sea-watching measures the influence of environmental variables and season on bird abundance (poster).

Ross-Smith V.H., Thaxter C.B., Clark N.A., Conway G.J., Rehfisch M.M., Bouten W. & Burton N.H.K.

Understanding migration strategies of Lesser Black-backed Gulls with GPS telemetry (talk).

Thaxter C.B., Ross-Smith V.H., Clark N.A., Conway G.J., Bouten W. & Burton N.H.K. Seabird-windfarm interactions are revealed through GPS telemetry (talk).

Wright L.J., Cook A.S.C.P., Thaxter C.B., Moran N.J., Musgrove A.J., Cooke F., Barker S., Andrews J. & Burton N.H.K. The value of sea-watching in monitoring seabirds (poster).

Wright L.J., Ross-Smith V.H., Cook A.S.C.P. & Burton N.H.K. Strategic Ornithological Support Services for the Offshore Wind Industry (poster).

Lesser Black-backed Gull is one of the species that developing technology has allowed us to track, increasing our understanding of their migrations.

Find out more A full list of the BTO papers published in 2011 can be viewed at www.bto.org/staff-publications-2011.

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BTO Annual Review | 2 012

BTO funding in 2011/12 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, companies and charitable trusts providing financial support for the BTO.

Corporate Membership 2011/12 Anglia Sports & Schoolwear Ltd, Anglian Water, Ark Wildlife, R & E Bamford Ltd, Biotrack Ltd, Bird Box Cameras Ltd, BirdGuides, Birdseye, The BirdTable Ltd, Carl Zeiss Ltd, EDF Energy, Ernest Charles, Essex & Suffolk Water, Gardenature, Gardman Ltd, Grant Arms Hotel, Heatherlea, John E Haith Ltd, Jacobi Jayne & Co, Nature Counters, Northumbrian Water, Opticron, Paddocks Farm Partnership, Park Hill Nurseries & Garden Centre Ltd, Porzana, Scarecrow Bio-Acoustic Systems Ltd, Swallowtail Print, Swarovski UK Ltd, Syngenta, Tendley Quarries Ltd, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Unilever R & D Colworth.

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

Trusts 2011/12 A S Butler Charitable Trust, The H B Allen Charitable Trust, British Birds Charitable Trust, The Benham Charitable Settlement, The Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust, The Child-Beale Trust Estate, The Downton Banister Trust, The E G & M A Bousfield Charitable Trust, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Harris Charitable Trust, The William Haddon Charitable Trust, The Marsh Christian Charitable Trust, Lord Medways Charitable Trust, The Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, The Mijoda Charitable Trust, The Mitchell Trust, The Overwood Trust, The Slater Foundation, The Tasso Leventis Foundation, The Emily Weircroft Charitable Trust, J & J R Wilson Charitable Trust, The Udimore Charitable Trust, The Wetland Trust, The Whaites Charitable Fund.

Legacies 2011/12 Yvonne Mary Rose Bishop, Barbara Ann Carver, Marion Catton, William John Farley-Hills, Kathleen Joyce Francis, Gloria Griffiths, James Bruce Henry, Vera Winifred Lingley, Mrs M Phippen, Gwendoline Anne Read, Gladys Helen Roscoe, Trevor Beresford Silcocks, Joan Eunice Smith, Joseph Alfred Soddy.

In memoriam 2011/12 Douglas Eric Barker, Philip Cooper, Stephen Hilo Davies, Dr Jim Fowler, Dale Berenice Hanmer, William Hardiman, Leslie John Hodgetts, Hazel Johnson, Brian Jones, Robert James Kirk, Betty Ailsa Moore, Mary Nelder, Mrs M Phippen, Graeme Noel Taylor, Ruth Wootton, James Arthur Waller, Bernard Wright.

