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This protocol is designed to establish the number of Lapwing and Snipe males holding territory during the breeding season at our Nature Reserves. This will enable SRWT to make an educated assumption of breeding pairs of at the reserve.
We carry out breeding wader surveys for three sites: Hammond's Field, Woodhouse Washlands and Kilnhurst Ings.
This survey is carried out using standard methods derived from the BTOs Common Bird Census (CBC).
Key attributes
- Presence/ absence of breeding pairs of snipe (All sites)
- Presence/ absence of breeding pairs of lapwing (Woodhouse Washlands and Hammond's Field)
- Presence/ absence of breeding pairs of curlew (Hammond's Field only)
Skill level
- Basic level of birding skill, able to confidently identify target species by sight and sound, be able to tell the difference between similar species.
- Good navigation and map reading skills.
- Training in basic territory mapping techniques including use of BTO species and activity codes.
Materials/equipment
- Binoculars
- Map of site and drawing materials.
- Weatherwriter.
- GPS (optional, useful for walking transects but printed maps will normally suffice)
- List of BTO codes
- Handouts:
- Bird activity symbols
- Territory mapping help sheet
- Bird identification handout
Timing
- The surveys should last 90 minutes each visit. Surveys should take place between 4pm-8pm, within three hours before sunset. This will vary throughout the survey season, so should be checked each time.
- At least four visits should be made between April – July, throughout the survey season, one per month, at least two weeks apart.
- Wet and windy weather should be avoided.
Method
At least four visits should be made to the site between April and July.
For Hammond's Field surveyors should observe from the two mapped vantage points for 45 minutes each
For Kilnhurst Ings surveyors should observe from the single mapped vantage point for the full 90 minutes.
For Woodhouse Washlands three transects are walked simultaneously across the 90 minutes (therefore requiring six people in total, 2 for each transect).
Sightings of the target species are recorded using BTO species and activity codes, whereby birds seen in flight, calling or singing/displaying are drawn on a map of the site. Males should be located by sight and their location recorded as accurately as possible (GPS can aid with this). For Snipe, drumming males are a good proxy for an individual territory.
Estimates of how many territories are being held can be made from assumptions around how many individual singing or displaying males were seen and judged to be separate from each other.
Survey forms
Other information
References
Calladine, J., Garner, G., Wernham, C. and Triel, A. (2009) 'The influence of survey frequency on population estimates of moorland breeding birds', Bird Study, 56, pp. 381-388.
Gilbert, G., Gibbons, D. and Evans, J. (2011) Bird Monitoring Methods. Bedfordshire: RSPB.
Hoodless, A., Inglis, J. and Baines, D. (2006) 'Effects of weather and timing on counts of breeding Snipe Gallinago gallinago.', Bird Study, (53), pp. 205-212.