Collecting records is one of the core activities of any ornithological society and we are therefore keen that all members send records of their observations to the Recorder.  The annual Sussex Bird Report is compiled from the many records submitted.  It is the only up-to-date account of the County’s avifauna, with data on occurrence, distribution, populations, breeding success and unusual records.

With the national Bird Atlas underway in 2007–11, records will be as important as the Atlas timed tetrad surveys in building up a comprehensive database of what bird species are where in Sussex.

How the Society’s records are used
Each year the Society receives tens of thousands of records, and at end 2006 we held nearly one million records on our database.  This database:-

• provides the records which form the basis of the species accounts in the annual SussexBird Report
• provides baseline information against which future changes in population can be matched
• can be used to plot species distribution against land types, so that the habitat preference of a particular species can be identified.   This knowledge can then be applied to the conservation of that species
• allows the relative values of sites of conservation importance to be assessed
• provides valuable information in response to planning enquiries re proposed land-use changes

Every record MUST contain at least three pieces of information

1. species name
2. date of the (first) observation
3. precise location of the site and an appropriate OS Grid Reference…preferably a 6-figure reference  of the 100m square in which the bird was seen.  (See below for details about how to identify grid references)  For counts in larger areas or for fly-by records a 4-figure (1-km square) grid reference or a tetrad (2km by 2km square) reference will usually be more appropriate.  (Entering a 6-figure reference implies precision, so do not use a single 6-figure grid reference for a batch of records from, say, a morning’s walk). 

Whenever possible the number of birds seen should be included in your record (use only one number - terms such as “many”, “numerous” and “more than usual” have no meaning to computers).  However, it is acceptable to let us have a record stating that a species is present, without saying exactly how many are present.  If you see a large flock of say more than 100 birds we do not expect you to give us an exact count…your best approximation will suffice.

Other data that could be included with your record are:-

• breeding status and success, with number of young.  There are 16 codes for denoting whether in the breeding season a bird is a possible, probable or confirmed breeding bird (provided of course that it is in suitable breeding habitat), plus three other codes (flying over, migrant or summering non-breeding bird).  With a little practice these codes are easy to use and the data they provide is really useful.  However we would rather have your record with no breeding evidence data filled in than not have any record at all!
• age and sex, with number in each category
• date of subsequent and last observation(s)
• direction of flight, with number in that direction
• comments on interesting features of the observation
  

Grid references
The map below shows the 10-km grids in Sussex:

To find a 10-km square

• select the 2-letter prefix (SU, SZ, TQ, TV, or TR)
• each square has two numbers: the first refers to the east-west axis and the second the north-south axis, with each square being denoted by the axis numbers on the west and south sides of the square

Each 10-km square can then be broken down into 100 one-km squares (or monads) or 25 two-km squares (or tetrads). 

One-km squares or monads have a 4-digit grid ref. The first and third numbers are those of the 10-km square and the second and fourth numbers are those of the monad in the 10-km square.  Thus TQ01 has 100 monads distributed as follows:

The 25 tetrads are lettered A to Z (there is no O.)  Thus the one-km square TQ0214 is in tetrad TQ01H

TQ0019………………………………………  TQ0919  ---8   0018                                        0918  ---7   0017                                        0917  ---6   0016                                        0916  ---5   0015                                        0915  ---4   0014   0214                             0914  ---3   0013                                        0913  ---2   0012                                        0912  ---1   0011                                        0911  ---0   0010……………………………………………  0910            -0    -1 -2  -3  -4  -5  -6  -7  -8   -9 --

Each one-km square can be broken down in a similar way into one hundred 100-metre squares, each of which has a 6 figure grid reference, with the third and sixth numbers indicating the 100-metre squares position in the monad.  East and West Sussex Street Atlases, (on sale in many petrol stations and major newsagents), have useful large-scale maps.  Most show one-km square grid lines, which makes determining 6-figure grid references easier than using the smaller scale OS maps.

So what species do we want you to send us records for?
  
Records are required of

• Red and Amber listed birds (the Sussex Bird Report shows which species are Red or Amber listed as species of High or Medium conservation concern)
• exceptionally early or late migration and winter visitor dates (first, last and 10-year average migrant and winter visitor dates are listed at the back of the Sussex Bird Report)
• species that are rare, scarce or unusual in Sussex, including all Schedule 1 species
• all national rarities considered by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC)
• records of unusually high numbers of a species of any bird, or of unusual behaviour, or of number of breeding territories
• if you know of a good, local area for birds that you particularly value, and which is not a well-known birding “hot spot”, send in the records of everything you see there.  If there ever is a planning application to change its land use your records may prove very useful!
• We do also want records of less scarce species.  Whilst it is impractical to send us a record of every common bird that you see, what was once common may become scarce.  Use your judgement, but if in doubt send a record in.  (Indeed during the Bird Atlas period – Nov 2007 through July 2011 – we positively want you to send us records of all the species you see, common or scarce).

However, you do NOT need to send us records of birds that have been recorded during BBS, WeBS or other SOS surveys, or which duplicate records compiled by seawatch groups or groups such as those recording at Weirwood and Ashdown Forest or Rye Harbour NR and Pagham Harbour NR, if passed to the Reserve warden.  Nor do you need to send us records that you have submitted to BTO Birdtrack, Garden Birdwatch or the on-line Atlas.  The SOS already collects the Sussex records from all these sources, so there is no need to send us a duplicate record. You may however wish to give consideration of sending a more detailed 6 figure Grid References to the SOS if records have been submitted only at tetrad level to the BTO.

Submitting your records

Records can be submitted in one of two ways, electronically at the end of each year (which we strongly prefer, as we can put them straight into our database), or in manuscript quarterly (which we are less keen on as we have to find someone to sit down and key your records into our database). General Record forms can be downloaded from the SOS website (see “Submission Forms and Programs” page) or requested from the Recorder.

Electronic input via your computer, can be made using the Society’s “Record Capture 2” (Microsoft Excel) or other suitable software (also available as a Lotus123 file and a StarOffice file (a freely available downloadable suite from Google which is similar to Microsoft Office).  You can download Record Capture 2 from our website or get one by contacting our Database Manager ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or the Recorder (e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and ask for a copy.  The software contains instructions that will guide you on how to complete your records.  You should submit your electronic records as soon as possible after the end of the year, and certainly no later than the end of January.  They should be sent as an e-mail attachment to the Society’s Database Manager, Dr John Newnham, at the e-mail address above.  Make sure you send him only the portion at the right of each work sheet rather than the whole workbook, so as not to clutter up his  inbox!

An alternative way to submit your records is to submit them on-line to the BTO Birdtrack system - Click Here - as each spring the Society gets a download of all the Sussex records on this site.  This has the advantage of enabling you to store and retrieve your own records and is particularly useful when you want to build up a picture of the birds you see at a specific site.  But do take care when setting up your sites on BTO Birdtrack and make sure they have accurate grid references, otherwise your imported data will be misleading or will be rejected in the SOS data base. In particular make sure that when you define your Birdtrack site that it does not extend beyond a tetrad.  If “your site” straddles two (or more) tetrads then set it up as two (or more) sites so that your records are clearly assigned to the correct tetrad.

If you don’t have access to a computer you can send us your records in manuscript on the Society’s Bird Records form.  A copy of this form can be down-loaded here  General Bird Record form.  Alternatively forms can be obtained from the Recorder.  All observations from one site should be entered together.  Manuscript records should be submitted quarterly, rather than at the end of the year, as that smoothes out the workload for those who have to enter your data onto the Society’s computer.