Bearded Tit National Survey in Britain 2002

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

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.

Geographic Description

Complete coverage of Britain, with the caveat regarding the Tay Estuary discussed above. Records are given at the best possible resolution, generally 100m.

Data quality

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.

Methods

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.

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A confirmed nest site is one where either:<br />

(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<br />

(b) An adult is seen returning with food and leaving the same small area with a faecal sac.

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A probable nest site is one where either:<br />

(a) Adults have been observed returning to the same general location during three or more separate observation periods, or<br />

(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.

Citation

These data were collected under Statutory Conservation Agencies and RSPB Breeding Birds Scheme (SCARABBS). Please acknowledge RSPB and Natural England in any use of the data.

Rights

CC-BY

Digitised records