Species totals

I have full details of the species so far seen in seven of the 17 10-km squares in the region. In total 140 species have been recorded, and the leader is st 58 with 105; Then ST56 with 89;ST57 with 82; ST47 with 77; ST66 with 61; St 68 with 59; and ST67 with 54

Some species have been missed- LG in ST66,67 SD in 47 and 67 KF in 57 and 66 SC in 57 and 67; NH in 58, 66, and 67 RN in 66, 67, 68.

I will try to get a more complete list of what to search for in the new year.
As far as tetrad coverage goes at the last count 134 tetrads of 217 logged on to the website, ( and 273 covered in total) or 67 % have been done. Those doing them on paper I wont learn about until the forms come in to me when the second count is done. I hope for a lot more if this weekend's weather is reasonable, and the rest will come over the Christmas break. If a first count is not done, the winter survey for a tetrad will have to be done next winter, but of course it can be surveyed in the summer.
From individual tetrad counts the commonest species so far is BH Gull, followed by Starling and Feral Pigeon (most of the counts I have details of have been urban) then Wood Pigeon. This may well change a lot in the new year, and when rural flocks are counted in. The average is slmost 400 birds in a two hour survey.

Dont forget the New Years Day sponsored Bird count. The BTO are half way there with the appeal, and confident, but if you can get someone to sponsor you per species get out on New Years Day, raise some money, and find a few species to put in as Roving records- or even second Tetrad counts if you got the first one in in November.

Richard Bland