Peregrine survey 2014

BTO 2014 Peregrine Survey

This year the BTO are running a Peregrine survey. All known breeding sites will be visited. In addition, volunteers are required to survey randomly selected 5km x 5km squares checking for suitable Peregrine breeding habitat and potential nest sites. Ten of the randomly selected squares lie within Bedfordshire:

The survey squares are denoted by the 10km square identifier and the quadrant of the 10km square they occupy, i.e. NE = North-East, SE = South-East, SW = South-West and NW = North-West 

*SP92-SW – centred on Grovebury SP

SP93-NW – east of Milton Keynes

TL03-NW – centred on Ampthill

TL03-SW – south of Flitwick

TL06-SE – north-east of Thurleigh airfield

TL13-SE – north of Hitchin (mostly in Hertfordshire)

*TL14-NE – Between Biggleswade and Sandy

TL15-NW – East of Eaton Socon

TL24-SE  - Biggleswade – Dunton

TL24-SW – Guilden Morden (mostly in Cambridgeshire)

Volunteers are asked to make three visits during the breeding season, to establish whether Peregrines are breeding or not. The BTO estimates that it might take one day to effectively survey a 5km x 5km square.

If you would like to take on a square please let me know and I will forward the full instructions for the survey plus recording forms. Volunteers have already been found for the squares marked (*)

The Peregrine is a Schedule 1 species listed under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act and should not be disturbed near the nest. For the purposes of 2014 survey work it will usually be sufficient to observe a nest from a distance which avoids disturbance, and so doesn’t require a permit. However, if observations at any nest require approaching to within a distance that could result in disturbance, then a Schedule 1 permit should be sought. In addition to this, if anyone does locate any birds - either at an established or new site then please do NOT post that on a public forum. Sadly this species is still widely persecuted

If you do not feel you have the time or experience to commit to formal Peregrine surveying, we would be very grateful if you would submit details of any Peregrines or other raptors seen during 2014 to the BirdTrack on-line recording system (see www.birdtrack.net).

Roger Hicks

rogerkhicks@hotmail.com