The newsletter of the Nest Record Scheme Issue 28 maRch 2012 InsIde thIs edItIon 04 NRS LaTeST ReSuLTS 05 DaVID GLue’S RePORT ON 2 011 06 SPecIeS SPOTLIGhT: haWFINch 08 NRS aNNuaL TOTaLS 10 2011 TOP NeSTeRS 11 A maTch maDe IN RIPON: eaST DaLeS RINGING GROuP 12 WOOD WaRBLeRS WaNTeD: a STuDY ON a LOcaL POPuLaTION 14 A TaLe OF TWO cOuNTIeS: BaRN OWL mONITORING 16 SPOT The NeST plus TRIBuTe TO maRK FaRmeR, NeW PaRTIcIPaNTS IN Thanks to Ben MacDonald for this excellent photo of a Hawfinch nest with chicks. 2011, SPOTTeD FLYcaTcheRS For more on Hawfinch nest monitoring, see page 6. aT The DeNTIST. a New Nesting Generation In the early 2000s, we were reporting worrying trends in NRS participation. Now, thanks to you, the Scheme is on the up again. nyone who has been involved submissions currently stand at 243, up with the Nest Record Scheme for from a low of 97 in 2006. As well as Amore than a couple of years won’t monitoring more nests, experienced have been able to avoid our incessant recorders have helped tremendously appeals for more records and more by writing articles on nest finding, recorders. In 2005, nest record totals mentoring new recorders, helping to were down 25% on the 1990s, and, run courses and promoting the NRS in even more worringly, annual totals for Bird Club reports and newsletters. Just common species such as Whitethroat as impressive have been the efforts of the were dwindling, as were recorders who 300 recorders who have joined us since could monitor them. Seven years on and 2008. Over 7,000 of the 37,252 records totals are on their way back up, especially submitted for 2011 have been sent in by More Whitethroat nests are being for those species we’ve highlighted. these new recorders, including 35 of the monitored thanks to the targeted So far, 255 Whitethroat nest records 255 Whitethroat records mentioned. It’s efforts of recorders. See pages 8–9 have been sent in for 2011, up from great to start the 2012 season with such for 2011 NRS totals. 70 in 2005 (and helped by a bumper upbeat news. As ever, a huge thanks to breeding season!). For Chiffchaff, 2011 all NRS supporters for their efforts! 2 NRSnews Spring 2012 From the editor nrs news Welcome... nest record news is the annual newsletter for supporters of the ...to the 28th edition of Nest Record News. I hope you like the re- Nest Record Scheme (NRS). design! A question I often hear this time of year is, ‘what species are The views expressed by the contributors to this newsletter are you going for this season?’ I usually think of those annoying nests that not necessarily those of the Editor, got away last year; the elusive pair of Bullfinches or the Lapwings in the Council of the BTO or its Committees. the field next to the hedgerow, but it’s actually a very relevant question about focus. The BTO/JNCC partnership has identified a need for Nest Record News is written by you, so please send your ‘demographic targeting’, focussing ringing and nest recording efforts on ideas and contributions to: priority species to fill gaps in our knowledge. In this edition of NRN, Carl Barimore, there are some great examples of this happening. On page 11, we read NRS Organiser, Nest Record Scheme, BTO, The Nunnery, about East Dales Ringing Group doing a wonderful job of combining Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU ringing and nest recording. As a nest recorder who has joined a local Tel: (01842) 750050 Fax: (01842) 750030 ringing group at Wicken Fen, it’s an example I find inspiring. On Email: [email protected] page 12, Tony Davis describes his exciting project monitoring a locally desk-top publishing: declining population of Wood Warblers, and on page 6, the Hawfinch Carl Barimore and Working Group’s article will appeal to anyone wanting to get in at the Debbie Nicholls. deep (or is that high?) end when it comes to targeting species. I hope the Printers: Swallowtail Print, various volunteer efforts covered in this issue will inspire both new and Norwich. old recorders to ask the question, ‘What will I go for this season?’ Thanks to the proof readers for all their efforts! The Nest Record Scheme is funded by a partnership of the Carl Barimore editor & NRS Organiser British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, new nest reCorders the Countryside Council for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Eighty new participants join us in 2011 Environment Agency). The British Trust for Ornithology is New participants are, of course, the Hewitt • Martin Hughes • Denise a charity dedicated to researching future of the scheme, and last season Jackson • Paddy Jenks • Lee Johnson birds found in the UK. For 1,990 nest records were collected • Anna Jolliffe • Helen Jones • Mark Membership details please contact by 81 first-time recorders, so, a big Joy • Ian Lewis • Alan Lyne • Ben Chris Morley at [email