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RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch winter sightings in the UK in 2009

Dataset homepage

Citation

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2018). RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch winter sightings in the UK in 2009. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/jgbsaa accessed via GBIF.org on 2022-07-01.

Description

The dataset contains the records from garden bird observations, made by the public during a one-hour period of their choice on the 24-25 January 2009. The survey has been conducted in the UK annually in the last weekend of January since 1979. This dataset contains data for 69 different species.

The first Big Garden Birdwatch dataset to be uploaded onto the NBN, was the 2008 house sparrow, starling and blackbird dataset. These three species were the most commonly recorded during 2008. More data for other years will be included in annual datasets. This survey is funded by the RSPB.

Sampling Description

Quality Control

The public recorded the species sightings in this dataset. Although the level of misidentified records may be higher than in datasets collected by trained field-workers, this is mitigated by the large sample size.

These data have been mapped and checked for sensitivities and typographical/geographical errors.

Method steps

  1. Volunteer members of the public sat and watched birds for one hour during the last weekend of January, and counted the highest number of each bird species seen at any one time (not counting birds flying over). Volunteers were provided with a counting sheet to tally the numbers of birds, and pictures of the most common birds seen in gardens. Data were submitted to the RSPB online or on a form, which could be returned by post.

    In order to verify records and validate the dataset, the data have been mapped and checked. The distribution of the species has been approximately checked using species-specific filters to remove anomalously high counts and reports well outside the expected range. The level of misidentified records may be higher than in datasets collected by trained field-workers but this is mitigated by the large sample size.

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

The survey coverage is UK-wide. Grid references were generated from the central points of full postcodes. Within this dataset, there may be some bias towards the more populated areas of the UK.

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

originator
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/
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
Unit F, 14 - 18 St Mary's Gate, Lace Market
Nottingham
NG1 1PF
Nottinghamshire
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Conservation Data Management Unit
administrative point of contact
email: dataunit@rspb.org.uk
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