A Guide to Recording Birds in Suffolk
A GUIDE TO RECORDING BIRDS IN SUFFOLK Introduction The foundation stone of any report is the data upon which it is based. Unless we all submit our records diligently, and in a usable form, then the Suffolk Bird Report will not be a comprehensive account of the birds recorded in Suffolk. The system The recording of the county’s avifauna is the responsibility of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, working in close co-operation with the Suffolk Bird Group. The linchpins of the system are the Recorders, who are the initial point of contact for all records. Because of the volume of records in Suffolk the county has been divided into three areas. See the inside front cover for a map and addresses. Observers are reminded that Suffolk works to Watsonian vice-county boundaries, taking in areas that are now administered as Norfolk, Cambridgeshire or Essex. The most significant area affected is that of Lothingland, the northern limits of which follow the River Yare and include the south side of Breydon Water. We have retained these original boundaries as we feel that sensible comparison of data can only be made from year to year if the recording area is kept constant. Submission of records All observers are requested to submit their records monthly. We also suggest that the following format be followed: (a) Location (precise place name from the Ordnance Survey map plus parish if ambiguous). OS grid reference should be added if in any doubt or if reporting breeding locations. (b) Species (c) Date (d) Name and address of observer (e) Sex/age – male, female, juvenile etc. (f) Abundance – count numbers, frequency, etc. (g) Type of record – dead, ringed, etc. (h) Other comments considered relevant – behaviour etc. In particular see the list below for particular information required for each species. All claims of national rarities should, of course, be accompanied by a full description. The Recorder will automatically forward this to the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). If submitting a list of records for one particular site, please put all details at the top of the list and annotate with sex and/or frequency. Remember, if in any doubt as to the value of any record, please send it in! A spreadsheet is available for submitting records and can be downloaded from the SBG website. This can be sent electronically to the Recorders and is a much easier and quicker method for them. Whilst this is not essential, we would encourage all those who can to use this method of submitting their records. Assessment of records All records come under the scrutiny of the Suffolk Ornithological Records Committee (SORC) and for rare or scarce species, verification is sought – i.e. photographs, field sketches, witnesses, sound recordings (for calling or singing birds) and (most importantly) written descriptions. The SORC’s policy for vagrants, classified as national rarities, is clear; records should be channelled through the County Recorder to be considered by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC), whose decisions are accepted by SORC. A full list of species that are considered by the SORC follows. The committee may also request further details regarding any other species that, in the opinion of the committee, is out of context in terms of season, habitat or numbers. 267
