Arran Bird Atlas Honoured
Bird Atlas
The 2018 March edition of the magazine British Birds announced the winner of the award for the Best Local Bird Atlas 2007-2017. Forty local atlases were considered by British Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology. and our own local atlas received an honourable mention.
This is what the judging panel wrote "As well as the six winners, we felt that the Arran Bird Atlas 2007-2012 was worthy of an honourable mention. The volume could easily be dismissed as light in both weight and content, given the minimal comment on each species. But the fieldwork was very much a community effort and the writing driven largely by one individual. The result is a brief but reliable overview of the birds of this island at an easily affordable price and is a considerable achievement. The Arran Bird Atlas 2007-2012 deserves high praise." For the full article article click here.
This book describes the mapping of the birds of Arran for the first time.
Under the direction of Dr Jim Cassels, the bird recorder for the Arran Natural History Society, over thirty volunteers conducted fieldwork over five years covering the whole of the island. In addition almost seven hundred people contributed bird sightings during these five breeding seasons and five winters.
The data collected contains over thirty six thousand records on one hundred and seventy-seven species. It is an outstanding effort by residents and visitors, who share a passion for the birds of Arran. Adding to this community effort, at the publication stage over thirty photographers agreed to the use of their images.
The work involved in this project was recognised nationally when the Marsh Local Ornithology Award was presented to the Arran Natural History Society in October 2013 by the Marsh Trust and the British Trust for Ornithology.
Under the direction of Dr Jim Cassels, the bird recorder for the Arran Natural History Society, over thirty volunteers conducted fieldwork over five years covering the whole of the island. In addition almost seven hundred people contributed bird sightings during these five breeding seasons and five winters.
The data collected contains over thirty six thousand records on one hundred and seventy-seven species. It is an outstanding effort by residents and visitors, who share a passion for the birds of Arran. Adding to this community effort, at the publication stage over thirty photographers agreed to the use of their images.
The work involved in this project was recognised nationally when the Marsh Local Ornithology Award was presented to the Arran Natural History Society in October 2013 by the Marsh Trust and the British Trust for Ornithology.
The key features of the resulting full-colour publication are:168 pages with more than 400 maps and more than 200 photographs on 177 birds.
With the support of funds from the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and the Arran Trust, the Arran Natural History Society has kept the cost to an affordable £8.00. The publication gives an insight into the distribution of Arran’s birds and provides a source of information for future land management. It is a must for all with an interest in Arran.
The publication is available from shops and other outlets throughout the island or it can be ordered directly by contacting Lindsey and Robert Marr of Lamlash at arrannaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com