Greater Manchester, contrary to popular belief, is infact rich in bird life and supports a wide variety of habitats, enjoying a mild climate attractive to many wintering birds. On average, around 200 species are recorded each year and the total number recorded in the county currently stands at 305.
It is VERY important that observers further the knowledge of the avifauna of the county and help conservation by contributing their records for the annual County Bird Report and this page is intended to assist observers in doing just that! Recent planning developments like the Greater Manchester Spacial Framework proposes to build on the county's green belt land and it is those bird records submitted to the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group which are utilised in official objections to such proposals.
Please use the tabs to open the various selections
It is VERY important that observers further the knowledge of the avifauna of the county and help conservation by contributing their records for the annual County Bird Report and this page is intended to assist observers in doing just that! Recent planning developments like the Greater Manchester Spacial Framework proposes to build on the county's green belt land and it is those bird records submitted to the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group which are utilised in official objections to such proposals.
Please use the tabs to open the various selections
TO SUBMIT YOUR COUNTY BIRD RECORDS TO THE GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD RECORDING GROUP
YOUR BIRD RECORDS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO US!
We (the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group), urge all observers in the county to submit their records to us on a monthly or annual basis. Your records will not only then go into the county's definitive bird records database and be utilised in the annual county bird report (where you will rightly be acknowledged for your contribution) but perhaps more importantly they will be used in important conservation issues throughout the county.
There are three main methods of submitting your records to us:
1. MapMate recording software. This is the GMBRG's preferred method of submission.
The recent invitation (here) extended to Greater Manchester birders to join the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group (hereafter referred to as GMBRG) stated that one of the key aims of the group is to increase the submission of bird records from observers within the county. Your records are incredibly valuable to us and as such we are pleased to announce that members will be eligible to purchase a copy of MapMate biological recording software at a special discounted price of £25.00 (this is on the assumption that a minimum of 10 people wish to take up the offer, normal price £32).
MapMate has many advantages for both the individual birder and the GMBRG and we see it as a major step forward in making the recording and submission of bird records more efficient for county birders. Your records are essential to us for many reasons but none more so than the protection of county sites and bird species for which they are continuously being used. Sightings placed on the Manchester Birding forum are not utilized in any formal recording capacity and we would dearly like to see those users of the forum not already actively involved in submitting their records start to do so and see MapMate as an easy and enjoyable option for all birders regardless of experience or ability. Similarly, those birders who already submit their records via previous methods should find MapMate a very advantageous and exciting product indeed.
It is important to point out at this stage that all other previous methods of record submission will continue to be accepted and that MapMate is an option, not an essential requirement.
The benefits of MapMate recording software are:
2. Excel Spreadsheet
Birders may also utilise the Excel spreadsheet available below to record their bird sightings as these can then be incorporated into the county database. The spreadsheet has a list of sites and observers attached to it.
YOUR BIRD RECORDS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO US!
We (the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group), urge all observers in the county to submit their records to us on a monthly or annual basis. Your records will not only then go into the county's definitive bird records database and be utilised in the annual county bird report (where you will rightly be acknowledged for your contribution) but perhaps more importantly they will be used in important conservation issues throughout the county.
There are three main methods of submitting your records to us:
1. MapMate recording software. This is the GMBRG's preferred method of submission.
The recent invitation (here) extended to Greater Manchester birders to join the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group (hereafter referred to as GMBRG) stated that one of the key aims of the group is to increase the submission of bird records from observers within the county. Your records are incredibly valuable to us and as such we are pleased to announce that members will be eligible to purchase a copy of MapMate biological recording software at a special discounted price of £25.00 (this is on the assumption that a minimum of 10 people wish to take up the offer, normal price £32).
MapMate has many advantages for both the individual birder and the GMBRG and we see it as a major step forward in making the recording and submission of bird records more efficient for county birders. Your records are essential to us for many reasons but none more so than the protection of county sites and bird species for which they are continuously being used. Sightings placed on the Manchester Birding forum are not utilized in any formal recording capacity and we would dearly like to see those users of the forum not already actively involved in submitting their records start to do so and see MapMate as an easy and enjoyable option for all birders regardless of experience or ability. Similarly, those birders who already submit their records via previous methods should find MapMate a very advantageous and exciting product indeed.
