Bearded Tit National Survey in Britain 2002
Citation
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2023). Bearded Tit National Survey in Britain 2002. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/lw4yc4 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-10-06.Description
The Bearded Tit is a scarce breeding species in Britain, confined to extensive areas of reed-bed. A national survey of bearded tits was conducted in 2002 to resurvey the population following the 1992 survey. RBBP and County bird reports were used to identify any sites occupied since 1992. Preliminary visits were made to identify areas of activity followed by full surveys concentrating on these areas, with up 8 visits made to each site to monitor breeding success. Only a small proportion of the Tay estuary reedbeds were surveyed according to this method, data for the rest of this area is not available in this dataset and thus these data should not be used to make an estimate of the full UK breeding population.Sampling Description
Quality Control
These data have been gathered by trained field-workers and the data are of a high quality. These data have been mapped and checked for sensitivities and typographical/geographical errors.Method steps
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Methods were derived from the RSPB monitoring manual. Three preliminary visits were made in mid-late March to identify areas of activity. These were conducted within 3 hours of sunrise on clear windless days. Areas identified by these surveys were then revisited in April and May, with observers spending at least one hour per week watching the survey area. Feeding flights and destinations of adults returning with food were recorded to determine the number of nesting birds.
A confirmed nest site is one where either:
(a) Adults are observed returning with food to the same specific location (about 10 m x 10 m) during three or more separate observation periods, or
(b) An adult is seen returning with food and leaving the same small area with a faecal sac.
A probable nest site is one where either:
(a) Adults have been observed returning to the same general location during three or more separate observation periods, or
(b) An accumulation of adult sightings, calls and observations of juveniles suggests that a pair are nesting or have nested in a particular part of the reedbed.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
Complete coverage of Britain, with the caveat regarding the Tay Estuary discussed above. Records are given at the best possible resolution, generally 100m.
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
originatorRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Lodge
Potton Road, Sandy
SG19 2DL
Bedfordshire
Telephone: 01767 680551
email: Dataunit@rspb.org.uk
homepage: http://www.rspb.org.uk/
metadata author
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Lodge
Potton Road, Sandy
SG19 2DL
Bedfordshire
Telephone: 01767 680551
email: Dataunit@rspb.org.uk
homepage: http://www.rspb.org.uk/
distributor
NBN Atlas
27 Old Gloucester St, Holborn
London
WC1N 3AX
London
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Conservation Data Management Unit
administrative point of contact
email: dataunit@rspb.org.uk