Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS)

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The winter edition of the UKBMS eNewsletter is out now.

Although we may not be seeing any butterflies this weekend, there's still lots to read about and get involved with.

link.butterfly-conservation.org/m/1/71172733...

Golden Eagle.

(5/) If you would like to find out where there are vacant BBS squares near you, wherever you live in the UK, please either follow this link: app.bto.org/bbs/public/r... If you have any questions about the survey, please email us on: bbs@bto.org.

Black-throated Diver.

(4/) Your local BBS Regional Organiser or a member of the BBS Team at BTO Headquarters will do their best to match you with a square that is not only close to where you live, but is also appropriate for your birdwatching ability.

Black Guillemot.

(3/) In order to survey a BBS square, you will need to be able to identify the birds that are typically recorded in the square by sight, song and call. This varies considerably from square to square.

White-tailed Eagle.

(2/) We have featured images of just some of the more unusual bird species that have been recorded on this square over the years. There are other squares like this one in other parts of the UK, if you fancy the challenge of getting to them and surveying them! #Ornithology #CitizenScience

A map of a vacant BBS square on South Uist.

(1/) This week’s featured square is a difficult one to get to! It is a two hour walk from the closest civilisation, and if the tide isn’t right, it is a much longer walk! Read on to find out more… @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social

Black Guillemot.

(3/) In order to survey a BBS square, you will need to be able to identify the birds that are typically recorded in the square by sight, song and call. This varies considerably from square to square.

White-tailed Eagle.

(2/) We have featured images of just some of the more unusual bird species that have been recorded on this square over the years. There are other squares like this one in other parts of the UK, if you fancy the challenge of getting to them and surveying them! #Ornithology #CitizenScience

Attendees of the Wonderful Winter Bird Walk enjoying birdwatching in Lough Head Park, photo by Lois Clements / BTO

A group of attendees learning about the elements of bird identification, photo by Lois Clements / BTO

Views of the path in Lough Head Park, Lisnaskea, photo by Nia Potapova / BTO

Photo of a Dunnock at Lough Head Park by Nia Potapova / BTO

Our Wonderful Winter Bird Walk in Lough Head Park, Lisnaskea last Sunday was a huge success!

🐦 We learned the basics of bird ID in a friendly group. Lough Head Park was brimming with birds, and we were lucky to see 34 species of woodland and wetland birds including Snipe, Redpoll and Shoveler.

That's great to hear. It is a lovely little song!

Yes, I quite agree with that!

Dunnock by Philip Croft/BTO

(2/) The BBS trend for this species shows a 6% increase between 1995 and 2023 across the UK. However, the 10 year decline, which covers the period of time between 2013 and 2023, shows a 12% decline. You can find out more about this species here: www.bto.org/learn/ab...

Dunnock by John Harding/BTO

(1/) One song to listen out for at the moment is the short and merry warble of the unobtrusive Dunnock. This song is often delivered from an exposed perch. Take a listen here: youtu.be/MubnLCyMZ0c... @btobirds.bsky.social JNCC RSPB Science #Ornithology

We're holding two bird camps in England this year! They will be in Lancashire, 1-3 May, and Dorset, 17-19 July. Apply now for a free space ➡️ www.bto.org/birdcamps

Image of an Arctic Skua with wording at the bottom that reads: New Study. Global population status of the migratory Holarctic species Arctic Skua. www.bto.org/Arctic-Skua-Populations. BTO logo top right.

1/ Arctic Skuas are on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. But new BTO-led research reveals just how much we don’t know about their numbers globally. Discover more. ⬇️ #Ornithology #Seabirds

📖 www.bto.org/Arctic-Skua-...

Corn Bunting’s status in Shropshire is “Uncommon resident (declining)”, with just 144 records submitted in 2023.

Records of winter flocks or singing males during the breeding season are very helpful, please share by adding them to BirdTrack, eBird or iRecord.

#ShropshireBirds

A collage of photos showing BTO Bird Camp activities, including a group of young people looking at plants, a young person drawing at a table, a young person looking through binoculars and a close-up of a caterpillar. In the middle is an orange circle with white wording that reads: Bird Camps 2026. The BTO Youth logo is above this.

