Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS)

@bbs-birds.bsky.social

The UK Breeding Bird Survey & Waterways Breeding Bird Survey; monitoring bird species with skilled volunteers. A @btobirds.bsky.social, @jncc.bsky.social and @rspb.bsky.social partnership. https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/breeding-bird-survey

@btobirds.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 11:00 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

We've got some great opportunities to join us at BTO! Discover more and apply for our jobs and voluntary roles online at www.bto.org/jobs #Ornithology

A sideways view of a Puffin shows its white face, black body and brightly coloured orange-red bill. Wording alongside reads: We're hiring. Bird Atlas 2027-2031 Organiser, Research Ecologist, Field Surveyors, Youth Rep (Voluntary Role).

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 7:02 AM

(2/) Via our Bird Trends Explorer, you can find population trends for a variety of bird species covering not just the UK as a whole, but also the constituent countries: data.bto.org/trends_explo...

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 7:02 AM

(1/) The chattering Reed Warbler is frequently found along reed fringed waterways. It declined by 5% in this habitat 1999–2024. However, the BBS trend shows that this species is on the increase across the UK. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology

A Reed Warbler is shown. It is perched on a branch. It is a small brown warbler species with a pale chest.

@webs-gsmp.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 3:43 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

As the weather cools down, you might begin to see some more of our favourite feathered friends settling in for the autumn🍂🪶

Some are resident in the UK, while others migrate here for the winter, bringing a boost in numbers to some areas. Learn more at➡️ www.bto.org/birdfacts

#Ornithology #UKBirding

A photo of a green background with autumn leaves, with the title 'Autumn Arrivals!' and listing WeBS species with photographs of each bird: Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, Redshank, Dunlin, and Curlew

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 7:11 AM

(2/) If you would like to read some similar stories, including from members of our BTO Regional Network of volunteers who help us to coordinate surveys like BBS on a local level, take a look at our newly updated Volunteer Stories page: www.bto.org/get-involved...

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 7:11 AM

(1/) After we featured Gwyn William’s story last week, this week, it's the turn of Mike Gibson from North Yorkshire, who has also surveyed a BBS square each year since the survey began in 1994: www.bto.org/get-involved... @btobirds.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience

An image of BBS volunteer Mike Gibson. He is standing next to a tree.

@webs-gsmp.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 2:15 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

This weekend marks the first Icelandic-breeding Goose Census (IGC) count of the season! 🪿

GSMP volunteer counters will be out counting Pink-footed Geese and Icelandic Greylag Geese at their roosts across the UK 🔭

Find out more about taking part here ➡️ bit.ly/3VP9fZp

#Ornithology #UKBirding

A photo of a flock of pink-footed geese taking off from an arable field with the title 'Icelandic-breeding Goose Census' and a speech bubble saying 'October 10-11 2026!'

@smp-seabirds.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 8:51 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Fulmar - the highest recorded species in SMP for 2024, 2025, and 2026 (so far).
Young Fulmar don't return to breeding sites until they are four or five, and even then, don't breed until they're nine! #Seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

An image of a Fulmar with an accompanying fact file covering their wingspan (100-112cm), life expectancy for a bird reaching breeding age (44), diet (mainly fish but also crustaceans and squid), lays 1 egg, can be seen year round (though most frequently during the breeding season), and 350,000 breeding pairs.

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 7:11 AM

The Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) includes data from 44 countries, and a total of around 15,200 volunteers! This includes just under 3,000 BBS volunteers from across the UK. Find out more about the scheme: pecbms.info/update-on-th... @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social

An image of a Barn Swallow with a distintice forked tail is shown. The speech bubbles say: 'Data from 44 European Countries' & 'Contributions from 15,200 volunteers.'

@btobirds.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 5:00 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Cuckoo Bean is continuing to migrate south 🌎 Will his next move see him progressing into the lush jungles of Democratic Republic of Congo? #Ornithology

@lesserspotnet.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 10:11 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Congratulations to Rufus Dawson, for this well deserved BTO Award. He is one of our most active Woodpecker Network volunteers and his Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Lesser Spots in Gloucestershire and Avon is contributing greatly to our understanding of this elusive species.

