By Geoff Holmes, County Bird Recorder
Index to this page
When should records be submitted
Records requiring a description
Why is a description is required
What
kind of description is needed
Since
1955, the SOS has been responsible for collating records submitted to the
Society, publishing quarterly bulletins and an annual report.
With an increasing membership and a growing interest in recording, the
number of records submitted continued to increase and, as a consequence, in the
early 1990s it became necessary to move from paper records to a computer
database. This page outlines the
objectives of the recording system and sets out the preferred system for
submitting records.
Records
are welcome in any format and can be submitted on paper, cd or by
email.
However,
for those with access to the internet we encourage submission of records via
BirdTrack. BirdTrack is an online bird recording system developed through an
exciting partnership between BTO, RSPB and BirdWatch
Ireland. It
is a year–round recording scheme that will use data from birdwatchers records
to support species and site conservation at local, national and international
scales. Results produced by
BirdTrack will include mapping the migration and movements of birds and
monitoring of scarce birds in
Britain
and Ireland. All
Observers
who submit their records via Birdtrack should not send them to the County
If you would rather send your records direct to the
Observers
not wishing to use their computer to send data are urged to use the standard
record cards. These are designed to
provide the information required in a form that aids entry of records into the
database. Two types of record card are available.
The first type of card, the Species Record Card enables sightings
of the same species at different sites and various dates, to be reported on one
form. The second type of card, the Site
Record Card, allows the reporting of different species recorded at a single
site on the same day. Additional
information can be written on the back of the cards.
When records are submitted to the
For
the Species Codes click
here and for the Site Codes click
here.
If
records are from a site for which no code is listed, it is important to include
the Ordnance Survey Grid Reference, preferably to six figures.
For help with grid references click
here. Just 'near
Always
try to include codes and, where appropriate, grid references but if you don’t
know them, please don’t be deterred and send the records in anyway!
Observers
are asked to submit their records on a regular basis throughout the year,
preferably at the end of each month or at least quarterly.
This is essential if the quarterly bird reports in the Bulletin are to be
up to date and interesting. It also
helps spread out data input and reduces the end of year rush.
Most
records are valuable to the Society, but especially those enabling distribution
patterns to be confirmed, or allowing changes in status to be monitored.
An example of this would be monthly maxima from regularly watched sites;
this could include, for example, an individual garden.
Of less value are individual regular records of the very common species
from one location, which does no more than confirm the continued presence of a
species at a site. In this case, a
monthly record would be equally valuable. Of
particular importance are records in the following categories:
Proved
or probable breeding.
Arrival
and departure dates of summer migrants.
Arrival
and departure dates of winter visitors.
Unusually
large numbers of an individual species.
Birds
seen away from their normal habitat.
Birds
seen out of their normal season.
Regular
counts at well-watched sites e.g. of wildfowl and gulls.
Monthly
maxima from individual sites.
Counts
of visible migration or hard weather movements.
Wherever possible include comments on age, sex and state of plumage (eg non-breeding adult male). Notes on aberrant plumage and moult are also useful as are comments on habitat preference, food and associations with other species. Indications of changes in status are welcomed, particularly if supported by data. Negative returns should be submitted if birds are absent from a site they previously frequented.
Historically,
there have been some instances of bad behaviour at rarity sites but,
fortunately, these problems are largely a thing of the past and with the rapid
growth in bird information services, travelling to see rare birds locally and
nationally is widely practised by the bird watching community. The Society has
adopted the following policy:
The
Records of rarities, or other species of special interest, should be reported immediately as this gives other observers a chance to see the bird and will help you with supporting evidence to confirm the species you think you have seen. Telephone calls, mobile phone text messages, a note on the Shropshire Birds Yahoo site which can be located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shropshirebirds all help to spread the word quickly. Do not forget that if the bird is a county rarity or a national rarity the record is unlikely to be accepted without some evidence which will include a written report and where available photographic or film evidence. To download a copy of the Rarity Record Form in pdf format click here or to view an on-line example which you can copy and paste into MS Word or similar software to type up your report click here.