It is important to point out at this stage that all other previous methods of record submission will continue to be accepted and that MapMate is an option, not an essential requirement.
The benefits of MapMate recording software are:
- It is relatively easy to set up and use and a special free of charge training session will be run for GMBRG members. Ongoing technical support will be offered via the Manchester Birding forum, offering direct access to experienced users of the software. You certainly don’t have to be an IT wizard to use it.
- It allows you to create your own personal database of records which you will be able to refer to for years to come and see the changes taking place in your local bird populations. So the next time you want to find out your earliest date for Swallow, or your largest flock of Fieldfare, the answers will be accessible with a few clicks of the mouse.
- All users will be supplied with a complete set of their personal records currently held in the GMBRG database. For some people this could run into hundreds of records. You’ll be able to see which important records are currently missing and add these in yourself.
- All the major sites in Greater Manchester, plus a detailed list of sites for your borough, will be supplied on a file by the GMBRG, so there will be no need to spend time setting up sites.
- Standard queries within the software will allow you to generate a life list, or year list, for a site, borough, or the county.
- If you birdwatch regularly at a particular site you will be able to exchange your records with other birders who watch the same site and are also using MapMate. So you will all have access to the site records. You could even volunteer to enter other birders’ records for them, so ensuring the site records are as comprehensive as possible.
- MapMate covers the whole of the UK so wherever you go birding you’ll be able to enter your records and generate your lists.
- If you are interested in flora and other fauna groups you can record these as well and submit your records to the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit / GM Local Record Centre for use in species conservation and site protection.
- MapMate recording software allows you to create maps pinpointing the locations of any species you have seen, both in Greater Manchester and throughout the UK. Want to be able to see where all your sightings of Whimbrel have been in the county or perhaps the distribution of all your Buzzards? MapMate can easily generate these with its atlas wizard.
- GMBRG will maintain a secure back up of your records, so if your computer suffers a hard drive failure or is stolen, you’ll be able to get all your records back!
- After the first year of using MapMate there is an annual licence fee of £11.00 to be paid but dependant on how many county birders purchase the software the GMBRG will look towards funding this annual fee for all users.
2. Excel Spreadsheet
Birders may also utilise the Excel spreadsheet available below to record their bird sightings as these can then be incorporated into the county database. The spreadsheet has a list of sites and observers attached to it.
| GMBRG Excel Bird Recording File |
3. RODIS on-line record submission
Click on the image below to find more details.
Click on the image below to find more details.
4. Typed (Word document) or handwritten records
We appreciate that not all birders may have access to a computer or may be willing to use either MapMate or the Excel file and with this in mind, we still welcome records to be submitted on a Word document or hand written.
Such records have to be manually inputted into the database by one of the county recorders though and as I'm sure you can appreciate, the receipt of large quantities of records in this way is incredibly time consuming for those who input the data.
Whatever method of record submission you use though, please aim to send your records to the County Recorder as soon as possible after the year end and certainly before the end of March.
We appreciate that not all birders may have access to a computer or may be willing to use either MapMate or the Excel file and with this in mind, we still welcome records to be submitted on a Word document or hand written.
Such records have to be manually inputted into the database by one of the county recorders though and as I'm sure you can appreciate, the receipt of large quantities of records in this way is incredibly time consuming for those who input the data.
Whatever method of record submission you use though, please aim to send your records to the County Recorder as soon as possible after the year end and certainly before the end of March.