@rspbscience.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 10:03 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Congratulations to Dr Will Peach, winner of The Marsh Award for Ornithology 2026. This award is in recognition of his incredible contribution to ornithology

Will Peach is Head of Conservation Science, England & Wales at RSPB

@btobirds.bsky.social @marshawards.bsky.social

📷Anthony Sajdler/BTO

Caption: Dr Will Peach (far right) being presented with The Marsh Award for Ornithology at London’s Mall Galleries yesterday evening. The event was co-hosted by the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) Natural Eye Exhibition.

Alt text: Seven people posed smiling while holding small awards, standing in front of banners and framed artwork.

Credit: Anthony Sajdler / BTO

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 7:32 AM

Congratulations to Breeding Bird Survey volunteer Dorian Moss for receiving the Jubilee Medal! It's fantastic to hear that he has completed 91 visits to the BBS squares that he has surveyed over the years. That is true dedication! @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social #Ornithology

@btoscotland.bsky.social Oct 1, 2026, 1:23 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Have you seen a ringed Ptarmigan? Volunteer ringers from Tay and Grampian Ringing Groups are now fitting small colour rings (under license) to Ptarmigan in the hills of Perthshire and Aberdeenshire. 1/3 #BirdingScotland

A Ptarmigan in the hand, about to be released after being fitted with a uniquely coded ring. Image: Jacob Davies

@ebcc.info Oct 1, 2026, 10:46 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

A new study using European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (EBBA2) data shows that selecting Europe’s 30% highest-priority terrestrial areas could protect 49% of species’ ranges and 63% of species’ populations. More: www.ebcc.info/using-ebba2-...

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 1, 2026, 7:18 AM

(2/) If you would like a small reminder of summer, visit our BirdFacts page about Sedge Warbler and listen to its excitable and varied song! It can be found in the ‘Songs and Calls’ section of the page: www.bto.org/learn/about-...

@bbs-birds.bsky.social Oct 1, 2026, 7:18 AM

(1/) The next three Waterways Breeding Bird Survey trends that we are going to share are all summer migrant species. Think of them as a throwback to summer! Sedge Warbler dropped in numbers by almost half over the last quarter of a century along waterways. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social

A Sedge Warbler is shown. It is a small, streaky warbler species with a distictictive pale eye stripe. It is perched on a Reed Stem.

@btobirds.bsky.social Sep 30, 2026, 1:56 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

⭐ Exciting opportunity! Volunteer with BTO Youth and join the Youth Advisory Panel! ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/youth

If you love nature, would like to join our amazing team of volunteers aged 16-24 and get involved with BTO's work, then this role could be for you. 🐦

📝 Closing date: 4 October 2026.

A group of BTO Youth volunteers are gathered together in an office smiling at the camera. Wording over the image reads: BTO Youth. Join our Youth Advisory Panel.

@webs-gsmp.bsky.social Sep 29, 2026, 4:18 PMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

Time for a #WeBSSpeciesSpotlight✨

Today we have the gorgeous Shelduck. These chunky, charismatic birds are usually seen on estuaries and coastal marshes, and they nest in burrows!

To learn more about Shelducks and other WeBS species, visit BirdFacts➡️www.bto.org/birdfacts

#Ornithology #UKBirding

A photo of a shelduck with latin name Tadorna tadorna, with labels showing a dark green head, a bright red bill (males have a fleshy bump at the base of the bill), a white body with black patches, and a chestnut brown band around the body. Their seasonality is present throughout the year, peaking during winter and spring migration. Weight is 1250g. Eggs are 8-10. Diet is small invertebrates, and some vegetation and seeds. Habitats are estuarine, marine and intertidal, and wetland.

@smp-seabirds.bsky.social Sep 30, 2026, 8:39 AMReposted by @bbs-birds.bsky.social

56% of breeding success records submitted to the SMP for 2026 are from sites in England! If you have records from any SMP-covered country, please submit them by October 31st. #Seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

An image of two adult Cormorants and their two young.

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