Birdwatchers
who find a rare or unusual bird should remember that the welfare of the bird
comes first. Members of the Society must observe the Bird-watchers Code (for a
simplified version click
here). In
particular do not harass any bird, particularly migrants which may be exhausted.
If
a rare bird is breeding observers should consider whether it is advisable to
keep the site confidential. If you
feel that protection is necessary, inform the
It
is the policy of the Society that this information remains confidential and that
precise site details should not be published unless adequate protection measures
are in place. However, information
is given to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel which monitors the status of such
species nationally and which maintains similar confidentiality.
Records
in the following categories require supportive descriptions, which must be
accepted by the relevant records committee before they are published in the
Annual Report:
National
rarities (which are forwarded to BBRC)
County
rarities (species shown in bold on the Species Code list and any species not listed)
Unusual
races of species (e.g. blue-headed wagtail)
Out
of season migrants
Although some observers consider that reports of scarce or unusual birds which are submitted by relatively inexperienced bird-watches require some substantiation, they sometimes question why more experienced observers are required to submit descriptions. The Society considers that there are two reasons for this:
(1)
While observer experience should rightly be taken into account when assessing
records, it is essential that a consistent standard is applied. Only thus, can
future researchers be assured of the scientific and historical accuracy of the
data. We have a duty to operate an objective and consistent records discipline
and, whilst most observers are confident of their own records, they will readily
agree that not every claim of a rare bird or unusual sighting is acceptable. It
follows, therefore, that some assessment is required for those birds considered
to be rare or unusual for the County, and that this must be applied uniformly
and fairly.
(2)
Descriptions of rare birds provide a repository of information on the field
characters and behaviour of birds. It is frequently through the examination of
carefully taken descriptions that new field and behavioural characteristics come
to light. Personal expertise is undoubtedly improved by the discipline of note
taking.
County Records Committtee
The
Society has agreed that the Conservation Sub-Committee should act as the records
committee for
Copies
of the
Where
circumstances permit, the finder(s) of a rare or unusual bird are encouraged to
get other observers to substantiate the identification and to submit
supplementary notes; single observer records are usually the ones most difficult
to consider. Any observer who thinks
they may have found a rare or unusual bird, but are unsure of the
identification, or who simply would like to get someone to confirm the record,
should contact the County
The
essentials are brief details of the circumstances of the sighting and, more
importantly, a description of the individual bird as it appeared at the time.
This seems obvious but many submissions either dwell on the circumstances
but provide very little description detail, or are simply details of what the
species looks like, rather than the individual concerned.
Rather than repeating details from a book, it is important to describe
them from observations at the time. Very
often not all the details will have been noted, but this will not invalidate the
record if enough was seen and confirmed to make the identification safe.
A rare bird is by its nature unexpected and it may simply fly by or dive
into a bush never to be seen again. All
you can do is make the best of it and write down exactly what you saw and heard,
but don’t be tempted to fill in the gaps.
Description
Check-list
Always
try to include:-
Size
- If possible, judged directly against another bird which is present or, if not,
use whatever is available. At worst give some general impression in comparison
to species which, although not present at the time, you are familiar with.
Shape
- Once again, if possible, judged against another species. Try hard to make
comparisons all the time. A wader may be "long-legged" but it is much
more valuable, if you can say "the legs were longer than the Redshank
alongside it". Try to note structural details, which might be useful, such
as whether the wings project beyond the tail, or the legs extend beyond the tail
in flight.
Actions
- All movements such as walking, hopping, wading, swimming, diving, soaring, and
gliding are useful to note. Try and record such things as whether the bird
wagged its tail, did it fly from a perch to the ground and then hop about or did
it slip quietly though foliage never keeping still.
Colours
- Start with the general and move on to the detail. Write down the most striking
features first. Try to be systematic, a good approach is to start at the front
and work back! Make a special note of specific features such as eye-stripes or
rump patches. Don’t forget the bill and legs.
Sounds
- Hard to do, but try your best! Comparison with familiar species is often a
good way. Descriptions such as "harsh", "high pitched" or
"nasal" often help.
Although
some species are maintaining their numbers and a few are increasing, many other
species are in decline. Good quality data on the numbers and distribution of
birds in