Recording Offshore
Whilst we are primarily a bird Club, we are also interested in all wildlife sightings offshore. Our database has records of cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales) fish, turtles and many insects (flies, dragonflies, moths and butterflies) and even bats!
For more details on non-bird records offshore please take a look at our non-avian page.
Bird Records
- We would prefer the use of our online recording form. Alternatively you can be download as a word or pdf document.
- Please fill in as much detail as possible as shown on the example below. Try to be as accurate in counts as possible. "A few" means different things to different people! Weather is important too.
- Accuracy! Do not worry if you cannot identify everything- simply make a guess using field guides etc. but fill in the "U" for uncertain column. Send a brief description if you can to aid a positive identification.
- Timed sea watches are very helpful. If you have 30/45 minutes to watch then try to count/estimate all birds moving during that time period. This can be very useful to compare days or different locations on the same day.
Rare Birds
- Almost half of all species seen offshore are defined by the Club as "rare".
- This is because either very few have been seen over the 20+ years of recording (Mute Swan, Yellow-browed Warbler) or because there is the possibility of confusion with similar species (Raven/Crow, Twite/Linnet, Tawny Owl).
- Take a look at our pages on Rare, Ringed and Dead birds to see details of which species require descriptions and also examples of good and poor descriptions.
Ringed Birds
All dead birds found offshore should be checked for rings. Many birds in Britain and Europe are ringed each year with metal and/or colour rings which carry a specific inscription - usually a combination of numbers and letters. Pigeon rings are not required.
If the corpse can be sent in, please do so. (See below). If not, simply write down all the details inscribed on the ring and send to the Recorder. Note the position of any rings (left/right leg, below/above knee joint) and for colours, the combination (e.g. left leg - yellow over blue).
Dead, Sick and Injured Birds
We do not have the facility here to care for sick birds. Sending sick birds ashore should be arranged with the helicopter firm and the RSPCA or SSPCA.
We are keen to receive the corpses of all dead birds - almost regardless of their state! Full details of time, date, place of recovery with weather conditions should be provided where possible.
For more information on sending sick birds and corpses ashore, see our Rare, Ringed, Sick and Dead page.
Photographs
We are receiving an increasing number of photographs (mainly digital) from offshore and we are very pleased to receive these as they can be used in our publications and to aid identification. Please post or e-mail images to the Recorder with as much detail regarding time, date and location as possible.