Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) 2018

Monitoring breeding seabird numbers and assessing ‘productivity’ (young raised per pair) for selected species.  Ability to ID <10 seabird species.

Level of experience required: Very little, though a ‘head for heights’ is needed as most colonies are on cliffs.
Location:  Coastal stretches, sea cliffs or near-shore islands in your area
Equipment required: Binoculars sufficient for most observations, though a telescope handy at larger sites, notebook
Timing: Black Guillemots: April 2018; other species May-July (mid August if Fulmar breeding success is being monitored)
Time requirement: between 2 and 4 visits, April, late May to mid August
Data submission: Hard copy or online
Most common species:  Black Guillemot, Fulmar, Shag, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, 

For more information, contact Dr. Stephen Newton, snewton@birdwatchireland.ie

 Black Guillemot Survey 2018

A component of the 4th National Seabird Census in Ireland

Level of experience required: Ability to identify Black Guillemots in suitable habitat

Equipment needed: Binoculars, Survey recording form and maps (provided)                                     

Timing: Dawn to 09:30hrs before 15th May 

 Location: Sites around the coast, allocated nationally upon request 

 Confusion species: Common guillemot, Razorbill     

 For information on volunteering, please contact Darren Ellis: dellis@birdwatchireland     OR

      Choose a survey site from the map here:            Black Guillemot Survey Sites

                               And:                                            Register your interest by clicking here                               

Garden Bird Survey (GBS):  VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED 

Survey of birds occuring in Irish gardens in winter

Location: Your garden
Equipment required: Binoculars, notebook, Garden Bird Survey form
Timing: December to February

Time requirement: Your choice, 10 minutes to 10 hours
Details required: Peak count each species that you can identify in each week
Data submission: Hard copy or online

Most common species: Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch

Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS): BIRD IDENTIFICATION SKILLS

Status of Ireland's wintering waterbird populations and their wetlands
Level of experience required: Ability to identify and count waterbirds (swans, geese, ducks, waders, gulls)
Location: Wetlands in your area
Equipment required: Binoculars, telescope for large wetlands, notebook
Timing: September - March
Time requirement: 1 visits to each wetland each month, especially January, each takes no more than 3 hrs
                                         Details required: Counts of birds on wetlands
Data submission: Hard copy or online
Most common species: Wigeon, Teal, Light-bellied Brent Goose, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull

Late Nesters Survey

Level of Experience Required: Ability to identify some common species by sight and sound

Location: Nationwide

Equipment required: None

Timing: August - September

Time Requirement: Your choice

Details required: Details of nesting activity of late nesting birds (nesting during August-September)

Post-breeding Tern flock survey

Level of Experience Required: Ability to count/estimate sometimes large numbers of Terns

Location: Coastal sites nationwide

Equipment Required: Binoculars, telescope at some sites

Timing: evenings in August and September

Time Requirement: Your choice

Details Required: Number in flock and species present, at minimum. See form for other details.

Swift Surveys: very little experience required

 
Level of experience required: Ability to identify Swifts by sight and sound
Location: Anywhere
Equipment required: None
Timing: May, June & July
Time requirement: Your choice
Details required: Sightings of swifts and details on nest sites.

2018 River Birds in Built Structures Survey (very little experience required)

Level of experience required: All abilities
Location: Your local rivers, canals and lakeland sites
Equipment required: None
Timing: Spring and Summer
Time requirement: Casual observation

                                          Details required: Records of birds observed nesting in man-made structures
                                          Data submission: Online 

European Breeding Bird Atlas (EBBA2)

An ambitious project to map the distribution of more than 500 species breeding across Europe. Please check the map at the link here to see what species haven't yet been recorded in your local area.

                            Location: Europe
                            Timing: Breeding season 2013-2017
                            Details required: Records of breeding birds 
                            Data submission: BirdTrack   

Dublin City Urban Birds Project: (very little experience required)

Level of experience required: ability to identify a number of common urban bird species
Location: Dublin city
Equipment needed: None
Timing: All year
Time requirement: Your choice
Details required: sightings of urban species

BirdTrack: (very little experience required)
The online bird recording system that increases the personal, local and national value of your sightings
Level of experience required: All abilities
Location: Your local birdwatching sites
Equipment required: Binoculars recommended, notebook
Timing: Year-round
Time requirement: As much or as little as you can give
Details required: Records of birds seen and heard
Data submission: Online 

Spring Alive:  (very little experience required)
Track the arrival of spring every year
Level of experience required: ability to identify calls and individuals of Swallow, Swift and Cuckoo
Location: Anywhere
Equipment required: None
Timing: March & April
Time requirement: Your choice

Details required: First sightings of Swallow, Swift and Cuckoo

Countryside Bird Survey (CBS): (bird ID skills required - sight & calls)
Status of Ireland's common and widespread breeding bird populations
Level of experience required: Identification all common and widespread birds by sight and sound.
Location: Various
Equipment required: Binoculars, CBS recording sheet
Timing: April - June
Time requirement: 2 visits, each taking roughly 1 - 2 hours
Details required: Records of birds seen and heard while walking two parallel transects, each 1km long
Data submission: Hard copy or online
Most common species: Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch

Breeding Curlew Survey:
Status of Ireland's breeding Curlew populations 

Level of experience required: Ability to identify Curlew and note behaviours
Location: Boglands, grasslands, rushy pastures, wetlands and other open habitats nationwide. 
Timing: April - July
Details required: Sightings of potentially breeding Curlew

Data submission: Please contact Dr. Anita Donaghy with any breeding Curlew records - adonaghy@birdwatchireland.ie

Click here for further details about other bird surveys in Ireland