Willow Tit Survey Workshops

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RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Willow Tit Survey Workshops

Post by RachelMC »

Willow Tit Survey Workshops - Carbon Landscape & RSPB National Survey

2019 is an important year for Willow Tits, as it sees the launch of a two year national RSPB survey which aims to collect the data needed to save our fast declining population. The Carbon Landcape Citizen Science Project and Greater Manchester Local Record Centre are working closely with the RSPB to coordinate survey coverage in our area.

We are fortunate that there are still an estimated 120 pairs, a significant proportion of the national population in our area which makes it extremely important that the survey achieves a good level of coverage locally. To avoid duplication of effort, the RSPB wishes to work with existing Willow Tit study groups and surveys across the country and fill in the gaps between these with additional coverage.

If you took part last year in the Carbon Landscape surveys we would very much like you to survey your 1-km squares again in 2019 using a slightly modified methodology. We also wish to significantly expand survey coverage both in the Carbon Landscape and across Greater Manchester by recruiting new volunteers.

If you would like to take part in the survey and contribute to Willow Tit conservation in the NW and nationally then there are two options:
1. Take on a 1-km square within the Carbon Landscape Citizen Science project boundary
2. Take on a tetrad (2-km square) elsewhere in Greater Manchester or Cheshire

The available squares can be viewed and requested here https://gmwildlife.org.uk/carbon_landsc ... y_squares/

Select CL07 Willow Tit from the survey drop down menu. Instructions for registering with the GMLRC website and requesting a survey square are attached.

Two visits are required between mid-March and mid-April 2019 and involve a playback method using a standard (2-minute) recording of a combination of willow tit alarm calls and song and listening for a response. This has been successfully developed by the RSPB Willow Tit research project and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and is used to identify the number of pairs present during the pre-breeding season when the birds are territorial. The 2019 survey manual and recording forms will be available to download from our website by the end of January https://gmwildlife.org.uk/carbon_landscape/ Those currently available relate to the 2018 Carbon Landscape survey, so please do not use these.

If you would like more information about the survey please email carbonlandscape@gmwildlife.org.uk
Attachments
Willow Tit Survey Workshops Feb 2019.pdf
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Carbon Landscape Citizen Science Surveys - Requesting Survey Squares.pdf
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