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HOS Atlas 2007 - 12
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Wood Warbler
New Forest
Steve Copsey
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Hampshire Atlas - the fifth year
HOS
is continuing with the local tetrad-based Atlas for one more year -
through to 31st July 2012. We are into the breeding season, which
is the most important time for this extra year. We need to add to
the breeding evidence for most species, and make a special effort on
species that so far appear to have been very under-recorded. And so
that we can make reasonable comparisons, it’s particularly important
that we achieve an overall level of coverage over the five years,
that’s similar to that achieved in the previous HOS breeding Atlas (see
Birds of Hampshire).
So how can you help? Well, for starters we’d like more records of
breeding evidence for all species in all areas, and especially away
from the well-visited regular places. But please remember to
always include the breeding evidence, even if only code ‘S’ (singing
male) or code ‘P’ (pair in suitable breeding habitat). Ideally we’d
like to see at least code ‘T’ (territorial over more than a week) for
most species, but whatever else, please don’t leave the breeding
evidence box blank! Then, we’d also like some special efforts on
particular species, or species groups. Here’s a few we’d like to
concentrate on.
Owls
We suspect that Tawny Owls may occur in nearly every Hampshire tetrad.
But that's not what we see on our current maps. Are Tawnies genuinely
missing from all the blank squares? Or is it simply that the
tetrads haven’t been visited at the right time? OK, we won’t be able to
check out every tetrad, but we would like to have as many records as
possible. Please make a point of recording Tawny Owls whenever you’re
out at dusk or night-time (or of course any that you encounter during
daytime!). And if you’d be willing to do something a bit more
systematic, then please contact Brian Sharkey, who can advise on the priority areas and tetrads that still need checking.
We also have relatively poor coverage of Barn Owls and Little Owls, and
we’d like a lot more information on these. The quickest and
easiest way to check whether Barn Owls are present in a tetrad, is to
talk to people! In much of Hampshire, Barn Owls are much more common
than you’d think. And local people usually know where they are. So have
a chat with farmers and keepers, and other local people, whenever you
get the chance. They may also know about locations for Little
Owls, but probably the easiest way of finding these is to get out on
warm summer evenings and listen for them calling.
Woodcock & Nightar
Woodcock is another species that is quite common in Hampshire, but
appears to have been very under-recorded so far. There are fears
though, that its numbers may have significantly declined, so it’s
especially important we check out places where previously found, and
try to establish the facts. So please get out on warm spring-time
evenings and look, and listen, for roding Woodcock above your local
woodlands. Or please contact Keith Betton,
who will advise on tetrads that need to be visited further afield.
Keith can also advise on tetrads that need to be checked for Nightjar
later in the season (mostly in the New Forest where coverage has been
very patchy). And of course please do record any Owls that you
encounter whilst surveying Woodcock or Nightjar.
Nightingale
Nightingales have disappeared from very many Hampshire sites since the
last Atlas, and as part of this year’s national survey we hope to check
out every known Nightingale site. For many of these sites, we need to
know for sure whether Nightingales have really disappeared, or whether
the sites simply haven’t been visited at the right time in recent
years. If you’re willing to help with the Nightingale survey, then
please contact Glynne Evans. He has a list of about 90 sites in Hampshire where Nightingales have been heard during the past ten years!
Wood Warbler
Our Wood Warbler population in the New Forest, has without doubt
reduced considerably in recent years. But we don’t really know the full
extent, because most of the records come from the same
regularly-visited areas. In parallel with the HOS Atlas, we’re
therefore organising a more systematic survey this year. If you’re
willing to help, and you’re not already signed up, then please contact Tony Davis. Tony is hoping to arrange coverage of all the suitable woodland habitat in the Forest.
Swifts
If you don’t fancy evening or night-time birding, and you’re not into
Nightingales or Wood Warblers, then here’s something that’s maybe a lot
easier. There are records of Swifts from nearly every tetrad in
Hampshire. But that’s hardly surprising, given that Swifts are so
mobile. What we need for Swifts, is not just records of their presence
in an area, but some indication of breeding. We need records with code
‘D’ for low rooftop-level screaming parties of Swifts (not high up
screaming), or better still, code ‘ON’ – adults entering or leaving a
nest site. Swifts are thought to have declined in numbers. But we don’t
really know, and it would really be very helpful if HOS had a baseline
record of every Swift colony in the county.
House Martins & Swallows
As with Swifts, we have lots of records, but not nearly enough breeding
records. Quite possibly, neither species is as common as it used to be.
But it’s very easy to record House Martin nesting (‘ON’ for occupied
nests), and not much more difficult to record probable breeding for
Swallows (use code ‘N’ for visiting probable nest site, if you see them
going in and out of sheds or barns). For those of you that are
less inclined to do a great deal of walking, these are great species to
survey; you can simply tour around in your car or on a bike. And
village pubs often provide the best sites for House
Martins!
Starlings
Once a very common bird, the Starling is another bird that’s now not
nearly so numerous. And the slight snag we have in trying to establish
the distribution of breeding Starlings, is that the noisy parties of
young birds are very mobile and quickly travel considerable distances
from their nest-sites. The adults also travel quite some way when
collecting food for young. Very many tetrads therefore have
apparently confirmed breeding with code ‘FL’ (for recently fledged
young) or ‘FF’ for adults carrying food, but this obviously doesn’t
give a very clear picture. What we’d like to know, is where Starlings
are actually nesting – ideally code ‘NY’. So if you can, please let us
know by submitting ‘NY’ records, the tetrads where Starlings are
actually still nesting. The young are very noisy in the nest (mostly in
early May), so quite easy to find them.
Other species
There are plenty of other species where you can add to our knowledge by
making a special effort. If you’re travelling round village pubs
looking for House Martins (we’ll believe you!), then village centres
are excellent places also for Spotted Flycatchers. Or if you’d like to
do some different, then choose a particular species with limited
habitat preference; surprisingly, for example we don’t seem to
have full coverage away from the well-covered sites for easy species
such as Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler.
How to submit records?
Please submit any Hampshire Atlas records via the
BTO-maintained online systems and, although the 2012 records won’t be
used for the national Atlas, they will automatically feed through to
the HOS Atlas. As most of you know, there are two input systems. You
can still input your records using the Atlas online system (at
www.birdatlas.net ), but ideally you should now use BirdTrack
(www.birdtrack.net ) and only use the Atlas system for the few
remaining Timed Tetrad Visits (TTVs). This is because BirdTrack
is continuing to be developed and will be used for future surveys,
whereas the Atlas system will disappear after 2012 (and is in any case
only available now for areas that are continuing with a local Atlas).
All the records submitted to the BTO systems are available to Keith
Betton (HOS Recorder) for use in the HOS database – so there’s no need
to submit them separately to him.
And finally
If you have any records for the winter period (1st Nov 2011 to 28th Feb
2012), then do please submit them as soon as you can. Please also
submit any breeding season records by September at the latest. With
this being the final year, there’ll be less lea-way for late
submissions. Many thanks for all your help so far.
Glynne Evans
On behalf of the HOS Atlas Group
hantsbto@hotmail.com
Additional Atlas information
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