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The Devon Atlas

www.devonatlas.co.uk

So now is the time to go A-Roving!

Winter Records Nov-Feb

Make a note of wintering migrants, thrushes, Brambling feeding with Chaffinch on beech mast, flocks of tits perhaps with Treecreeper or Goldcrest mixed in. It will all help give a fuller picture of the birds here in Devon over the winter period.

Even if you’ve never submitted records before be brave and let for example your wintering Blackcap, Chiffchaff or Woodcock count and send in your records. Many areas of Devon have a number of quite common species missing from the winter tetrad visits too, obviously you can’t see everything in a two hour TTV.

Filling in your local gaps:

As well as wintering records I’m sure we can improve on breeding records in these areas below and indeed all over Devon

Do you live in:

Staddiscombe, Barn Farm, Down Thomas (SX55A )? Have you seen Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mistle thrush, Treecreeper, Bullfinch, wintering Blackcap, one or two of these species must surely appear here?

Westward Ho!/Cornborough (SS42J) Any breeding Carrion Crow, Magpie, House Martin, Dunnock, Robin?

East-the-water, Pillhead, Bradavin (SS42T ) anyone aware of breeding Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin, or even nesting Blue Tits? Has Collared Dove or Bullfinch been seen here?

East half of Ilfracombe (SS54I) – were there any nesting House Martins in summer?

West side of Ilfracombe to Lincombe ( SS54D)- anyone seen Wren, Chaffinch or Collared Doves nesting?

E of Coombe Martin and Girt Down (SS64D ) This tetrad has a selection of birds listed in the summer but no sign of breeding tits, finches, Wren, Dunnock, Magpie, House Sparrow or even Blackbird - let us know if you saw them here.

Trentishoe, Heddon’s Mouth Cleave to coast (SS64P) Did you see any nesting Magpie, Dunnock or House Martins and surely someone saw newly fledged spotty baby Robins somewhere in this patch?

Do you live, work or visit any of these areas above - This summer did you see any newly fledged birds or birds with beakfuls of feed? We shall be adding more lists like those on the previous page to the Devon Atlas Website http://www.devonatlas.co.uk/index.html - so please visit it frequently and see if you can help fill the gaps.

How you can help

Send us your records - these can be entered as Roving Records on the BTO website, you can follow the link from the Devon Atlas website or send them in on the normal spreadsheets or any paper record format. If you would like any Roving Record forms just get in touch.

Include:

winter garden visitors - Redwing, Fieldfare, Bullfinch, Reed bunting, Blackcap, Brambling, Goldfinch, etc. summer garden birds particularly if you know that they bred in your garden or close by, even the humble Blackbird and Robin if you haven’t already submitted these records please enter them.

We have only another two years of fieldwork to complete the Devon Atlas, and much still remains to be done. Data entered after December will contribute to the county Atlas and we definitely want those records. The BTO will make changes to the website so that it will stay open for counties such as ours doing a County Atlas. You shouldn't see any difference, but if there is anything you need to know to continue using the site we will publicise those details here and on our Devon Atlas website

Enter your sightings on-line on the BTO website or  by email to recorder@devonbirds.org or post paper records to Julia Harris, 6 Clonway, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6EG. Please!

Mapping Bird Records in the Seaton Town Area

As the main Devon Atlas Validator I must say that the most misunderstood 10k boundary in the whole of Devon is that between SY28 and SY29 – Seaton Shoreline, Seaton Town and the adjoining Seaton Marshes and Seaton Estuary. The boundary actually runs through the town east to west about 50 metres in from the beach, so knowing that it should certainly be possible to distinguish between birds seen on the sea and birds on the marsh. However, there are numerous examples of either of the three Skua species on (not even over) the marsh, together with flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits apparently on Seaton seafront, or even the odd Diver species using the marsh! SY29 K takes in the marsh and some of the town itself. If birds were on the sea in SY28 , as seems clear that many were, then at best they are in tetrad ‘P’, ‘U’ or ‘Z’, but probably most are further out, eg. in tetrads ‘M’ or ‘L’ of SY28 . Please can I therefore make a plea for great care to be taken when entering tetrad lettering or grid references lest the eventual maps show some apparently previously unrecorded and unfathomable bird behaviour in the Seaton area!

Many thanks, Peter Robinson – Devon Atlas Validation

The Harrier December 2011 No.6