Acknowledgements

Although David Norman has taken primary responsibility for this whole project, including for any errors and omissions that remain, it needed a collaborative effort from hundreds of people to make it work.

The prime acknowledgments must be to the field- workers who surveyed the entire county for this Atlas, who are listed in full below; and to all the landowners who allowed access for survey work and in many instances provided extra information themselves.

The bird atlasing community, within Britain and elsewhere, is a friendly bunch of people, open and helpful and happy to pass on their knowledge and advice. Thanks are especially due to Mike Hodgson (Northumbria), for advice and copies of their instructions and recording forms, and discussions on offshore tetrads; to colleagues in Cumbria and in Lancashire and North Merseyside, especially for information on funding; to Dan Brauning, Bob Mulvihill and Mike Lanzone (Pennsylvania) for ideas about methods and organization; and to Ian Francis (North-East Scotland) and Iain Main (North Cotswolds) for fruitful discussions on publication and presentation of results.

Several of the staff of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) made invaluable contributions at various stages, including Rob Fuller, Simon Gillings and especially Stuart Newson who calculated the abundance figures and maps.

We acknowledge the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, for provision of a licence to use their 'landcover 2000' data for the county.

The electronic receipt and processing of data was vital for the rapid progress of the project, and we are indebted to Geoff Blamire for his expertise in database management, designing an offshoot of the database used by CAWOS for the records collected annually by the society, and rapidly providing numerous extracts of the data.

All the dot maps were produced using the DMAP software, and Alan Morton, its author, gave helpful advice on various aspects of its use.

Ted Lock, Noreen Yaqoob and Gill Barber compiled the annual county bird reports on a species-by-species basis, which was a great help in writing some texts, and Charlotte Harris computerized the data from our First Atlas maps. Irene Morrell typed in many of the records that had been submitted on paper.

John Bannon generously shared his professional knowledge on publishing.

The photographers and artists whose contributions enhance the pages of this book have all donated their work, and the credit is given alongside each image. Andy Harmer initially contacted the photographers and Ray Scally organized the artwork.

In the early days of planning the project, useful contributions were made within CAWOS by Sheila Blamire, Tony Broome, David Cogger, Mike Crawley, Andy Harmer, Bob Harris, Charles Hull, Colin Lythgoe, Michael Miles, Phil Oddy, Hugh Pulsford, Clive Richards and Steve White.

The Atlas Steering Group, four people plus the author, was deliberately kept small to ensure efficient working and communication. David Cogger performed an invaluable role as the primary contact with all field- workers, especially in organizing the fieldwork and the return of data, plus handling the individual sponsorship of species. Steve Barber acted as the main interface with Area Coordinators and performed the major tasks of checking data and liaising with the database manager, and also provided useful information from the county rarities panel and other aspects of CAWOS records. Peter Twist acted as the project's business manager, handling the financial planning, corporate sponsorship, grant proposals, especially the major proposal to Heritage Lottery Fund, and the publishing tenders and contract; Peter also coordinated the provision of all the illustrations. Bob Harris provided perspective from Lancashire and North Merseyside, contributing his experience in organizing local BTO members in survey work and liaising with the BTO on the abundance calculations.

Several people commented on draft texts where they had specialized knowledge: Steve and Gill Barber, Malcolm Calvert, John Elliott, Bob Harris, Brian Martin, Richard May, Michael Miles, Stuart Newson, Clive Richards, Paul Slater, Tony Wilkinson and Steve Williams.

The following generously provided extra information: Brian Martin, on Cheshire and Wirral Swifts, Grey Herons and Black-necked Grebes; Andy Webb (Joint Nature Conservation Committee), for maps of Common Scoter distribution in Liverpool Bay; Nick Aebischer (Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust), Mark Greenhough, Ben Gregory and Connor O'Gorman (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) for advice about releases of gamebirds.

The website was designed and developed by Laura Smith.