TO SUBMIT A COUNTY OR NATIONAL RARITY
See also under the 'guidelines' tab
A rarity report form to use when submitting county rarities can be found on the file download below:
See also under the 'guidelines' tab
A rarity report form to use when submitting county rarities can be found on the file download below:
| GREATER MANCHESTER RARITY REPORT FORM |
CURRENT RARITIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS
(with effect from November 2015)
Rob Adderley
Andy Isherwood
Pete Hines
Ian McKerchar (Chairman)
John Rayner
Gulls Sub-committee members:
Rob Adderley
Dave Broome
Ian McKerchar
COUNTY RARITY LIST
The following (non BBRC) species and sub-species are county rarities and require a description to be provided to the County Rarities Committee (as of 01.01.17).
Bewick’s Swan; Bean Goose; Brent Goose; White-fronted Goose; American Wigeon; Green-winged Teal; Ring-necked Duck; Lesser Scaup; Long-tailed Duck; Eider; Velvet Scoter; Surf Scoter; Smew; Black Grouse; Quail (non-calling birds); all Divers; Red-necked Grebe; Slavonian Grebe; Fulmar; all shearwater species; Wilson's Petrel; Storm Petrel; Leach's Petrel; Gannet; Shag; Night Heron; Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Purple Heron; Spoonbill; Honey Buzzard; Black Kite; Red Kite; Montagu's Harrier; Goshawk; Rough-legged Buzzard; Red-footed Falcon; Spotted Crake; Corncrake; Common Crane; Stone Curlew; Kentish Plover; Dotterel; American Golden Plover; Black-winged Stilt; Little Stint; Temminck's Stint; Curlew Sandpiper; White-rumped Sandpiper; Pectoral Sandpiper; Purple Sandpiper; Buff-breasted Sandpiper; Red-necked Phalarope; Grey Phalarope; all skua species; Sabine's Gull; Ring-billed Gull; Caspian Gull; Yellow-legged Gull; Roseate Tern; White-winged Black Tern; all auk species; Turtle Dove; Nightjar; Alpine Swift; Bee-eater; Hoopoe; Wryneck; Woodlark; Shore Lark; Red-rumped Swallow; Richard's Pipit; Olive-backed Pipit; Water Pipit; Citrine Wagtail; Nightingale; Bluethroat; Red-flanked Bluetail; Barred Warbler; Cetti's Warbler; Blyth's Reed Warbler; Marsh Warbler; Dartford Warbler; Subalpine Warbler; Icterine Warbler; Melodious Warbler; Greenish Warbler; Yellow-browed Warbler; Pallas's Warbler; Radde's Warbler; Dusky Warbler; Red-breasted Flycatcher; Bearded Tit; Marsh Tit; Penduline Tit; Golden Oriole; all shrike species; Chough; Hooded Crow; Rose-coloured Starling; Serin; Parrot Crossbill; Twite (usually lowland records only); Common (Mealy) Redpoll (except in influx years designated by the Assistant County Recorder for rarities); Arctic Redpoll; Coues's (Arctic) Redpoll; Common Rosefinch; Hawfinch; Lapland Bunting; Cirl Bunting; Ortolan Bunting; Little Bunting.
SUBSPECIES:
Iceland Gull- "Kumlien's Gull" L.g. kumlieni
Yellow Wagtail- all races other than flavissima and any purported hybrids.
Chiffchaff - all races other than P. collybita
If observers are in any doubt as to what constitutes a county or national rarity they should not hesitate to contact the County Recorder.
(with effect from November 2015)
Rob Adderley
Andy Isherwood
Pete Hines
Ian McKerchar (Chairman)
John Rayner
Gulls Sub-committee members:
Rob Adderley
Dave Broome
Ian McKerchar
COUNTY RARITY LIST
The following (non BBRC) species and sub-species are county rarities and require a description to be provided to the County Rarities Committee (as of 01.01.17).
