Written by Fiona Torrance, Farmland Biodiversity Advisor, GWCT Scotland
This year, the Big Farmland Bird Count takes place between 6-22 February, and we’re hoping that it’s the best turnout yet! Each year, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust run the BFBC, allowing farmers, land managers and others to record birds that they see on their farm. This not only allows participants to get an understanding of some of the species that are present, but also highlights the great work that farmers do to benefit biodiversity across the UK.
The BFBC has been designed to allow observers to easily record birds that they see during the survey. Each session lasts just 30 minutes and can be carried out at any location, though we recommend there is a habitat feature such as a bird seed mix or hedge nearby to increase what you see. Ideally, surveys should be done at first light, but it’s more important that you take part so can be done anytime during daylight if this is a struggle. For more information including ID guides, count sheets and other hints and tips, please see the Big Farmland Bird Count website.
In order to support Scottish participants taking part, the GWCT will be running two free bird ID sessions. These workshops will provide you with the skills required to identify birds you may encounter during the count and how to record them, and will be followed by a short walk to practice your new skills. Further information on these can be found on our event page.
This year, the BFBC will be utilising a new app, helping farmers to collate their information and submit them with minimal effort. The PerdixPro FieldBook app (Apple App Store or Google Play Store) will allow counters to both record birds they see, and submit them directly to GWCT. Participants can either use the app to record birds as they spot them or record their observations via paper during the survey, and submit them via app afterwards. Alternatively, participants also have the option to send their paper records to GWCT via post. More information on submitting your records can be found here.