Graham Jones, the Greater Manchester Biodiversity Officer has contacted me about help with the above survey for several Rossendale sites. As soon as I know further details I'll post them here:
As part of a species recovery project for twite a major survey over the West and South Pennines is planned for this year. The RSPB are leading the survey and will have a research biologist in post over the summer to coordinate the survey. There are 38 sites in total that we are keen to survey and I've been tasked with recruiting surveyors for the Lancashire and Greater Manchester sites. Steve White has informed that you may be willing to survey the three Rossendale sites that have been flagged up for survey, these are Lee Quarries, Birchen Holts and Cowpe Moss. The other Lancs sites are at Darwen Moor and Musbury (the Main Colony at Worsthorne will be undertaken by the research biologist). The survey protocol has yet to be confirmed but will be a mix of a standard transect walk that takes in the best habitat for twite and a period of sit and wait if twite are located, with a minimum of two visits over the breeding season. We will be offering an evening workshop for all volunteers before the survey starts that will take place sometime in March or April. If you are interested I will be able to provide you with better details on the locations of the survey areas.
I will be looking for a volunteer for Musbury, as well as Lee Quarries, Birchen Holts and Cowpe Moss. Appreciate that taking the four sites on could be a lot of work, but let me know what you think. If you know of any other birders worth contacting, let me know.
Jim, On regular trips to the west coast of scotland i have watched twite on there breeding grounds a few times,i would be willing to take on one of the survey areas if needed.
I've now had the maps for the survey locations (see below). I'm going to send a printout of the Musbury location to Jim & Bertha Rostron as the sites there are on their doorstep. If they aren't able to do the survey, I'll post again here.
Otherwise, any offers considered, though I think Darwen Moor is a little outside our area, and the Birchen Holts site may be also.
Hi Jim, Birchen Holts looks favourite for me,it is "just outside" our area but is quite accessible for me,so i am willing to give it a go,i do have some hols booked in april/may/june but will be able to work the visits around them.
Thanks for the offers of help with this survey. All 5 areas now have volunteers:
Musbury - Jim and Bertha Rostron Lee Quarry - John Hallsworth Cowpe Moss - Kevin Lister Birchen Holts - Brian Kirkwood Darwen Moor - Ian Cameron
If you see Twite at other sites, especially during the breeding season, please post the details here or in the main forum, so that the details can be passed to the survey organisers.