The BTO Winter Thrushes Survey has started and all birdwatchers in Sussex are invited to take part.

The survey will be running over the next two winters, with the aim of clarifying which are the key habitats and food sources used by passage and wintering thrush species (Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Ring Ouzel and Blackbird) in the UK. There are two parts to the survey. For the first part, which started on 12 September and continues until April 2013 for the first winter, any interested person can register their chosen site and collect information on thrushes each time they walk there. The second part of the survey involves randomly allocated sites which will be visited during a specific midwinter period, 27 December 2012 to 10 January 2013.

For both parts of the survey, volunteers are asked to walk along their chosen route, recording all thrushes seen, and collecting information on the location of each sighting, key habitat features and food resources associated with each thrush or flock of thrushes detected. The random sites need to be surveyed during the specified period but the self-selected sites can be visited many times throughout the season, ideally about once a month from September to early April.

The random squares that currently need volunteers are:

SU8403 Apuldram
SU8528 near Milland
SU9226 Lickfold
TQ0227 Kirdford
TQ1839 near Capel (Surrey)
TQ2508 near Mile Oak
TQ3028 near Balcombe
TQ4033 near Wych Cross
TQ4224 Fletching
TQ5717 Horam
TQ6219 Punnett's Town
TQ7118 Netherfield
TQ7215 near Battle
TQ7629 near Hawkhurst (Kent)
TQ7713 Crowhurst Park
TQ8210 central Hastings
TQ8218 Brede
TQ8315 near Three Oaks
TQ8518 Udimore
TQ8628 Wittersham station (Kent)
TQ8722 Peasmarsh
TV5499 Friston Forest

If you are interested in surveying a random site during the specified midwinter period, please contact Helen Crabtree at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 01444 441687. If you would prefer to select your own survey site, please refer to the BTO website (http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/winter-thrushes) where you will be able to register your site and input your results. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Helen Crabtree at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 01444 441687.