Bird Camps are back! 🙌 Apply for a FREE place now ➡️ www.bto.org/birdcamps

If you’re a nature lover aged 11-17 (12-16 in Scotland) join us and fellow nature enthusiasts for a weekend of birding, exploring and nature-based activities. 🐦🦋 @scottishbirding.bsky.social

Graphic displays an image of an Arctic Skua by Edmund Fellowes/BTO and a map showing rough migration routes to their south American and west to south African coast wintering grounds. Caption reads: 'East or west? Tracking work from 2017-2020 by BTO staff provided the first evidence of Scottish breeding Arctic Skuas wintering off South America! Other individuals wintered along the western and southern African coast. #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social'

East or west? Tracking work from 2017-2020 by BTO staff provided the first evidence of Scottish breeding Arctic Skuas wintering off South America! Other individuals wintered along the western and southern African coast. #seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Underneath the headline 'WeBS Site Insight: Llyn Padrig, Anglesey’ is an image of a Greylag Goose flying, with a map of the site boundary and location within the UK. The WeBS logo is beneath with the text ‘ Join WeBS - Can you help count waterbirds here?’

Are you a birder in Wales who can count these small ponds on Anglesey, which haven’t been counted since 2011? If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at
app.bto.org/websonline/s...

#WeBSSiteInsight #YourWeBSJourney

Although BBS and the Winter Bird Survey are not really about monitoring rare birds, this proves that rare birds do sometimes find their way onto the randomly selected squares of the surveys (well, in this case, almost anyway!) @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

A fuzzy image of a Killdeer sat on grass

A fuzzy image of a Killdeer sat on grass

Went to do my January WINBS @bbs-birds.bsky.social visit today and this Killdeer was just outside my square (about 250m!). Still, hundreds of Rook and Stock Dove made up for it a bit. Rubbish record shots with both my scope and camera!
@hosbirding.bsky.social
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
#UKbirding

Thanks so much for surveying that square for the Winter Bird Survey Mick. It is very much appreciated! I am rather envious about the Kildeer. If I was down at my mum's in Upton at the moment, I would definitely go and see it! David W, BBS Team.

UK Butterfly Recorders' Meeting Butterfly Conservation holds an annual meeting for butterfly recorders in the UK.  These meetings provide a great opportunity to hear about progress with the Butterflies for the New Millennium (BNM)…

Save the date! Join us on Sat 28th March 2026 for the UK Butterfly Recorders meeting.

This free event is open to anyone intersted in butterfly monitoring. We'll present the 2025 UKBMS results, update on other monitoring schemes and talks about butterfly ecology.

A Robin perches on a leafless twig with its bill wide open as it sings. Its red breast and brown upperparts are clearly visible.

Did you know that by submitting your garden wildlife sightings regularly to BTO Garden BirdWatch, you are directly contributing towards research which looks into the year-round importance of gardens for wildlife. 🪶

Discover more at www.bto.org/get-involved...

📷Philip Croft / BTO

(3/) More encouragingly, this species increased across the UK by 38% between 2013 and 2023. This species is currently doing well in some parts of Scotland, for example. Find out more about this species on our BirdFacts page: www.bto.org/learn/about-...

(2/) The BBS trend for this species, which covers the period between 1995 and 2023, shows a 16% decline.

(1/) Corn Bunting, with its song that sounds to some like a set of keys being jangled, declined by 83% across the UK between 1967 and 2023. However, in more recent years, this species has increased, especially in certain areas. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

A Little Egret in flight showing its white plumage, black bill and legs, and yellow feet. Wording below reads: New Study. Producing breeding population estimates to monitor Little Egret trends. BTO logo is top right of the image.

1/🧵 New BTO-led research sheds light on the number and range of Little Egrets with population estimates higher than previously thought – likely exceeding 2,000 pairs in the UK! 🙌 #Ornithology @britishbirds.bsky.social

📖 www.bto.org/little-egret...

(4/) If you would like to find out where there are vacant BBS squares near you, wherever you live in the UK, please either follow this link: app.bto.org/bbs/publ... If you have any questions about the survey, please email us on: bbs@bto.org.