protected] thanks and a warm welcome to: Macdonald • Tim Marlow • Michael Cover photos: Hawfinch by Ben Marsh • Jim Marshall • Tony Martin MacDonald, Whitethroat by Tessa Anning • Maurice Aungier • • Hannah McDiarmid • Gullam Michael Kehoe. Steve Baines • John Baker • Daniel McIvor • Paul Morrison • Hannah Bardsley • Daniel Bennett • Marcus Morton • Graham Moysey • John Betteridge • Amanda Biggins • Paul Newnham • Carl Noon • Gary Pitt Blackburn • Keith Bowden • Mark • Michael Polling • Michael Price • Breaks • Christopher Charlton • Ian Pritchard • Mike Reed • Huw Alister Clunas • Michael Colquhoun Roberts • Derek Robertson • John British trust for ornithology • Paul Cremins • Richard Curtis • Roy • David Scott • Michael Smart • The Nunnery, Mark Dadds • Gillian Dinsmore • David Smith • Martin Spriggs • Keith Thetford, Norfolk. IP24 2PU Richard du Feu • William Edmond Stedman • Anneliese Stephenson Tel: (01842) 750050 • Jess Ellington-Goldfinch • Clive • Jack Street • Edward Stubbings Fax: (01842) 750030 Elliott • Lee Folger • Stephen • Patrick Styles • Mike Swindells • Email: [email protected] Freeman • Bee Choo Gallivan • Trevor Taylor • Robert Thorne • Jane Web site: www.bto.org Vivien Green • Adrian George • Waite • Colin Wearn • John Wells • Registered Charity Andrew Glover • Elizabeth Gorsuch Sarah West • John Whittaker • Steve No 216652 (England & Wales) • James Grant • Peter Grice • Steven Wilson • Ian Wood No SC039193 (Scotland) Harris • Suzanne Haselton • Colin Spring 2012 NRSnews 3 in the news... events NRS-aplenty at BTO Conference A major theme of the 2011 BTO Conference, held at Swanwick in December, was how important integrated monitoring is to studying population change. Nevertheless, we were secretly rather pleased to see our favourite survey stealing pole position in the conference title, ‘Nests, Rings and Conservation’. In fact, nest recording dominated the whole first night of the conference. Richard Castell was first up with an inspiring talk entitled ‘Putting the nest back into ornithology’. No doubt thanks to Richard’s rousing appeal, the annual NRS meeting that immediately followed enjoyed its highest ever turnout—over 100 people! At the meeting, Tony Davis gave an excellent presentation on his Wood Warbler project, which you can read about on page 12. Overall, it was a fantastic start to a weekend of fascinating talks on studying bird populations, combined, of course, attendees chatting by the NRS display at the 2011 BTO annual with as many conversations in the bar! Conference resourCes Field guide selling well As we’ve been only too bolstered by positive reviews pleased to mention at every in British Birds, Ibis and opportunity, the new BTO Limosa, it has also sold well . publication A Field Guide further afield. Overall 1,857 ission to Monitoring Nests went copies have shifted in only m R e P on sale last April, the first 10 months! If you haven’t h WIT comprehensive guide to got yourself a copy yet, visit D e nest recording for almost www.bto.org/volunteer- PRINT e 40 years. The book has surveys/nrs/field-guide for R been an immediate hit with an overview of this essential recorders and ringers and, field guide. training appeal 2012 NRS training courses Skylark nest finders wanted Our first nest finding course 11 May–13 May was held in 2007 with the Thetford, Norfolk. Imperial College London and Nottinghamshire Wetland Trust at Pannel 18 May–20 May and the Game and and we are looking for Valley Nature Reserve. Since Pulford, Cheshire. Wildlife Conservation local help with Skylark then, we’ve run 11 courses 25 May–27 May Trust are running a project nest-finding. Hints and for 109 budding nest finders. Hindhead, Surrey. investigating the impacts of tips would be welcome, As ever, huge thanks are 01 June–03 June biomass crops on farmland or perhaps you might due to our volunteer tutors, Cupar, Fife birds. The main aim of the even be able to spend Richard Castell, Tony Davis project is to determine a few hours with us in and David Oliver, and to Please go to www.bto. the breeding success of the field. If you think you our venue hosts, Elmwood org/nrs/training-courses ground-nesting birds in can help or would like College, the Wetland Trust, to download course different farmland types. more information on the and Chapel House Farm, for programmes and booking This season, the research project, please contact making the courses possible. forms, or phone us on team will be monitoring me, Henrietta Pringle, at We are taking bookings for 01842 750 050 to request Skylark nests at selected henrietta.pringle09@ four more courses this May: information by post. sites across Lincolnshire imperial.ac.uk 4 NRSnews Spring 2012 NRS latest results Tits and targets When it comes to nesting, some species may be 1.4 sexier than others, but none is too common to be 1.2 recorded, as Dave Leech explains.