The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is the primary scheme for monitoring waterbirds in the UK. However, some species and habitats are not well covered by WeBS and so specialised surveys have been organised to compensate. Typically, these surveys are targeted at particular species or locations not visited routinely or commonly neglected. Surveys of this type in which the Wetland & Coastal Ecology Unit is involved are listed below.

Carmarthen Bay SPA Common Scoter Survey (2002/03 to present)

This Special Protection Area (SPA) is a marine site holding internationally important numbers of wintering Common Scoter, a seaduck found in sheltered offshore waters, and requires regular monitoring. During the months November - February, a programme of counts from the land, alongside special aerial surveys, aims to ensure that information on Common Scoter numbers is regularly updated. The work is funded by Countryside Council for Wales. Publications

Dispersed Waterbird (DWS) (periodic; latest 2002/03)

The DWS was a special WeBS survey that used a stratified sampling approach to generate population estimates for widely distributed non-breeding species that may be underestimated in WeBS counts of major wetland sites. Revised GB estimates for species such as Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Teal and Mallard were far in excess of published estimates, suggesting that counts of birds dispersed across poorly surveyed habitats can substantially increase estimates of abundance. Publications

Naturalised Goose Survey (2000)

The Naturalised Goose Survey used a stratified approach to determine by how much the breeding populations of Greater Canada and re-established Greylag Geese had increased between 1988-91 and 2000. Since the 1988-91 survey, Greater Canada Geese have increased by 166% and Greylag Geese by 170%, an average per annum rate of increase of 9.3% for Greater Canada Geese and 9.4% for Greylag Geese. There has been no obvious decline in the rate of growth of these birds since the 1950s. Publications

Non-Estuarine & Coastal Waterbird Survey (NEWS) (periodic; latest 2006/07)

Some coasts in the UK, especially rocky shores, are poorly covered by WeBS, and periodic NEWS surveys aim to provide information on species overlooked. Target species include Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone. NEWS is now a stratified survey that produces more complete estimates of waders and coastal wildfowl. NEWS has also been extended to areas of continental Europe. Publications

Sawbill Survey (1997)

Riverine habitats supporting nesting Goosanders and Red-breasted Mergansers were targeted in this survey, which aimed to assess changes in abundance and distribution in breeding populations of these species. Publications

Winter Gull Roost Survey (WinGS) (10-yearly; latest 2003/04 - 2005/06)

WinGS is a long-running UK-wide BTO survey designed to census winter gull numbers at roost sites. The survey has expanded recently to include stratified sampling of inland habitat and coastline away from known roosts. This technique enables more complete estimates of wintering gull numbers to be produced. Accurate population estimates can be used to inform conservation of gulls and to examine change over time in gull numbers in response to environmental factors. Publications

References

Common Scoters

Banks, A.N., Bolt, D., Bullock, I., Haycock, B., Musgrove, A., Newson, S., Fairney, N., Sanderson, W., Schofield, R., Smith, L., Taylor, R. & Whitehead, S. (2004). Ground and aerial monitoring protocols for in shore Special Protection Areas. CCW Marine Monitoring Report No: 11, 89pp.

Banks, A.N. et al. In prep. Decline and recovery of Common Scoter Melanitta nigra numbers in Carmarthen Bay: ten years after the Sea Empress oil spill.

Dispersed Waterbird Survey

Jackson, S. F., Austin, G. E. & Armitage, M. J. S. (2006) Surveying waterbirds away from major waterbodies: implications for waterbird population estimates in Great Britain. Bird Study 53, 105-111.

Naturalised Goose Survey

Austin, G.E., Rehfisch, M.M., Allan, J.R. & Holloway, S.J. In press. Population size and differential population growth of introduced Greater Canada Branta canadensis and re-established Greylag Goose Anser anser across habitats in Great Britain in the year 2000. Bird Study.

Rehfisch, M.M., Austin, G.E., Holloway, S.J., Allan, J.R. & O’Connell, M. (2002). An approach to the assessment of change in the numbers of Canada Branta canadensis and Greylag Geese Anser anser in Southern Britain. Bird Study, 49, 50-59.

Non-Estuarine & Coastal Waterbird Survey

Holloway, S.J., Burton, N.H.K. & Rehfisch, M.M. (2006). The European Non-Estuarine Coastal Waterbird Survey. Waterbirds Around the World. Eds. G.C.Boere, C.A. Galbraith & D.A. Stroud. The Stationery Office, Edinburgh, UK. pp. 364-365

Rehfisch, M.M., Holloway, S.J. & Austin, G.E. (2003) Population estimates of waders on the non-estuarine coasts of the UK and Isle of Man during the winter of 1997-98. Bird Study, 50, 22-32.

Sawbill Survey

Armitage, M.J.S., Rehfisch, M.M. & Wernham, C.V. (1997) The 1997 Breeding Sawbill Survey. BTO Research Report 193. BTO, Thetford.

Winter Gull Roost Survey

Banks et al. In prep. Indexing winter gull populations in the UK: an analysis of data from the 1953 to 2004 Winter Gull Roost Surveys.

Banks, A.N. et al. (2006) Winter gulls in the UK: population estimates from the 2003/04 - 2005/06 Winter Gull Roost Survey. BTO Research Report 456.

Burton, N.H.K., Banks, A.N., Calladine, J.R., Austin, G.E., Armitage, M.J.S. & Holloway, S.J. (2005) Indexing winter gull populations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: an analysis of data from the 1953 to 2004 Winter Gull Roost Surveys. BTO Research Report No. 380. BTO, Thetford.

Burton, N.H.K., Musgrove, A.J., Rehfisch, M.M., Sutcliffe, A. & Waters, R. (2003) Numbers of wintering gulls in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man: a review of the 1993 and previous Winter Gull Roost Surveys. British Birds, 96, 376-401.