BTO Breeding Bird Survey

British Trust for Ornithology

 Available Breeding Bird Survey Squares in the BTO Co. Armagh Region 2019

Please note that due to anomalies with the BTO regional boundaries not all listed survey squares are within Co. Armagh.

Full details of the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), including methodology and field survey sheets are available online at https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/bbs .

If you are interested in surveying a BBS square in Co. Armagh please contact Stephen Hewitt at sjameshewitt@hotmail.com or Shane Wolsey at shane.wolsey@bto.org .

IH7255 Aughnacloy. Surveyed 2006 and 2012-2014. A good square, with 51 species recorded including sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel and five warblers. Two transects along minor roads and a track have been mapped and are easy to access.

IH7346 Caledon. No details online. No roads through square, some coniferous woodland.

IH7354 Aughnacloy. Surveyed only in 2013, has a mainly coniferous woodland and some boggy patches. No transect maps online. Raven, bullfinch and siskin previously recorded.

IH7547 Caledon. Surveyed 2002-2006, good range of species including sparrowhawk, buzzard, jay, five warblers, spotted flycatcher, bullfinch, linnet and lesser redpoll. No transect maps online.

IH7644 Caledon. Surveyed 2002-2005, could be a good one. Previous transects are mapped online and look easy enough, alongside a mixed woodland and the Blackwater, similar range of species as IH7547 above.

IH7659 Granville (near Dungannon). No details online. Getting two transects might be difficult. Some woodland, mainly coniferous.

IH9025 near Newtownhamilton. Surveyed 1999-2008. Transects have been mapped and look good. Again similar range of species.

IH9153 Loughgall. Surveyed 2002-2006, lots of orchards and a decent list of 44 species. Transects online and look easy, along two roughly parallel minor roads. 

IH9625 near Newtownhamilton. Surveyed 1996-2000. About half of it is conifer woodland. Sparrowhawk and five warblers including grasshopper warbler. Also curlew and snipe in 1997 but doubtful the curlew would still be there. Could still be snipe. Also fox, rabbit and mountain hare recorded. Transects not online but looks doable.

IH9643 Hamilton’s Bawn. Surveyed 2005-2017. Farmland. 39 species recorded including blackcap, mistle thrush, grey wagtail, greenfinch, lesser redpoll and yellowhammer. Former surveyor Gary Cranston has kindly agreed to show any new surveyor the transect routes and introduce them to the relevant landowners.

IH9954 Portadown. Surveyed 1995-1999 and 2011-2018. Farmland. An impressive tally of 56 species including kingfisher, kestrel, grasshopper warbler and whinchat. Transects mapped online.

IJ0939 near Poyntzpass. A nice farmland square with easy transects along parallel roads. 41 species including blackcap, sedge warbler, spotted flycatcher and tree sparrow. Transects mapped online.

Please note that due to anomalies with the BTO regional boundaries not all listed survey squares are within Co. Armagh.

Full details of the Breeding Bird Survey, including methodology and field survey sheets are online at https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/bbs .

If you are interested in surveying a BBS square in Co. Armagh please contact Stephen Hewitt at sjameshewitt@hotmail.com or Shane Wolsey at shane.wolsey@bto.org .