FAQs

Square requests and species

Can I request multiple squares?

Yes, if you are confident you have the time to cover them. Please avoid overstretching yourself and not being able to cover your square(s). This will mean we lose out on potential data for that site as the square remains allocated to you and cannot be covered by someone else.

Can I choose to survey just one species if the square I request is marked with more than one?

Yes, you can choose to survey just one species. However, we do encourage surveyors to cover the other target species, if possible, for efficiency (especially for Woodlark and Dartford Warbler). This will reduce the number of visits required and minimise disturbance, and also avoid visit clashes with other surveyors! Multiple species will be flagged when requesting a square.

Survey visits and access permission

Can I conduct more than two visits?

Yes, you can make additional visits if you wish, preferably sufficiently spaced between previous visits. You will be able to enter these additional visits in the data entry system. However, it would be more beneficial for the survey for you to cover another square if you have the time.

What if I can only manage a single visit?

Ideally, we would like two well-spaced visits, which span the main singing/display period of the species. However, single visits are still important and will still contribute to the analysis.

Can I combine Dartford Warbler and Woodlark survey visits?

Yes, but you will need to make dedicated visits per the instructions for each species (e.g. a March visit for Woodlark) if you choose to cover more than one. However, later Woodlark and Dartford Warbler visits overlap with visit dates, so you will be able to record both species during the same visit. Nightjar will require dedicated evening visits to record any breeding activity. The field recording forms are designed to accommodate all species.

How do I gain permission to access the survey site?

The majority of squares will be on land with public access (see the OS Map). However, it is important to establish this in advance.

If the site appears to be on private land, then enquire with your BTO Regional Organiser in the first instance as they may have knowledge of who to contact. We also provide a Letter of introduction which you can use to make contact with the suspected landowner, which will provide a more professional approach and outline the motives of the survey.

For survey squares in Scotland, please refer to section 3.64 of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Unsuitable areas in survey squares

Do I need to survey unsuitable (greyed out) areas of the square?

Areas marked as ‘Unsuitable’ are to help focus your survey effort. However, they may not be completely up to date, so please do check if other areas of ‘Suitable’ are present and cover them. For example, a new section of plantation may have been felled, or there may be a small section of gorse scrub.

My square is marked as having completely or predominantly ‘Unsuitable’ habitat – do I still need to survey it?

Yes, these squares were likely to have derived from location information that was not completely accurate, or for an isolated historic record, so the species in question may be detected in the wider area. It is equally important to visit these squares to confirm if this is the case or not.

Recording birds

I have observed a bird outside of my square; do I record it?

If the bird was within 100m of the square boundary, then you can still record it on your map/form.

If it is beyond 100m, then it needs to be recorded in a different square. If this square appears unavailable for request on the survey system, then we can add it. We just need to know what the square number is, or which boundary of your square it is situated (i.e. N, S, E, or W). Please add a note on your recording form if you have detected a bird in an adjacent square that you were not covering.

What if I don’t find any Woodlark, Dartford Warbler or Nightjar?

Zero counts are just as important as finding the target species to help us understand distribution and habitat changes. Please enter ALL visits even if no target species were found.

Entering and sharing data

When can I enter my data?

The data entry system is due to be available by early April.

Can I share my data?

You can share your records with the landowner or a specific employee of the landowner (e.g. farmer, estate worker, gamekeeper etc) if they have requested them. Otherwise, the data are to be treated as confidential. Please contact us if you are unsure at heathlandbirds [at] bto.org.

Contact us

Get in touch with the survey team at heathlandbirds [at] bto.org.