BIRDS IN CLYDE
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Recording ​
​and
Reporting
​Birds

Scaup ©  Andrew Russell
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.
Picture
Ruff ©️ Andrew Russell
Which birds to report?
​

​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
Picture
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.
 

Picture
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.

If you prefer, you can submit records in the form of our Excel spreadsheet (see download file link ).  
bird_records_data_entry_blank.xlsx
File Size: 155 kb
File Type: xlsx
Download File

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”:
  • What species
  • Where did you record it
  • When
  • Who saw it
Any extra information you can give would add value to the record, so please feel free to submit 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.
​
SOC is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation SC009859. Material on this website is fully protected by copyright law, and may not be used or reproduced in any form without prior written permission © SOC Clyde Branch 2022-2025
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  • Home
  • Outings & Talks
    • Outings
    • Talks
  • Peregrines
    • Glasgow Peregrine Project
    • Glasgow Peregrine Project history
    • Glasgow Peregrine Project Watches
    • Glasgow Peregrine Project 2024 clips
  • About us
    • Branch Committee
    • CBBD24-results
    • Join the SOC
    • Acknowledgements
  • Recording & Reporting
    • Recent sightings
    • Clyde Recording Area map
    • Clyde Bird List
    • Recording and Reporting Birds
    • Rare Bird Reporting
    • Recording and Reporting FAQ
    • Gazetteer
    • Clyde Systematic Lists >
      • 2001
      • 2002
      • 2003
      • 2004
      • 2005
      • 2006
      • 2007
      • 2008
    • Photo Galleries >
      • Gallery 2021
      • Notable December 2022
    • Grapevine Archive >
      • 2025 >
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  • Resources
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    • Clyde List 2025 >
      • April_list
      • March_list
      • February_list
      • January-part-2
      • January-part-1
    • What to see >
      • What to look for Winter
      • What to look for March
      • What to look for April
    • Birdwatching Resources
    • Bird ID
    • Online Clyde Bird Reports
    • Online Scottish Bird Report
    • SOC birding app
    • Publications
  • Get Involved
    • How to Get Involved with the Clyde SOC
    • Discussion Group
    • Focus Species 2023 >
      • Raven
    • BBS
    • Clyde bird projects
    • A-Z list of Groups / Projects
    • Further afield
    • Young Birders >
      • Youth Events
      • SOC Youth Connect