It's the BTO NEWS! Tell Your Mates!
From Andy Riches.
The BTO is surveying Non-Estuarine Waterbirds this winter
and we need your help.
NEWS is a simple, single visit survey carried out between 1st December 2026 and 31st January 2027.
Counts may be carried out at any time during the six-hour window that starts three hours before the advertised low-water time and ends three hours after.
Top priority for this survey is recording waders on the intertidal habitat.
- If
possible, also record wildfowl, seabirds, raptors and non-waterbirds, and
mammals.
Waterbirds
should be recorded in all three habitats:
- a) Intertidal
zone between the high and low water marks (essential).
- b) Sea adjacent
to the coast, as far as you can see.
- c) Inland
areas visible within 100 m of the high water mark (unless particularly
difficult).
- Walk from
the start of your site to the end.
- Walk along
the intertidal area, making sure you can see birds feeding at the water’s
edge.
- Only count
birds that you walk past.
- Avoid
double counting birds.
- To prevent
flushing birds in front of you, try to walk around flocks of birds.
- Offshore: only count birds directly opposite your count sector.
You can find the vacant sites map here https://app.bto.org/websonline/news4/public/vacant-news.jsp?%40=568
For advice on sites or problems with registering contact
websdg@aol.com
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