 

Those responsible for surveying one or more tetrads were:

John Ackroyd, Rob Adams, Andrew Aldridge, Dorothy Alston, Bob Anderson, Andy Ankers, Mark Arnold, Steve Atkins, Rod Atkinson, Andrew Bailey, Margaret Bain, Brian Baird, Neil Baker, Mathilde Baker-Schommer, Mick Ball, John Bannon, R E (Bob) Baptist, Ian Barber, Steve and Gill Barber, Marion Barlow, Roger Barnes, Susan Bastin, Paul Beacock, Paul Bebbington, David Beer, Bill Bellamy, Di Bennett, Paddy Bennion, Derek Berry, Christine Bertera, Ray Bertera, Steve Binney, Rob Bithell, Rob Black, Irene Blagden, Sheila Blamire, Richard Blindell, Peter Blud, Alan Booth, Molly Bostock, Iona Bowden, Roy Bowden, Jack Bower, David Bowman, Jeremy Bradshaw, Paul Brewster, Dave Briddon, Dave Bromont, Tony Broome, Douglas Buchanan, Nicole Buckley, Jean Bulmer, Brian Burke, Stuart Burnet, Eric Burrows, Gordon Bushell, Pat Bushell, Colin Butler, Chris Butterworth, Cynthia Cadman, Ron Cadman, Roberta Cameron, Andrew Campion, Jack Canovan, Joe Carroll, Paul Cassidy, Jeff Clarke, Robert Cleeves, Valerie Cleeves, Chris Clowes, Hilary Clowes, John Clowes, Trevor Clowes, Tony Coatsworth, Carol Cockbain, Rob Cockbain, David Cogger, Ralph Cole, Kim Connolly, David Cookson, Barbara Cooper-Poole, Ian Copley, Paul Corner, Andy Coxon, James Coyne, Tony Crane, Reg Crawford, Bob Cunningham, Judy Cunningham, John Davies, Peter Day, Paul Dean, Betty Devereau, David Dewsbury, Sue Dewsbury, Tony Dickinson, Alan Doherty, Alan Douglas, Sheila Downs, Peter Dowse, John Drake, Chris Driver, Mike Dye, Alison Dyke, Brian Dyke, Frank Earle, Heather Eddowes, Mark Eddowes, David Egerton, John Elliott, Richard Elphick, Jean Emsley, David Esther, Roy Eyres, Laurie Fairman, Howard Fearn, Neil Fergusson, Harold Fielding, Valerie Fielding, Henry Finch, Andy Firth, George Fisher, David Fletcher, George Fletcher, Tony Ford, Andrew Foulkes, Richard Fox, Nick French, Neil Friswell, Richard Gabb, Cliff Gibson, Pam Gibson, Tony Gillam, Frank Gleeson, Dave Goff, Mary Gold, Roy Goodier, Andrew Goodwin, Mike Gough, John Goulding, Marc Granville, Lee Greenhough, Paul Greenslade, John Gregory, Janet Grice, Brian Grieve, Paul Griffiths, Paul  and Jane Grimmett, Bob Groom, Ted Groves, Nick Hall, Pete Hall, Tim Halliday, Doug Hambleton, Jan Hanby, Chris Hancock, Andy Harmer, Bob Harris, Mike Hart, Rodger Harvey, Graham Haspey, John Headon, Andrew Hearn, Christian Heintzen, Sue Heintzen, Chris Herbert, Pauline Herbert, Carole Herbstritt, Graham Hewitt, Paul Hill, Paul S Hill, Steve Hind, Gordon Hodgson, Mike Holmes, Steve Holmes, Chris Honer, Brian Hughes, David Hughes, Paul Hughes, Dave Hughston, Charles Hull, David Hulse, Tom Hunt, Heather James, Martin James, Cynthia Johnson, Alec Johnston, Christine Johnston, Colin Jones, David Jones, Glyn Jones, Les Jones, Mike Jones, Norman Jones, Steve Kemp, David Kennerley, Alan Kimber, David King, John Kirkland, Virginia and Rieks Kuijt, Ian Landucci, Hugh Langford, John Langley, Tracy Langley, Hazel Lawson, Dave Leeming, Karen Leeming, Roy Leigh, Hugh Linn, Andy Livermore, Ted Lock, Rob Lyne, Colin Lythgoe, John MacDonald, Ian Macpherson, Mike Maher, Ian Marshall, Brian Martin, Clive Martindale, Keith Massey, Peter Mathews, Peter Mayers, Ian McGeorge, Dave McMaster, Michael Miles, Simon Miles, Jane Mockford, Paul Morris, Jason Mossman, Viv Mountford, David Nadin, Steve Nichols, David Norman, Roger Nutter, Simon O’Connor, Phil Oddy, Joe O’Hanlon, Paul Oldfield, Derek Owen, John Oxenham, Eric Paalman, Graham Palmer, Roy Palmer, Tony Parker, Richard Parkinson, Chris Parry, Don Pawlett, Brian Payne, Mark Payne, Chris Pearce, Bryan Perkins, Derek Pike, Ed Pilkington, John Power, Catherine Price, Chris Price, Brian Prince, Mary Prince, Hugh Pulsford, Nick Pumphrey, Ann  Pym, Craig Pym, Brian and Hazel Raw, John Rayner, Peter Rhodes, Clive Richards, Alan Riley, Brian Rimmer, Idris Roberts, Bernard Robinson, Dave Robinson, Geoffrey Robinson, Margaret Robinson, Hannah Rowland, Peter Royle, Peter Russell, Sheila Ryde, Edwin Samuels, Colin Schofield, Mike Scott, Norman Scott, Ron Shewring, Paul Slater, John Smith, Mark Smith, Richard Smith, Rob Smith, Rodger Smith, Christine Smyth, Pete Spilsbury, Martyn Stanyer, David Steel, Hugh Stewart, Nigel Stones, Chris Stott, Alan Straw, Roger Stringer, Mark Stubbs, Jack Swan, Barry Taylor, Ian Taylor, Stephen Taylor, Stuart Taylor, Matt Thomas, John Thompson, John M Thompson, Phil Thompson, Tricia Thompson, Ray Thorp, Joan Tilbrook, David Tolliday, Brian Tollitt, Clive Totty, Jane Turner, John Turner, Marie Turner, Mark Turner, Michael Twist, Peter Twist, Bob Unsworth, Tony Usher, Derek Venables, Jon Wainwright, Peter Walton, Elizabeth Watson, John Watson, Ken Webb, Brian Webber, Colin Wells, David Whitehead, Mike Whiteside, Stan Wildig, Roger Wilkinson, Keith Williams, Peter Williams, Steve Williams, John Wilson, Simon Wood, Hilary Woodhead, Noel Woodhead, Phil Woollen, John Wright, Eric Yarwood, Geoff Yarwood, Stephen Young.

