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Why I Enjoy Atlas Survey Work

As a long term (really long term!) bird survey worker I assume everyone knows what I do and why I do it.  But I’m not sure that’s correct.

Actually it’s the ‘why I do it’ bit that’s of particular interest, primarily because even I used to think I did it solely for the information I gather and any eventual environmental benefit to our wild birds and their breeding and wintering habitats. But when I stopped to think about it I soon realised that I carry out bird survey work as much for my own benefit as any other.

But what about just being up and out on bright spring mornings bursting with bird song, or on hot summer afternoons when Yellowhammers are jingling away in the hedgerows, or even those crisp winter days when your cold breath steams up your field glasses as you try to count those migrant thrush flocks.

by Peter Robinson

Personally I would not miss all that for the world, but there is another side to atlas work that is perhaps less apparent, but equally useful nevertheless.How often have you driven along a road and seen a particularly interesting bit of habitat you would just love to get into; a small stream meandering across a field of rough grazing, or an old orchard you suspect will be simply heaving with birds. Well asking the landowner’s permission to carrying out an Atlas Roving visit will give you the perfect opportunity to give it a try, and who knows what you may find.

Admittedly it does give a warm glow inside knowing you’ve adequately recorded all bird activity within one or more four-kilometre squares on four occasions throughout the year during Atlas Timed Tetrad Visits and that your hard won data have taken their place within the National or Devon atlas database.