BTO Breeding House Martin Survey 2015
Steve Davies
BTO Regional Representative for Birmingham, West Midlands and Worcestershire.
stevedaviesbtorep@hotmail.co.uk
Background
House Martins are one of several summer visitors that are declining in the UK. The primary aim of the 2015 UK House Martin Survey will be to produce an estimate of the current UK House Martin population size using a method that is repeatable to enable us to measure future population changes. A secondary aim will be to collect further information about nest site selection so that we can undertake some analyses to investigate whether any regional differences exist.
Timetable for key visit dates
BTO Survey Organisers are asking for the following site visits to be made to randomly selected 1 × 1km national grid squares in 2015.
March-May 2015---square request system will be available online.
mid to late May 2015---'recce' visit to identify suitable breeding habitat.
1st -24th June 2015---1st survey visit.
25th June-19th July 2015---2nd survey visit.
31st October 2015---deadline for online data input and return of paper forms toBTO.
Where there is only a small amount of suitable habitat in any 1km square, possibly only one or two buildings, survey visits will obviously only need to be of short duration.
If no evidence of the presence of House Martins or suitable nesting habitat is found on the first survey visit, there is no need to make the second survey visit. In this case volunteers will be asked to choose another 1km square to cover.
Who can get involved?
This survey would very much suit both experienced birdwatchers and newcomers to bird surveys alike, because there is only one species to record and so would make an excellent introduction to BTO survey work. Also, unlike the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), there is no compulsory early start!
When the online square request system is up and running you will be able to register for the squares of your choice. Full survey instructions and downloadable field recording sheets will be found thereon. However, if a volunteer wishes to submit data on paper, we will gladly provide this.
List of 1 × 1km survey squares. Correct at time of writing. It may well have changed – check on the web site.
Please find below the list of squares allocated to each of the WMBC BTO regions that I am responsible for, the four-figure grid reference is followed by the location to help you find a site local to you.
BIRMINGHAM AND WEST MIDLANDS
SO9897---BLACKHEATH SP2172---WROXALL
SP0078---LONGBRIDGE SP2376---BALSALL COMMON
SP0290---HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH SP2873---KENILWOORTH
SP0398---WALSALL SP2996---MONKS PARK WOOD
SP0775---WYTHALL SP3285---KERESLEY NEWLANDS
SP0796---STREETLY SP3475---BAGINTON
SP1172---NEAR WOOD END SP3672---BUBBENHALL
SP1174---EARLSWOOD SP4476---CHURCH LAWFORD
SP1683---ELMDON SP4565--BROADWELL
SP1898---MIDDLETON SP4889---CLAYBROOKE MAGNA
WORCESTERSHIRE
SO6160---THORNBURY SO8742---EARL'S CROOME/BAUGHTON
SO6264---KYRE GRANGE SO8751---NORTON
SO6960---LOWER SAPEY SO8955—WITHY WELLS
SO7059---TIDBATCH SO8979--STAKENBRIDGE
SO7249---GRITTLESEND SO9177---BELBROUGHTON
SO7451---ALFRICK POUND SO9245---TYDDESLEY WOOD SEWAGE WORKS
SO7463---SHELSLEY BEAUCHAMP SO9250---LOWER WOLVERTON
SO7669---UPPER NORCHARD FARM SO9334--NORTHWAY
SO7762---OCKERIDGE SO9532---TEDDINGTON SEWAGE WORKS
SO7774---BEWDLEY SO9537---OVERBURY
SO7844—BARNARDS GREEN SO9541---GREAT COMBERTON
SO7871---JENNINGS WOOD LANE SO9577—BELL HEATH
SO7879---HOLBEACHE SO9653—NEAR NORTH PIDDLE
SO7943---BLACKMORE PARK SO9772---LICKEY END
SO8152---BRANSFORD COURT SO9966---UPPER BENTLEY
SO8163---HOLT HEATH SP0160---FECKENHAM
SO8268---LINCOMB SP0242---EVESHAM
SO8356---WORCESTER SP0546---OFFENHAM
SO8365---NORTHAMPTON SP0550---HARVINGTON
SO8440---TUNEL HILL SP0843---BRETFORTTON
SO8459---BEVERE SP0940---WILERSLEY FARM
SO8548---KEMPSEY SP0953---BROOM
SP0957---ALCESTER
The readers are reminded that this national survey. BTO Reps will also have extensive lists of 1km squares requiring volunteers if you feel like crossing borders. Contacts can be found on the BTO web site.
Images
01. BTO logo