Bewick’s Swan; Bean Goose; Brent Goose; White-fronted Goose; American Wigeon; Green-winged Teal; Ring-necked Duck; Lesser Scaup; Long-tailed Duck; Eider; Velvet Scoter; Surf Scoter; Smew; Black Grouse; Quail (non-calling birds); all Divers; Red-necked Grebe; Slavonian Grebe; Fulmar; all shearwater species; Wilson's Petrel; Storm Petrel; Leach's Petrel; Gannet; Shag; Night Heron; Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; Purple Heron; Spoonbill; Honey Buzzard; Black Kite; Red Kite; Montagu's Harrier; Goshawk; Rough-legged Buzzard; Red-footed Falcon; Spotted Crake; Corncrake; Common Crane; Stone Curlew; Kentish Plover; Dotterel; American Golden Plover; Black-winged Stilt; Little Stint; Temminck's Stint; Curlew Sandpiper; White-rumped Sandpiper; Pectoral Sandpiper; Purple Sandpiper; Buff-breasted Sandpiper; Red-necked Phalarope; Grey Phalarope; all skua species; Sabine's Gull; Ring-billed Gull; Caspian Gull; Yellow-legged Gull; Roseate Tern; White-winged Black Tern; all auk species; Turtle Dove; Nightjar; Alpine Swift; Bee-eater; Hoopoe; Wryneck; Woodlark; Shore Lark; Red-rumped Swallow; Richard's Pipit; Olive-backed Pipit; Water Pipit; Citrine Wagtail; Nightingale; Bluethroat; Red-flanked Bluetail; Barred Warbler; Cetti's Warbler; Blyth's Reed Warbler; Marsh Warbler; Dartford Warbler; Subalpine Warbler; Icterine Warbler; Melodious Warbler; Greenish Warbler; Yellow-browed Warbler; Pallas's Warbler; Radde's Warbler; Dusky Warbler; Red-breasted Flycatcher; Bearded Tit; Marsh Tit; Penduline Tit; Golden Oriole; all shrike species; Chough; Hooded Crow; Rose-coloured Starling; Serin; Parrot Crossbill; Twite (usually lowland records only); Common (Mealy) Redpoll (except in influx years designated by the Assistant County Recorder for rarities); Arctic Redpoll; Coues's (Arctic) Redpoll; Common Rosefinch; Hawfinch; Lapland Bunting; Cirl Bunting; Ortolan Bunting; Little Bunting.
SUBSPECIES:
Iceland Gull- "Kumlien's Gull" L.g. kumlieni
Yellow Wagtail- all races other than flavissima and any purported hybrids.
Chiffchaff - all races other than P. collybita
If observers are in any doubt as to what constitutes a county or national rarity they should not hesitate to contact the County Recorder.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING COUNTY OR NATIONAL RARITIES
The County Rarities Committee urges all serious observers, however experienced, to complete rarity forms so that a truly scientific record can be maintained of the county’s avifauna. Observers finding a national or county rarity should take a description in writing and if possible obtain a photograph and find another competent observer to confirm the identification. When submitting a rarity description, observers should include as much possible detail, taken from field notes (which should ideally be included in the submission), bearing in mind that the Rarities Committee can only assess the submission from the information provided by the observer. Line drawings are always useful and greatly appreciated by the committee, no matter how poor the artist perceives them, and can often provide great clarity to the overall submission.
The County Rarities Committee urges all serious observers, however experienced, to complete rarity forms so that a truly scientific record can be maintained of the county’s avifauna. Observers finding a national or county rarity should take a description in writing and if possible obtain a photograph and find another competent observer to confirm the identification. When submitting a rarity description, observers should include as much possible detail, taken from field notes (which should ideally be included in the submission), bearing in mind that the Rarities Committee can only assess the submission from the information provided by the observer. Line drawings are always useful and greatly appreciated by the committee, no matter how poor the artist perceives them, and can often provide great clarity to the overall submission.
Example of actual field notes (Short-toed Lark in Cornwall, October 2009, Ian McKerchar)
The use of digital photographs is increasing dramatically and whilst we would encourage the use of photographs, especially as an addition to a submission, observers should still continue to obtain high quality field notes, even if the submission meets the criteria for assessment by photo only, as field notes may be invaluable in the event of a query. Digital photographs of any quality should be provided to the committee as an email attachment (not included within the text of an email or other document), preferably without any computer enhancement or touch-ups and of any file size bnut preferably as large as possible.
