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BREEDING WARBLER SURVEY 2010 The recent Atlas indicated a significant decline across Cheshire and Wirral of some of our summer migrant warblers, consistent with the wider national picture emerging from other observations. The apparent decline of the Willow Warbler, for example, is of particular concern. In response, we would like to gather information on these species in more detail than is available from the atlas survey, in order to provide a sound reference point for following future population changes. In the case of Willow Warbler, for example, the maximum breeding code identified for a large number of tetrads was S - Singing male present in breeding season in suitable breeding habitat. In some cases this code might represent a single bird heard briefly early in the breeding season that failed to find a mate and moved on or it could represent several males holding territory throughout the breeding season that may have bred and it is important to know which. We propose to investigate this issue in more detail by gathering information on numbers present throughout the breeding season. A secondary objective of the survey will be to improve breeding evidence coverage in the BTO atlas of a group of birds for which it can sometimes be difficult to gain confirmed breeding evidence. The survey method involves several survey visits, in which numbers of individuals of each different warbler species are counted along a defined route of the surveyor's choice and activity is recorded using the atlas breeding codes. This route could be a familiar one in a local patch, perhaps a regular dog walk, a lunchtime walk from the workplace or a specially selected site chosen for its known warbler activity. The detail of the survey method can be found clicking on this link and recording forms area available at this link. Anyone wanting to take part who has not yet registered an interest should contact David Cogger by or in writing at 113 Nantwich Road, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 9HD.
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