Herts Bird Club survey of wintering Green Sandpipers 2006/07
Green Sandpipers can be found in Hertfordshire in most months of the year and are a special bird for most bird watchers. During autumn passage from July to September good numbers appear at gravel pits and other wetland sites but small numbers are also resident throughout the winter. In the Herts Bird Club we have a long tradition of counting these wintering Green Sandpipers with full county surveys in the winters of 1984/85 and 1994/95. In 1984/85 around 30 birds were found to be wintering but by 1994/95 this had fallen to 15-17. How many are there now? To answer this question the Bird Club have decided that it is time to survey wintering Green Sandpipers again. Survey methods The methods are very simple although they will challenge your bird watching skills. We will produce a list of key sites that need to be checked based on past surveys and recent records in the Bird Reports. All we are asking is that observers check their allocated sites on two Sunday mornings in the winter - November 26 2006 and January 28 2007. These dates are as close as possible to those used in previous surveys without clashing with WeBS count days. It is important that the counts are coordinated on these two mornings because Green Sandpipers can easily move site over the course of the winter. We are planning to organise the surveys through the 10km square coordinators but if you want to help or know of any likely sites please get in touch. We will be circulating instructions and recording forms in October. Further information contact Barry Trevis, 11 Lemsford Village, Lemsford, Herts (01 707 335517) Detailed results of previous surveys have been published in the Herts Bird Report.
|
Ken Smith and Barry Trevis - September 2006 |
© 2006 Herts Bird Club - a section of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society. Registered Charity number 218418 |