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Recording and Reporting Birds
Whilst there are several UK-wide systematic recording schemes (eg: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), etc, even casually collected records can help build a picture of the birdlife of our area so please consider sharing your sightings. The SOC Clyde branch inputs relevant bird records for the Clyde area into the BirdTrack database. This database is an extremely valuable archive of local bird information and has numerous uses. Primarily, the database is the main source of information for producing the local bird report, a detailed record of the area’s birdlife - critical for future conservation. It is also used to answer queries relating to individual species or localities, concerning planning applications, conservation issues, or the analysis of population trends. |
Ruff ©️ Andrew Russell
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Which birds to report?
We are interested in reports of ALL birds, even common ones. Particularly welcome are:
We are interested in reports of ALL birds, even common ones. Particularly welcome are:
- Birds on the Red and Amber lists (see Birds of Conservation Concern 5 )
- Breeding birds with an indication of number of territories and breeding success. With your agreement, records of nationally rare breeding birds will be shared with the Rare Breeding Birds Panel
- Early or late migrants
- Regular counts throughout the year from your local patch
- Records from areas where there are few or no Observers reporting sightings
- Counts of seabird passage (preferably over timed periods and including commoner species)
- Any counts that you consider are notable
- Records relating to influxes (e.g. Waxwing, Brambling, Crossbill, Quail, etc.)
- Any private studies you are carrying out
- Any records you consider notable / remarkable
For rare birds, please see the Rare Bird Reporting page, and report on the appropriate form as soon after the sighting as possible.
If you see / hear something uncommon or scarce (‘Grapevine worthy’ - see here for examples of Grapevines), please email [email protected] as soon after the sighting as possible.
Records of rare/scarce birds may be shared with Birdline Scotland with whom the SOC works in partnership.
Please note that sightings posted on the Clydebirds Facebook page or on Twitter do NOT reach the SOC Clyde Recorder.
If you see / hear something uncommon or scarce (‘Grapevine worthy’ - see here for examples of Grapevines), please email [email protected] as soon after the sighting as possible.
Records of rare/scarce birds may be shared with Birdline Scotland with whom the SOC works in partnership.
Please note that sightings posted on the Clydebirds Facebook page or on Twitter do NOT reach the SOC Clyde Recorder.
How to report birds
The preferred format of records submission is by uploading them to BirdTrack. This is a free web-based recording project that enables you to store and manage your own records, whilst at the same time using them for scientific research and to support conservation at local, regional, national and international levels. We have some BirdTrack Best Practice too via this link. Managed by the British Trust for Ornithology, SOC is a lead partner along with the RSPB, Birdwatch Ireland and the Welsh Ornithological Society. This BTO article explains the added value to (for example) local SOC branches like ours, when we submit 'complete lists'. You can also record mammals, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and orchids on BirdTrack.
The preferred format of records submission is by uploading them to BirdTrack. This is a free web-based recording project that enables you to store and manage your own records, whilst at the same time using them for scientific research and to support conservation at local, regional, national and international levels. We have some BirdTrack Best Practice too via this link. Managed by the British Trust for Ornithology, SOC is a lead partner along with the RSPB, Birdwatch Ireland and the Welsh Ornithological Society. This BTO article explains the added value to (for example) local SOC branches like ours, when we submit 'complete lists'. You can also record mammals, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and orchids on BirdTrack.
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If you prefer, you can submit records in the form of our Excel spreadsheet (see download file link ).
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Please note there are useful comments in some of the header cells (the ones with small red triangles) to help you fill in the data.
As a minimum, for a record we need four “Ws”:
The records will be added to the BirdTrack database. Many sensitive records will be automatically hidden on public outputs (see BTO BirdTrack rare species policy for the list of species) but you can choose additional species yourself too.
We would be happy to receive records at any time during the course of the year. Depending on how many records you have, you might only want to submit once a year. Please send to [email protected]
Please see our Recording and Reporting FAQs page too.
As a minimum, for a record we need four “Ws”:
- What species
- Where did you record it
- When
- Who saw it
The records will be added to the BirdTrack database. Many sensitive records will be automatically hidden on public outputs (see BTO BirdTrack rare species policy for the list of species) but you can choose additional species yourself too.
We would be happy to receive records at any time during the course of the year. Depending on how many records you have, you might only want to submit once a year. Please send to [email protected]
Please see our Recording and Reporting FAQs page too.