BirdGuides.com

• · What is a tetrad?, basically a tetrad is a group of four square kilometers, of which twenty five make up a ten kilometer square, ours is SK58. The tetrad is a standard surveying method, used on our six previous Atlas surveys.
• · Between April 1st and the middle of July visit your chosen tetrad twice spending strictly an hour on each visit, recording all the different species and different birds of those species. Two one hour visits equals two hours total recording time per tetrad.
• · When the visits are completed, fill in the recording sheets for each tetrad and return them to me. Your sheet should show the total for each species from the first visit, the total for each species from the second visit, then in the third column, the highest count from the two visits. If you visit an area on a regular basis and see a bird in your tetrad, but not on a survey visit, it can still be recorded by simply putting a tick in the third column.
• · Do count different birds, the same Kestrel seen three times counts as only one, if you are unsure you have a different bird, then ignore it.
• · Don't count flocks of birds, the could be post breeding flocks of young and adult birds.
• · Do spend an hour in each tetrad exactly. If you leave the tetrad to follow a footpath, then stop your watch, and start it again when you enter the tetrad again.
• · With us all being out and about, good birds will be found, if you find a rarity do call me 07947 068125.
• · Do pick a route that takes in as different habitat types as within your tetrad.
• · Do leave 3-4 weeks between visits to the same tetrad, some summer migrants arrive quite late on.
• · Do pick good weather, avoid heavy rain, high winds and fog, birds don't show and we get wet, resulting in low counts. The odd shower may actually increase bird activity.
• · Do take a pencil & notebook (pens don't work on damp paper), noting the date, start and finish times and the weather.
• · Don't start before 08.00, not all birds are early risers.
• · Don't count young birds or post breeding/feeding flocks. We are interested in the adult breeding population. For example, a nest of young Blue Tits, if counted will show a high count for that tetrad and showing a bias in the results, only put down both adults if you see/ hear them.
• · If you have participated in the survey before, then do please cover the same tetrads as before. Consistency is vital if year on year analysis is to be made of the results. If you are unsure which tetrads you covered, then see either Mick or myself.
• · If you require any help or assistance then please do contact me- Andy: 07957 068125. or email