THIS SURVEY HAS BEEN CANCELLED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SURVEY WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2021
In 2020 the BTO and RSPB are jointly running a national survey of breeding waders in wet meadows. This will be a repeat of the 2002 survey, requiring visits to the sites surveyed in 2002 and with the inclusion of any new wet grassland sites that have been identified. In addition, a sample of farmland sites with specific agri-environment scheme options in place (wet grassland management and lapwing plots) will also be surveyed. This survey will primarily be organised in Sussex by Helen Crabtree (BTO Regional Representative for Sussex); surveys of RSPB sites will be organised by RSPB staff.
In Sussex the wet grassland sites to be surveyed for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows:
Coultershaw Bridge to Shopham Bridge
Snow Hill (East Head)
North Stoke to Houghton
Arundel to Offham
Offham to South Stoke
Adur Levels
Upper Cuckmere Valley
Pevensey (Hooe Level West)
Pevensey (Waller’s Haven South)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Wet Level (Wittersham)
The first-priority selected farmland sites with wet grassland management and/or lapwing plots for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows (most of these sites are not entire 1-km squares but very small areas and in some cases just individual fields):
SU7800 nr West Itchenor
SU8302 Dell Quay
SU9816 Sutton End
SU9915 Bignor Park
TQ0629 nr Billingshurst
TQ2110 Upper Beeding
TQ2118 Shermanbury
TQ2714 nr Hurstpierpoint
TQ3407 Bevendean
TQ3930 nr Horsted Keynes
TQ4418 nr Isfield
TQ4519 nr Isfield
TQ9719 Camber
Lower-priority selected farmland sites with wet grassland management and/or lapwing plots for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows (most of these sites are not entire 1-km squares but very small areas and in some cases just individual fields):
SU7409 nr Emsworth
SU7909 nr Funtington
SU8017 Beacon Hill
SU8116 North Marden
SU8314 Chilgrove
SU9312 Upwaltham Hill
SU9420 Selham
SU9429 Northchapel
TQ0008 nr Arundel
TQ0306 nr Warningcamp
TQ0508 nr Burpham
TQ0627 nr Billingshurst
TQ0705 nr Angmering
TQ0807 Patching Hill
TQ0909 Blackpatch Hill
TQ1210 nr Findon
TQ1209 nr Findon
TQ1609 Steyning Bowl
TQ2107 Mill Hill
TQ2412 nr Fulking
TQ3507 Newmarket Hill
TQ3608 nr Kingston
TQ3909 nr Lewes
TQ4004 nr Telscombe
TQ4306 nr Rodmell
TQ4501 Newhaven
TQ4738 nr Hartfield
TQ5033 nr Friar’s Gate
TQ6712 nr Boreham Street
TQ7624 nr Bodiam
TQ8325 Northiam
TQ8719 Udimore
The survey will require three visits between the middle of April and the end of June to map the locations of displaying or breeding waders. Simple habitat and land management measures will also be recorded during the fieldwork. Surveyors will need to be able to identify common wader species by sight and sound, and also to be familiar with display and territorial behaviour. Please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer to survey one of the sites listed above or would like more information.
