Project Owl
Following on from the very successful BTO Owl Appeal this year will be the start of our Project Owl research. With new surveys starting from autumn 2018, we need your help to learn more about our nation’s fascinating but often mysterious owl species.
Happening Now
Running from mid-August to mid-October we'll be running a national structured survey on Tawny Owls. Following on from comparable national surveys carried in 1989 and 2005 we'll use this survey to examine long-term population and occupancy trends. Check out the Tawny Owl Point Survey information pages now at www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/project-owl and sign up
Tawny Owl Point Survey structure
This survey involves volunteers visiting random preselected tetrads (2x2km squares). In total there 225 tetrads in Avon available at the start of the survey, We want to survey as many of these as possible and depending on local interest expand this over the course of the survey. Check the tetrads available in your area and sign up to survey one.
The first survey period will run from August 15 until October 15 2018. During this time we'd ask you to make one to three (ideally at least two) short evening visits to your chosen tetrad within as short a period as possible. The whole process is planned to be repeated between mid-February and mid-March 2019, and (funding permitting) in autumn 2019/spring 2020.
Coming Soon
The Tawny Owl Calling Survey
Then starting at the end of September and running until the end of March we have the Tawny Owl Calling Survey. This is a weekly 20 minute survey that can be carried out from the comfort of your own home or pretty much anywhere else you can visit multiple times.
