Three days to go

The Atlas goes live next Thursday, November 1. If you haven't yet booked yourself a tetrad to survey, do so promptly. So far 100 observers have volunteered to cover 197 tetrads, so we are within an ace of covering more than 50% of the tetrads in the region this winter, and I am sure that the figure will grow. There is as yet no ten-km square in which every tetrad has an observer, and there are particular gaps in the Portishead-Clevedon area and the whole of ST77 the Cotswolds.
Doing a tetrad is not difficult. It requires a two hour walk done twice in winter and twice in summer- but the first walk has to be done between Nov1 and Dec 31st. If you have booked one, and find you have time on your hands, pick a second one this winter- if everyone so-far involved did that we would cover the whole region.
And all casual records can be put in as well; we are aiming to maximise the species list for each ten-km square. I will use this blog through the survey to try to keep everyone in touch.

Nearly there

One week to the start, and so far 96 observers have opted to survey 183 tetrads in the Bristol region. We have 399 to cover, so we are not quite half way, and I would like to ensure that we cover half in the first year, as I want to cover all tetrads in the first two years. That will leave everyone free to help out in Somerset and Wiltshire that are looking a bit thin at present, or to take long birding holidays in Ireland and Scotland. So further offers of help- or when you have done one and see how easy it is an offer to take another, will be welcome. First tetrad surveys must be done before Dec 31st, and are best done in November, as it gets a bit hectic in December with very short days, and various celebrations.
Data entry will be possible from Nov 1, and apart from the tetrad surveys, we need to create for every 10km square as long a list of species as we can- on presence/absence basis only. All these can be input on line, and everything put in on Gardenm Birdwatch or Bird Track will be included as well.

Nearly half-way

170 tetrads now have observers allocated- but there are still 220 more to do. We want to cover the whole region in two years if possible, so if you can help out by covering another tetrad in your area, please do. The Maps on the website at www.birdatlas.net can be found by typing in the 10km square you are interested in; they show the tetrads that are still uncovered.
The winning square at present is ST68 with 22/25 tetrads covered.

Data entry after nov 1

It will be possible for all counts and casual records to be enteerd directly on to the computer when the full system goes live on Nov 1 This part of the website is not yet activated- and is still being tested which is why you cant see it at present. Everyone should enter on-line if they can; you dont need to download the forms. If you want to use paper forms I will send them
Richard Bland

Picking a tetrad

Warning
If you want to find a tetrad type in the 10km square in the box and click Go. That brings up the 10km square in full detail, showing which tetrads are still available.
If you click on Avon it gives a general map, and does not show the specific tetrads.

Two weeks to go

Atlas starts on Nov 1. To date 152 of the 399 local tetrads we will cover have observers, so if you dont yet have one go to the atlaswebsite www.birdatlas.net, and choose one, or two, or three.
The tetrad survey is simple; two two-hour walks Nov 1-Feb 29th and two April 1-July 31, counting everything you see and hear and in the summer recording breeding evidence. You input this direct.
At the same time every species recorded in a 10-km square goes towards the total species list for the square. You can put these in on-line yourself, and I will add all I learn of from other sources. BTO Garden birdwatch birds will also count.
This Blog will try to keep everyone informed how things are going, and direct effort where it is needed. The results you input on-line will be summarised on-line, so you will be able to see how we are doing.