The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), organised by the British Trust for Ornithology, is the most important survey for monitoring the fortunes of our more common breeding birds. All over the country, thousands of volunteers survey “their” 1km square every spring, recording all the birds they encounter. These randomly-selected squares are surveyed every year and this constant effort provides a huge and valuable set of data from which population trends can be calculated, providing important feedback on the state of the environment. Currently, about 70 people survey squares in Gloucestershire.
Why not join this happy band?…..if you enjoy doing a NCOS summer or winter survey, you will love BBS! You need to be reasonably confident that you can recognise common birds by sight, call and song. You survey your square twice – once in April / early May, and again in late May /June. Most observers also visit their square in March to walk the course and record some details about the habitat – is it woodland, farmland, urban etc? Each visit might take about one and a half hours. Almost all observers submit their sightings online, but you can fill in paper forms if you wish.
Currently there are fourteen available, unallocated squares in the NCOS area, listed below. Have a look on a map to locate them, and if you taking on one of them or finding out more, please contact me on Gordonkirk (at) aol.com. It may be necessary to seek permission from landowners in order to survey some squares (those marked with an asterix below are probably in that category, but don’t let this put you off – most landowners are happy to agree to this, and it is always great to survey otherwise inaccessible areas); I may be able to assist, and can certainly provide a BTO letter of introduction. There is a BBS training session on Sunday 6th April (9am -12noon) at Frampton on Severn, designed to introduce new observers to the survey (and each other!) – again, contact me if you would like to attend. It’s free but I need to know numbers.
Available squares:-
| SO9026* |
NW of Cheltenham |
| SO9108 |
N of Bisley |
| SO9809* |
NW of Cirencester, just off the A417 |
| SP0306 |
Baunton Downs |
| SP0403* |
NE of Cirencester |
| SP0426* |
SE of Winchcombe |
| SP0637 |
SE of Aston Somerville |
| SP0715* |
W of Northleach |
| SP0935 |
N of Snowshill |
| SP1009 |
N of Ablington |
| SP1203* |
NW of Fairford |
| SP1602 |
NE of Fairford |
| SP1736* |
NE of Blockley |
| SP1930* |
SW of Moreton-in-Marsh |
