National Atlas 2007-2011

This is a major BTO project to produce an updated Atlas for both Wintering and Breeding Birds of Great Britain and Ireland.  Full details can be found on the excellent BTO website here.  The BTO Atlas will map at 10km grid square level, by sampling at least 8 out of 25 tetrads (2km x 2km) in each 10km square.

Suffolk Atlas

A number of county recording clubs are taking advantage of the National Atlas work to produce their own Atlas at the tetrad (2km x 2km) level.  Suffolk is one of these counties, and therefore we need to survey every tetrad.  Information on our progress is on the BTO Atlas website here, and more information on SOG work here.

Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project

This a joint project between the Suffolk Ornithologists' Group and Suffolk Wildlife Trust. In recent decades there has been a sharp decline in the population of Barn Owls in Suffolk. This has come about due to changes in farming, with the loss of rough grassy areas and field edges. Another factor has been the loss of nest sites from barn conversions and less hollow trees.

It was noted that the decline had been halted in recent years, partly from increased hunting areas for the owls where farmers were taking part in environmental schemes and were leaving grassy areas suitable for their prey. With the population recovering there was still a lack of suitable nest sites along with competition with those remaining. As Barn Owls readily use nest boxes the project came about to redress this problem and provide specially designed boxes to benefit the owls.

More details can be found here - Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project.

Corn Bunting & Tree Sparrow Recovery Project

A recovery project has been launched to reverse the dramatic decline of two well-known bird species in Suffolk.  The tree sparrow and corn bunting are facing extinction as breeding and wintering birds, with declines over the last thirty years or so of 95% and 77% respectively.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT), Suffolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Natural England and Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group (SOG) have joined forces and launched an initiative in an attempt to prevent the extinction of these species.  Through targeted advice and action it is hoped that remnant populations of these species can be safeguarded and then increased through farmers entering into the most appropriate land management options under the Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

To provide targeted advice to landowners we need up to date information on the whereabouts of tree sparrows and corn buntings.  In 2004 we did not receive any breeding records for the two species, so we really need your help (there has got be some breeding out there somewhere). 

Please send in your sightings (species name, location, grid reference, date and name and address of finder) to: Suffolk Biological Records Centre, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH or  Mick Wright, telephone 01473 710032, email: Mick Wright. More information with an update can be found here.

Dragonfly Atlas

Yes, they are all doing it ! The National Dragonfly Atlas (2008 - 2013) is launched from April 2008.  National information can be found here and more information on Suffolk work here. Mick Wright must be sufferering from atlasitis, as he is involved with this project, as well as all the work he is doing on the BTO and SOG Bird Atlases.

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS)

This is probably the most important continuous survey in Britain.  Run by the BTO, its results are regarded by government as one of the most reliable monitoring tools for changes in bird populations, and therefore in the natural environment generally.  More BTO information can be found here.

Waterways Breeding Bird Survey (WBBS)

Much less well known than the BBS, this survey is based on similar principles.  It is intended to monitor species which are not well covered by the BBS.  Routes are therefore on a defined length of waterway rather than a specific grid square.   More BTO information can be found here.

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)

This monthly survey is run during the winter period, and is particularly relevant in Suffolk, where our estuaries and coastal reserves support large numbers of ducks and waders which breed in the far north.   More BTO information can be found here.

Heronry Survey

Started in 1928, this is the longest running continuous survey in Britain.  More recently interest has been added by the spread of Little Egrets.   More BTO information can be found here.