Predominance of non-passerines in Forum posts.

Stuart Britton · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:51 pm

Something that has puzzled me for a while is the apparent bias towards non-passerines appearing in contributor's site lists. A site like Gibraltar Point has a mosaic of habitats but the vast majority of species reported are sea birds or waders. The same applies to Frampton and Freiston. Is it that they are easier to see and count or that observers tend to concentrate their efforts on the bigger birds rather than little brown jobs? Any comments from the regular contributors from these sites?

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:42 pm

Could it be that it is the peak time to concentrate efforts on migrating seabirds and waders perhaps?!.

Regards,

Steve

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 8:45 am

It is much easier to be sure of totals with birds out on the marsh or water and I think many observers like to present numbers with their sightings and thus shy away from guesstimating the population of wrens, dunnocks etc. Also they are much harder work and can't be seen from a hide?

John

Dean Eades · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:14 am

John Clarkson wrote:

It is much easier to be sure of totals with birds out on the marsh or water and I think many observers like to present numbers with their sightings and thus shy away from guesstimating the population of wrens, dunnocks etc. Also they are much harder work and can't be seen from a hide?

John

Stuart , Something that has puzzled me for a while why do you Question everything ?

James Smith · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:18 pm

Dean Eades wrote:

Stuart , Something that has puzzled me for a while why do you Question everything ?

Isn't that is the result of an inquisitive mind useful for Stuart's former employment!

Surely, the whole point of the Forum is to discuss all birding matters and raise points of interest, not just to record sightings (of good birds). I don't see an issue with this question. I like to include as much as possible in my sightings lists but there are some that 'sneer' at lists that include the more 'boring' birds.

James

Dean Eades · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 1:44 pm

very good point James ... =D>

Stuart Britton · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:14 pm

Sorry, Dean. I didn't realize that you were puzzled by my enquiring mind. To try to explain I understand that the sightings submitted by Forum members are extracted by Colin and Sheila and go on the LBC database. If observers don't record every species seen then it is not an accurate record of what is there. Therefore, when it comes to writing species accounts for the Annual Report which are extracted from that database, the bias may well effect the true accuracy of the populations/distribution of a variety of the more common species, most of which are passerines. Please don't hesitate to keep commenting on my posts, you obviously find them thought provoking.

Dean Eades · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 3:22 pm

... always interesting yr threads stu pot ...

John T Goy · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:30 pm **Posts:** 2385

I always include where possible all birds be they boring or not, to me a Robin etc is as exciting and deserves to be counted as a you-know-whats-it .

Interesting thread.

Regards

JTG

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:52 pm

They all deserve to be counted but getting it accurate is a real bonus and with some species that means walking every field margin or ditch. I can easily understand why some don't bother or as is the case on most reserves - can't

John

John T Goy · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:30 pm **Posts:** 2385

John Clarkson wrote:

They all deserve to be counted but getting it accurate is a real bonus and with some species that means walking every field margin or ditch. I can easily understand why some don't bother or as is the case on most reserves - can't

John

Does this mean that because I can only cover a small area which is very close to the car, it would be better not to count any?

Take as an example one of my local sites Black Bank, it is a long road with a feeding station and lots of different habitat, I only report what I can see from the car or very close to it. But when out in the open I see a long way and usually any birds within my sight. I always assumed this would be okay but from your comments it isn't. There is no way I can walk every field margin or ditch, or even want to for that matter as I am not able plus I would be on private land on most of BB.

I suppose i shouldn't have got involved in this thread because I rarely visit the three reserves Stuart mentioned but as I'm a member thought I would give my five pennorth =D>

Regards

Max

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:16 pm

John

No that's not my point. You can be just as accurate in a small area as long as that's specified. Stuart's point was that a large reserve like Frampton or Gib Pt must have many Dunnocks, Wrens etc which dont get reported at all. If you cover a small area it should be possible to extrapolate from those data to give a figure for the larger (similar habitat) area? Every little helps eg the Garden Bird Surveys

John

John T Goy · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:30 pm **Posts:** 2385

John,

Point taken.

I do GBW and record them on here and Lincsbirders.

Regards

JTG

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Sat Aug 17, 2013 7:34 am

And please record them here at BirdTrack
http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/bi ... -sightings

John

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Predominance of non-passerines in Forum posts.

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