david tipling/Luke delve/mike weston/Jill Pakenham

Funders of BTO Work 2011/12 AEWA (African–Eurasian Waterbird Agreement); Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board; Anglian Water Group; APEM Ltd; Bayer CropScience; BBC Wildlife Fund; BiOD Ltd; BirdLife International; Birdseye Wall’s Ltd; BirdWatch Ireland; Black & Veatch Ltd; Boughton Woodlands; Breckland Council; Broads Authority; Butterfly Conservation; Cambridge Conservation Initiative; Cardiff Harbour Authority; CEFAS; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Coombe Farm; Co-Operative Society; Countryside Council for Wales; Country Innovation; COWRIE (Collaborative Offshore Wind Research Into The Environment); The Crown Estate; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Energy and Climate Change; DHI Water & Environment; Dstl; EDF Energy; Emap Active Ltd (Bird Watching Magazine); Environment & Heritage Service in Northern Ireland; Environment Agency; Environment Wales; ESRC; Essex & Suffolk Water; FERA; Forewind Ltd; Forestry Commission; Forestry Commission Scotland; Forest Research; Foster & Partners; Gardman Ltd; Jacobi Jayne & Company; Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland); The Leverhulme Trust; Make Architects; Manor House Estates; MOD; National Forest; Natural England; NERC; NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife; NIEA; Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association; Normandeau Associates; North East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre; Northumbrian Water Ltd.; Opticron; Origin Energy; People’s Trust for Endangered Species; Perth & Kinross Quality of Life Trust; Rothamsted Research; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; RSWT; RWE nPower Ltd; Scottish Coal; Scottish Government; Scottish Natural Heritage; Scottish Raptor Study Group; Scottish Renewables; Serco Ltd; Snowdonia National Park; OPAL Grants Scheme; SOC; Stanny House Farm; State of Delaware (DNREC); Swarovski UK Ltd (Swarovski Optik); Syngenta; Tasso Leventis Foundation; Unilever Ice Cream & Frozen Foods; Unilever Research; University of Cambridge; University of East Anglia; University of Edinburgh; US Fisheries & Wildlife; Welsh Government; Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust; Wildlife Trust; Zoological Society of London.

2 012 | BTO Annual Review

Nesting Redshank

WADERS should benefit from legacy Over the course of the next five years the BTO’s Nunnery Lakes nature reserve will be further developed using landfill tax funding from WREN. As with many such projects, this is a team effort, with support also coming from Thetford Town Council, the local angling syndicate and from BTO funds: The WREN grant of £197,583 will target 81 hectares of the reserve adjoining BTO Headquarters, with a significant part of the money being used to create a biodiversity-rich grazing marsh by restoring seasonal flooding. This should suit breeding waders such as Lapwing and Redshank. The grant will also support on-site monitoring and survey work, largely carried out by volunteers, from which national guidelines on the management of fringing reed beds can be developed.

As part of the work to enrich the variety of birdlife and birdwatching opportunities, the scrape and shallow pool directly in front of the hide will be extended. Once completed, this will be known as the Terry Smeeton Scrape, in memory of a former BTO Council member who loved birdwatching in Norfolk and provided a significant legacy to the Trust.

The Nunnery Lakes, the Trust’s only reserve, is home to a wide range of wildlife, including about 60 species of breeding birds. Several scarce Breckland plants occur on the site, including Tower Mustard and Mossy Stonecrop. The reserve is open daily during daylight hours. Most paths are unsuitable for wheelchairs, but special arrangements can be made for disabled visitors.

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Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Annual review 2012 Partnership “The BTO has a vision of a world in which nature conservation and sustainable development are founded on evidence-based decision making, and in which society understands, values and contributes to that process.”

Much of the work referred to in the Annual Review relies on volunteers and is undertaken with other organisations, particularly through the BTO’s partnership with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). JNCC delivers the UK and international responsibilities of the four country nature conservation agencies – Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a partnership of BTO, JNCC and RSPB. The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is a partnership of BTO, RSPB and JNCC, in association with WWT. RSPB, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, BirdWatch Ireland and the Welsh Ornithological Society are partners in BirdTrack. BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club are partners in Bird Atlas 2007–11.

BTO Cymru is supported by the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Wales (on behalf of Welsh Government), Welsh Ornithological Society and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. BTO Northern Ireland receives funding from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

We are immensely grateful for all our partners’ support.

© British Trust for Ornithology 2012. BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU. E-mail: info@bto.org Web site: www.bto.org Registered Charity no. 216652 (England & Wales) no. SC039193 (Scotland). Cover and back cover images: david kjaer www.davidkjaer.com