The 2003/04 Winter Gull Roost Survey (WinGS)

 The CBC Council, at their meeting in April, agreed to promote this national survey, particularly as the information that is gathered will be fed back for use in the County Bird Report.

This, the sixth national Winter Gull Roost Survey, is being carried out by the BTO, with support from a number of national agencies. In addition to covering all known major roost sites within the county, it is hoped to recruit volunteers to adopt randomly selected inland tetrads or a short (1-2 km) stretch of coastline, as the output from this will enable total population estimates of wintering gulls to be produced for the first time.

Key roost sites require a single visit in January, although volunteers are encouraged to carry out supplementary counts between September and March. Inland tetrads and coastline stretches only require a single visit in January, although a reconnaissance visit may be necessary for volunteers unfamiliar with the area.

There have already been preliminary discussions in the north of the county concerning the logistics of this survey and we have concluded that at least 8 observers will be required for a co-ordinated count of all the main flight lines feeding into the Solway (including Moricambe Bay), with additional observers for the Irt Estuary, the coastal harbours, Ullswater, Bassenthwaite, Over Water, Derwent Water, Mockerkin Tarn, Ullswater, Haweswater / Wet Sleddale, Talkin Tarn and Tindale Tarn. Similar considerations are likely to apply in the south of the county. 

If you are interested in taking part, or have suggestions for counting areas which are not highlighted above, then please get in touch with your BTO Regional Representative (Clive Hartley, Stephen Dunstan) or with Mike Carrier or Dave Shackleton, who are also involved in helping to organise this important and potentially very interesting winter project.

 Clive Hartley