Breeding Bird Surveys for six upland SSSIs in Yorkshire, Cumbria and County Durham

The objective of this project is to survey all bird species potentially nesting in open moorland habitats within the six SSSIs and to estimate the numbers of each breeding species within the sites. It is not necessary to survey for Merlin. All open moorland habitats within the SSSIs will be surveyed (see Appendix D for maps showing the site boundaries). The survey method to be used is that devised by Brown and Shepherd (1993, Bird Study 40: 189-195) and is outlined later in this specification under the section entitled Brown and Shepherd (1993) method. This requires two visits over the total moorland area, with the first visit in early April to mid-May and the second in mid-May to late June. Surveys should be carried out by observers with experience of the behaviour, calls and songs of upland birds. On each visit, the location and activities of all upland breeding birds (with the exception of Red Grouse, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Carrion Crow) should be recorded using a GIS system (ARC compatible). Estimates of the numbers of breeding pairs are derived from both visit maps. The map for the first visit should include a total count for each 1km square of Red Grouse, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Carrion Crows.