Recording Birds in
Shetland
How to
submit
Records will
be accepted in any format, but electronic submission is
preferred, especially if records are in a standardised spreadsheet or format.
Click on the link below and then choose 'Save':
MS Excel XP
(works on most recent version of Windows) (17kB)
MS Word XP
(works on most recent version of Windows) (24kB)
If you do not
use Excel or Word a table with the same
column headings in a word processor can be easily imported. To see a
screen capture of the spreadsheet showing the column headings
click here.
Even when submitting by e-mail, giving essential data (i.e. species, no.,
place, date), separated by tabs, makes it easy to import this to the main
spreadsheet.
Descriptions
may be sent by e-mail where possible, in MS Word or plain-text format with
low-res jpeg images if appropriate. Again, descriptions will also be
accepted in other formats.
Records can
be submitted by e-mail to:
administratorATnature-shetland.co.uk
or
msc.1@btinternet.com
Descriptions,
postal records etc. should be submitted to the County Recorder:
Mark Chapman, 55 Leaside, Firth, Mossbank,
Shetland ZE2 9TF. Tel: 01806 242401.
When to
submit
Whenever is
convenient, but as soon as possible after the end of the year. Visitors
are especially encouraged to submit records as soon as possible after
their visit. Some observers already submit records virtually daily, via
the website, but, even for recorders using the spreadsheet, submission of
records every month or every few
months is to be encouraged.
What to
submit
Schedule 1 Breeding Birds
Regularly
breeding Schedule 1 species (e.g. Red-throated Diver, Merlin,
Black-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Phalarope) are subject to organised
monitoring by licensed personnel. Anyone finding any other Schedule 1
species breeding, or suspected of breeding, should inform the County
Recorder or the local offices of either
SNH or the
RSPB as
soon as possible. The necessary licences can then be obtained and any
provision for protection and monitoring can take place.
Sporadic Breeding Birds
All
breeding records of such species are welcome. Refer to the current report
for breeding status.
Scarce
Breeding Birds
Certain
species nest in Shetland annually but have populations of less than 30
pairs e.g. Wigeon, Swallow, Pied Wagtail. All breeding records of
these species are welcome.
Common
Breeding Birds
Systematically collected data is welcomed. Regular counts of commoner
species at a certain site are potentially useful however, as they help
highlight seasonal fluctuations, even if the counts themselves may not be
exceptional.
Common
Migrants and Wintering Birds
Detailed
records of common migrants are welcomed, especially if they result from
regular coverage of a specific area. Anyone interested in such counts
should consider contributing to the
WeBS scheme.
Scarce
Migrants
All
records of scarce migrants are welcome. Every Shetland Bird Report has
used a symbol (+) to indicate species for which every known record is
published. Age and sex of scarce migrants, if known, is especially useful
to compilers when trying to establish how many individuals have been
recorded in a year. If birds can be identified to subspecies this
information is also useful.
Local
Rarities
Records of
rarities will only be published if:
a) they
are already accepted by a records committee
b) they
have been submitted and are under consideration by a records committee
c) the
finder(s) have not made a submission but the bird was seen by a large
number of observers and/or photographs or video exists which make it
likely that a committee will eventually accept the record.
Descriptions should be sent to the County Recorder, who can also supply
recording forms. A list of Local Rarities is included below.
- Species considered by Scottish Bird Records
Committee (* added from 1st January 2006)
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
* Wilson’s Petrel
* Great White Egret
Night Heron
Purple Heron
* Black Kite
Montagu’s Harrier
Rough-legged Buzzard
* Red-footed Falcon
Stone Curlew
Kentish Plover
* American Golden Plover
* White-rumped Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
* White-winged Black Tern
* Alpine Swift
* Red-rumped Swallow
Woodlark
Tawny Pipit
* Red-throated Pipit
Aquatic Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Dartford Warbler
* Radde’s Warbler
Woodchat Shrike
Serin
Species considered by Shetland BC Records
Committee (* added from 1st January 2006)
Bewick’s Swan
Bean Goose
Snow Goose
Mandarin Duck
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Surf Scoter
Ruddy Duck
* Black-throated Diver
Black-necked Grebe
Bittern
Little Egret
White Stork
Spoonbill
Honey Buzzard
Red Kite
Goshawk
Golden Eagle
Hobby
Spotted Crake
Avocet
Little Ringed Plover
Temminck’s Stint
Pectoral Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
- Grey Phalarope
- Mediterranean Gull
- Sabine’s Gull
- Roseate Tern
- Little Tern
- Black Tern
- Barn Owl
- Nightjar
- Common Kingfisher
- European Bee-eater
- Short-toed Lark
- Rock Pipit (race littoralis)
- Dipper
- Common Nightingale
- Marsh Warbler (autumn)
- * Subalpine Warbler
- * Dusky Warbler
- * Greenish Warbler
- Firecrest
- Long-tailed Tit
- Coal Tit
- Treecreeper
- Magpie
- Jay
- * Arctic Redpoll
- * Ortolan Bunting
- * Rustic Bunting
- Corn Bunting
Local
rarity descriptions can be fairly concise, but it is important to make
sure that any ambiguity is removed from the description. Try and make sure
someone else sees the bird if possible - a multiple observer record is
always regarded as more reliable. The SBCRC also require details of any
species not on the County List and reserves the right to request
descriptions for species not on the list in certain circumstances.
National Rarities (‘BBs’)
These
records are assessed by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). Full
descriptions are required for these species, and they should be submitted
to BBRC via the County Recorder, so a copy can be kept for the record.
Description forms are available from the County Recorder. Some observers
object to writing descriptions, and few people enjoy writing them.
However, they are invaluable in providing an archive for the future,
proving to future generations that unusual occurrences were properly
appreciated at the time and were not just recorded on hearsay.
We do not
want to lose genuine records merely because they are unsupported by
descriptions.
Records of
ringed or colour-marked birds should be sent direct to the
Shetland Ringing
Group.
Summary
-
Schedule 1 breeding birds - tell the County Recorder or another
authority as soon as possible
-
Sporadic breeding birds - all records required and preferably tell
someone else as soon as possible
-
Scarce breeding birds - all records required
-
Common breeding birds - systematic information welcomed
-
Common migrants - systematic information welcomed, but all records
valued
-
Scarce migrants - all records required
-
National Rarities - all records required
Nature in Shetland