 

The following groups or organisations contributed records directly for the Atlas:

British Trust for Ornithology – Breeding Bird Survey
British Trust for Ornithology - Heronry Census
British Trust for Ornithology – Waterways Breeding Bird Survey
British Trust for Ornithology - Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Dee & Mersey Estuaries & Inland
Broxton Barn Owl Group
Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society Database and Bird Reports 2004-2006
Cheshire Swan Study Group
Eastham Country Park Bird Log (Terry Patrick)
Hilbre Bird Observatory
Merseyside Ringing Group
Mid Cheshire Barn Owl Conservation Group
Moore Biological Recording Group
Nantwich Natural History Society (Charles Hull)
Rostherne Mere National Nature Reserve Reports (Bill Bellamy, Steve Barber and Jack Canovan)
The RSPB, Macclesfield Local GroupGarden Bird Survey (Margaret Hayter and Graham Palmer)
The RSPB, Macclesfield Local Group ‘Latest News’ (Gordon Howard and David Tolliday)
South Cheshire Barn Owl Group
South East Cheshire Ornithological Society (Colin Lythgoe)
South Manchester Ringing Group (Clive Richards)
Wilmslow Guild Garden Bird Survey
Wirral Barn Owl Trust
Woolston Eyes Conservation Group (Brian Martin)

