When we did the CAWOS atlas work ,most people managed more than 50% confirmed breeders i.e double letters

I guess it comes down to how long you spend in the field - on the actual TTV walk I only managed about 10 - the other 12 came from various Roving Records

Hi Tony,

I too have just completed my second breeding season TTV's in the first week of July and tend to agree with you that it might be getting a fraction late for the majority of breeding activity. Next year - if I'm asked again! - I might consider bringing my second visit a week or so forward into mid to late June. Having said that - you don't actually have to make a visit in July! From my understanding the BTO gives a window from 1st June to 31st July (left to the discretion of the surveyor) as to when they make that second breeding season visit. This I would guess allow those in the north of England and especially bonny Scotland a degree of flexibility to record those birds taking advantage of the slightly later breeding season than that experienced in the south of the UK.

Still you never know you could be missing out on that rare (very!) Quail breeding record by doing the second breeding season TTV visit too early!!

Still, 22 confirmed breeding species seems to be an excellent return!


Best wishes,


Bill.

Presumably to pick up possible 2nd/3rd broods which might have obviously smaller and maybe more conspicuosly active young?

Late TTV visit today

Not sure why we need to do a July visit as everything was keeping its head down. Tree Sparrows were feeding young and Blackbirds with second (or third ?) broods.

Post-breeding flocks of 50+ Woodpigeon and 30+ Jackdaws but nothing really exciting to report.

52 species in total - 22 confirmed breeders

Up to 19 confirmed breeders now.

At least 4 pairs of Tree Sparrows

Highlights today were a family of recently fledged Goldcrests, a scruffy just fledged GS Woodpecker and a nest full of Dunnock chicks.

-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth at 13:48, 2008-05-31

A hot TTV walk after my BBS this morning.

Female Wheatear perched on some pallets but don't think it'll stay around.
Mute Swan's have gone, replaced by a pair of Coots sat on eggs.
Moorhens have hatched already

Oystercatcher seems to be nesting or have a long rest in the same spot :)

One singing Yellowhammer

3 pairs of Tree Sparrows now

Pair of Mute Swans today which seem to have spooked everything else.
Oystercatchers were in a ploughed field.

2 pairs of Tree Sparrows back in their usual spot - I think they were waiting for the Hawthorn leaves to come out to give a bit of shelter.

Intended to do a TTV today, but it started to rain as I drove out there, so ended up doing 20 mins of Roving Records before it got too wet. What was a scruffy pool last year has now developed into a proper pond with reeds etc. This has attracted 8 Teal 2 Oystercatcher Moorhen Coot several pairs of Lapwing Also a small flock of House Martins overhead and pair of Linnets in the hedge. However no sign of last year's Tree Sparrows or Yellowhammers yet. Not bad for an unappealing tetrad with the M56 and the A556 Chester Rd running through it.