Wendling Beck Breeding Bird Survey

The BTO Breeding Bird Survey selects 1km squares for survey and allocates them to surveyors at random. We are not participating formally in the survey but are using the survey methodology. The methodology involves two visits (plus a recce) surveying along two 1km transects in a 1km square, ideally 500m apart and 250m from the edge. Each transect is split into 5 x 200m sections and birds noted at varying distances from the transect are recorded. Some of this methodology is designed for data to be analysed alongside other 1km squares, it has advantages for our purposes also. By recording birds seen and heard at different distances from the section, and by placing our fixed PAMs at the midpoint of each section, we hope to be able to investigate whether we see a closer alignment between the birds recorded close to each section and the birds recorded from the PAM on that section than we do between birds recorded further from the section and from the PAM. See below for details and explanation for the transects selected.

Additionally, we will participate in the BTO’s national heronry census