Conventional film photographs and professionally developed digital photographs should be included, preferably of atleast 6’x4’ size and home printed digital photographs are acceptable provided the print quality is of a sufficiently high standard. We would welcome observers requiring advise with any of the above processes to contact Ian McKerchar to discuss the matter.
Further information relating to how and why we should submit rarities can be found on the 'Articles' page of this website, under the 'miscellaneous' section.
Depending on the circumstances, of which the welfare of the bird is paramount at all times, with serious consideration given to access and possible habitat damage, the sighting may be reported to one of the commercial bird information services. Observers in any doubt should contact Ian McKerchar on 07958 687481 for advise.
All national rarities should be submitted initially to the County Bird Recorder, Ian McKerchar and NOT directly to BBRC, which enables me to make a copy of the submission and to iron out any queries before it is then forwarded to this very busy committee. This route for submissions is also that preferred and requested by BBRCNo county or national rarity will be accepted unless supported by a description, other than, in the case of an ‘on the nod’ decision of a county rarity, the finder is informed by the County Bird Recorder . All observers, however experienced, are required to submit descriptions: it would be invidious to make exceptions. It is imperative that observers complete the necessary rarity forms as it is universally accepted that only those records of rarities which are submitted in writing to the appropriate county or national committee will stand as authenticated observations, and can therefore be used for national statistics, conservation purposes etc. It is the function of the county bird report, in each ornithological recording county to maintain a definitive list of authenticated records. This list may of course contradict records received in clubs or site reports. Other records of unusual birds may, at the discretion of the County Rarities Committee require a description, and in any case, records of rarer, non-description species will only be accepted with an observer's name attached (i.e. mentions on site wardens' lists, birdline, magazines and pager reports will not be sufficient). In influx years, the requirement for a description may be suspended at short notice by the Committee. The committee may also ask for descriptions to be submitted for any other record, e.g. exceptionally early or late migrants, species seen away from normal habitats.
Conventional film photographs and professionally developed digital photographs should be included, preferably of atleast 6’x4’ size and home printed digital photographs are acceptable provided the print quality is of a sufficiently high standard. We would welcome observers requiring advise with any of the above processes to contact Ian McKerchar to discuss the matter.
Further information relating to how and why we should submit rarities can be found on the 'Articles' page of this website, under the 'miscellaneous' section.
Depending on the circumstances, of which the welfare of the bird is paramount at all times, with serious consideration given to access and possible habitat damage, the sighting may be reported to one of the commercial bird information services. Observers in any doubt should contact Ian McKerchar on 07958 687481 for advise.
All national rarities should be submitted initially to the County Bird Recorder, Ian McKerchar and NOT directly to BBRC, which enables me to make a copy of the submission and to iron out any queries before it is then forwarded to this very busy committee. This route for submissions is also that preferred and requested by BBRCNo county or national rarity will be accepted unless supported by a description, other than, in the case of an ‘on the nod’ decision of a county rarity, the finder is informed by the County Bird Recorder . All observers, however experienced, are required to submit descriptions: it would be invidious to make exceptions. It is imperative that observers complete the necessary rarity forms as it is universally accepted that only those records of rarities which are submitted in writing to the appropriate county or national committee will stand as authenticated observations, and can therefore be used for national statistics, conservation purposes etc. It is the function of the county bird report, in each ornithological recording county to maintain a definitive list of authenticated records. This list may of course contradict records received in clubs or site reports. Other records of unusual birds may, at the discretion of the County Rarities Committee require a description, and in any case, records of rarer, non-description species will only be accepted with an observer's name attached (i.e. mentions on site wardens' lists, birdline, magazines and pager reports will not be sufficient). In influx years, the requirement for a description may be suspended at short notice by the Committee. The committee may also ask for descriptions to be submitted for any other record, e.g. exceptionally early or late migrants, species seen away from normal habitats.
