Bird Atlas 2007-2011: What is it? For the first time the BTO will be combining the results of breeding season and winter fieldwork into one national Atlas. Winter fieldwork started in the winter of 2007/2008 and will last for four winters. Breeding season fieldwork will take place in the summers of 2008 to 2011. There will be two complementary field methods:

1. Roving Records. For national distribution maps to be comprehensive we need complete species lists for every 10-km square, in both winter and the breeding season. Roving Records are a means of submitting lists for grid squares, one-off records of hard-to-find species, and anything in between. They are also a means of accumulating evidence of breeding and providing records of nocturnal species. Everyone can take part by supplying Roving Records.
   
2. Timed Tetrad Visits. Timed Tetrad Visits (TTVs) are principally concerned with discovering broad patterns of relative abundance by counting birds for fixed periods in tetrads. Tetrads are 2km x 2km squares and are labelled A to Z within each 10-km square (click here for information on identifying tetrads). TTVs do not aim to produce a complete species list for the tetrad, but a sample of what one can find during a pair of visits in winter and/or the breeding season.

For full details of the national Atlas project, click here .

What is happening in Sussex? In Sussex, alongside the fieldwork for the national Atlas, the SOS is organising additional fieldwork with the aim of producing a detailed local atlas of distribution and abundance of all bird species. We plan to survey EVERY tetrad in Sussex, so that we can gather enough data to be able to produce maps showing the distribution of each species by tetrad across Sussex, and also the relative abundance of most species in the county. In all there are 1025 tetrads to be surveyed across the county, and each tetrad will hopefully be surveyed twice during winter and twice during the breeding season, using the same methodology of TTVs as used for the national Atlas. In addition, as many Roving Records as possible will be collected by tetrad, in order to build up comprehensive species lists for every tetrad.

How to Help

1. To help collect Roving Records, download a recording form here  Roving Records Form, and get out there and start recording birds! Please be sure to record the tetrad or 1-km square where you see each bird, and preferably enter your records online here or use the free SOS Record Capture 2 software (download a copy here  Record Capture Software). Please send records to either the BTO or the SOS, but NOT BOTH, as all records will be shared.
2. Lots of volunteers will be needed to help with the Timed Tetrad Visits. For each TTV, you would need to spend 2 hours within a designated tetrad, visiting all major habitat types, and counting all birds seen and heard (for full TTV instructions, please click here  TTV instructions). You can find maps of Sussex showing which tetrads are already allocated to volunteers, and where YOUR help is still needed, here. If you’d like to take on one or more tetrads for TTVs, 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.
3. All records from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), and the Nest Record Scheme (NRS), as well as all ringing records, will automatically contribute to the Atlas distribution maps, so if you already participate in any of these, please continue!
4. There are other ways that you can help: database management, data inputting, and writing or drawing or creating maps for the proposed new Sussex atlas… whatever your skill it can probably be put to use!
5. Make a financial donation to the BTO Atlas Appeal at www.birdatlas.net.

The Bird Atlas 2007-2011 project is being coordinated in Sussex jointly by Richard Cowser ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 01903 770259) and Helen Crabtree ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 01444 441687), with the help of a network of 10-km square stewards (to find out who your local steward is, and to obtain contact details, click here  Steward List Feb2007). Please contact either Richard or Helen if you have any questions about the Atlas project, or if you are interested in helping in any way. Thank you.