BTO Atlas

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:33 am

Anyone done any BTO Atlas work yet? I would be interested in how you got on?

Andrew

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:04 pm

Andrew

I surveyed one of my tetrads to the W of Louth last weekend. I recorded 49 species with most of what you'd expect at this time of year in that habitat. Highlights included 60 Tree Sparrows, 30 Siskin, 4 Brambling and a male Blackcap. A pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

I passed through one of Phil Espin's squares (which he nicked before I had a chance to claim it!) on the way and recorded some Roving Records. When I went to the site to submit them it would not allow me to record the numbers. Or am I missing something?

John

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:09 pm

I havn't done any of my tetrads yet. This weekend I hope to get out and do x2 early visits (fingers crossed for good weather)

Andrew

Anyone who wants to take part needs to visit - http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/

Bill Meek · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:23 pm

Hi Andrew

Done a couple in TA30 (Humberston-Tetney) so far; 'F' tetrad produced only 30 species but a Willow Tit in Tetney Blow Wells was good (it's funny how some really common species suddenly can't be found when you're doing a tetrad!), and the wonderfully varied 'H' tetrad (Humberston Fitties)produced 54 species including a Jack Snipe, 220 Brents, 55 Snipe, Rock Pipit and the now inevitable flock of Siskins.

All good fun and nice to do something really useful; it really makes you pay attention to the common stuff!

Bill

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:56 pm

How did you find the online reporting? Is it easy to use (I guess I will find out after the weekend when I have done my tetrad?)

Andrew

Jenny McMahon · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:43 pm

I did mine on Sunday.
22 species including Marsh Harrier, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Fieldfare, Teal, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker.

Jenny

Mark Grantham · **Joined:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:47 am **Posts:** 33

The Roving Records online facility only lets you put dots on maps, so doesn't have a count facility. if you want to enter counts, then you can submit a list via BirdTrack and this will then feed into the Atlas. This has the advantage that the records are easily available for download by the local/county recorder as well. You can set up BirdTrack sites as tetrads now, so this is much easier than before.

Mark Grantham
BirdTrack Organiser

Paul French · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:55 pm

Hi Mark.

Will the BTO be taking breeding and wintering records from other organisations such as the RSPB, or is this being ruled out to retain consistency? For example, all of our reserve (and some limited local off-reserve) records go into our reserve Mapmate database, which then gets submitted to both The Lodge and to the County Recorder at the end of the year. Its a hell of a lot or records, so is there a facility to submit them to the atlas as well?

Cheers,

Paul

Bill Meek · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:42 pm

Haven't tried the online data entering yet, but one thing is confusing me already: seeing as there is only one space for 'Tetrad Population Estimate', are they looking for a single estimate based on *both* early and late visits? If so, does this mean that data entry can't be completed until after both visits have been done?

Bill

Hugh Dorrington · **Joined:** Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:12 am **Posts:** 218

I enered a tetrad population estimate after my first timed tetrad visit, but I would like to know if there is a possibility of entering population estimates for species which you didn't see in the TTV even though you know that they are there.

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:27 pm

Hugh

I think the answer must be 'no'. It would be statistically impossible to extrapolate from a count of 0. If none were counted at the time of the survey I'm afraid you just have to accept that result.

John

Paul French · **Posted:** Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:29 pm

Hugh Dorrington wrote:

I enered a tetrad population estimate after my first timed tetrad visit, but I would like to know if there is a possibility of entering population estimates for species which you didn't see in the TTV even though you know that they are there.

Probably not (and i know how frustrating that is, especially when species like Barn Owls refuse to stick their heads out of the nest box you know they are nesting in!), but you could still record them as a roving record.

John Hinkley · **Posted:** Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:30 pm

I've just signed up for a Tetrad near to me TA20J and look forward to seeing what is about, at least I have a good excuse to do some local birding now

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:22 pm

Entering data on the BTO Atlas site is a breeze.

Entering Roving Data is also very easy â€¦..

All rather encouraging!

Andrew

John Hinkley · **Posted:** Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:40 pm

Totally agree Andrew, I entered my first data for one of my Tetrads yesterday. TA20J, unfortunatly only 19 species, although it is on the outskirts of town

I went to survey another but met a rather unhelpful farmer who was questioning why I was on a PUBLIC bridleway

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

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