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Covering your Tetrad
There is no limit to the number of visits that can be made to a tetrad, but we recommend that a minimum of 12 hours in total should be spent covering a tetrad, with a minimum of 2 visits spaced at least 2 weeks apart during May and June.  Obviously the more visits made, and the greater the period covered by them, the better.  We also ask that you make one evening/night visit to record activity of species such as owls and Woodcock, but these visits can be relatively brief.

How to use the form
Following the code descriptions set out below, record the level of breeding activity for all species present in your tetrad during the breeding season.  For most species it is sufficient simply to block in the cell in the appropriate column, always aiming to secure as hard evidence as possible as to the species’ breeding status (i.e. try to ‘upgrade’ initial sightings so that columns further to the right are blocked in).  However, species identified by the BTO as having undergone a rapid decline in the last 30 years are underlined and emboldened; for these, please indicate how many pairs are located in each category in your tetrad.  The same goes for any species found as a possible / probable / confirmed breeder in your tetrad, but that does not appear on the list overleaf.  By their nature, these species are unlikely to occur in great numbers, and counting them should not prove too onerous.  Should you find anything really unexpected, please contact the Group’s Recorder (Kevin Gould on 01246 261383) as soon as possible.  Once the breeding season is finished, please return your form to your square steward (details to be confirmed) or David Wood as soon as possible.

Code descriptions [abridged versions appear on the Recording Form]
P =  Present in suitable breeding habitat on more than one visit during breeding season.
S =  Singing/displaying male in suitable breeding site at same location in tetrad on more than one visit during breeding season.
C =  A pair in suitable habitat showing courtship or territorial behaviour.
N =  Bird visiting probable nest site; nest building; anxiety calls; recently used nest.
F =  Adult carrying food (beware male feeding female) or faecal sac.
E =  Adult sitting on nest; nest with eggs/young; egg shells found away from nest.
Y =  Recently fledged young.