Research in Breckland

 

The BTO’s headquarters in Thetford are situated in an area of fascinating wildlife habitat, notably including the indigenous sandy, stony heath that gives the Breckland area its name and the largest lowland pine forest in Britain in the plantations that make up Thetford Forest. We have keen scientific interests in these habitats, conducting a range of specific research projects and making use of the ecological resources they provide to run trials and ongoing local examples of our national monitoring schemes. We have also used various “standard” habitats in the wider local area, such as arable farmland, as study locations for work on issues of national relevance. The range of work cuts across, or is relevant to, all of the BTO’s strategic themes (except for Wetland and Marine).

The BTO’s location and specific research expertise make us ideally suited to forming a hub for monitoring and researching local biodiversity. Moreover, as well as our well-known skills and experience in bird research, we have a growing interest and many staff skilled in studying other taxa, such as bats, butterflies, moths, spiders, hedgehogs and small mammals. To complement this expertise, we have strong, ongoing research partnerships and collaborations with the University of East Anglia, Ministry of Defence, East Anglia District Forest Bird Group and numerous local landowners.

Key subject areas for research in Breckland include:

  • Autecology of local specialists (e.g. woodlark, firecrest, tree pipit, stonechat and nightjar)
  • Effects of plantation forest management on birds and other wildlife, including non-SPA designated species.
  • Effects of deer browsing on woodland ecology
  • Identities and effects of nest predators on woodland and forest birds (including woodlark, nightjar and Phylloscopus warblers)
  • Effects of light pollution on wildlife
  • Bird use of the forest-farmland interface and how the habitats affect one another, with particular reference to Yellowhammers
  • The ecology of long-distance migrants (e.g. nightingale and garden warbler)

Ongoing and planned monitoring programmes include:

  • Periodic surveys of populations of all local forest and heath birds
  • Intensive local nest recording in all habitats, focusing on open-nesting species
  • Constant Effort Sites for monitoring local breeding birds
  • A network of winter ringing sites monitoring local movements
  • Co-ordination of local voluntary bird ringing activity by the Thetford Forest Ringing Group
  • Integrated biodiversity study plots
  • Integrated population monitoring plots
  • Re-trapping Adults for Survival studies of several species

We also use Breckland as resource for training volunteers in survey and research techniques, as well as to conduct trials of new technologies that we subsequently apply more widely. Recent examples of the latter include iButton temperature sensors, geolocators and Global Positioning System tags.

For further information about the BTO’s work in Breckland, please contact Ian Henderson ian.henderson [at] bto.org or Gavin Siriwardena gavin.siriwardena [at] bto.org.
 

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