 

Contributors of Supplementary Records

The following contributed supplementary records to the Atlas and are not included in the list of tetrad surveyors:

Terry Ashton, Gillian Cameron, Richard Castell, Allan Conlin, John Dawson, Lee Dunkley, Alan Eyres, Mrs Fennell, Alan Garner, Tom Gibbons, Dave Gregson, Steve Harris, Kevin Hayes, George Hill, Neville Jones, Chris Koral, Geoff Lightfoot, Len Mason, Richard May, Alastair McCreary, Darren Morris, Tony Mossman, Terry Patrick, Neville Powell, Dennis Price, Barbara Punchard, Dave Riley, Lynn Ritchie, Mike Roberts, Allan Rustell, John Shaughnessy, RWH Smith, John Spottiswood, Noel Stubbs, Ian Summerfield, Brian Swann, Melissa Thornton, Derek Todd, Jeremy Weston, Tony Wilkinson, Bernard Wright.

 

Some records from the following groups or organisations were extracted from the CAWOS database for use in the Atlas:

Alderley Park and Radnor Mere Bird Report
Arclid Sand Quarry Bird Report
Bar Mere Bird Report
Birdcall
Birdguides
Birding North West
Bosley Reservoir Bird Report
British Trust for Ornithology BirdTrack (formerly Migration Watch)
Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society House Martin Survey
Dee Estuary Birding website – latest sightings
Dee Estuary RSPB Nature Reserve Report
Deerpark Mere Bird Report
Fiddlers Ferry Reserve Report
Frodsham Marsh Bird Log
Gayton Sands RSPB Reserve Report
Hurleston Reservoir Bird Log
Inner Marsh Farm RSPB Reserve Bird Log
Pickering’s Pasture Local Nature Reserve Report
Risley Moss Reserve Bird Log
Sandbach Flashes Bird Log
Seaforth Bird Report
Witton Area Conservation Group

 

AREA COORDINATORS

SJ18          Steve Williams
SJ27          Colin Wells
SJ28          Richard Smith
SJ29          Colin Schofield
SJ35          Neil Friswell
SJ36          Neil Friswell
SJ37          Ian Copley (to October 2004); Phil Woollen
SJ38          Edwin Samuels
SJ39          Colin Schofield
SJ44          Neil Friswell
SJ45          Neil Friswell
SJ46          Joe O’Hanlon
SJ47          Andy Ankers
SJ48          Rob Cockbain
SJ54          Charles Hull
SJ55          Charles Hull
SJ56          Peter Twist
SJ57          Mark Payne (to September 2005); David Cogger
SJ58          Tony Parker
SJ59          Steve Kemp
SJ64          Charles Hull
SJ65          Charles Hull
SJ66          David Cogger
SJ67          Paul Hill (to April 2005); David Cogger (to January 2006); Howard Fearn
SJ68          David Bowman
SJ69          Rob Smith
SJ74          Colin Lythgoe
SJ75          Colin Lythgoe
SJ76          Colin Lythgoe
SJ77          Tony Usher
SJ78          Tony Coatsworth
SJ85          Colin Lythgoe
SJ86          Marc Granville (to September 2006); David Cogger
SJ87          Steve Barber
SJ88          Brian Dyke
SJ96          Alan Kimber
SJ97          Ray Evans
SJ98          Phil Oddy (to May 2006); Steve Barber
SK06/ 07   John Power (to December 2004); Ray Evans

 

Financial support

Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society acknowledges the Heritage Lottery Fund for its award of a 'Your Heritage' grant towards the costs of financing this five- year project. The grant also supports the subsequent educational programmes to be operated by our partners to the HLF award, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Halton Borough Council, who are developing their curricula utilizing the Atlas as an important learning tool.

We are very grateful to our other major sponsors, who gave financial support and whose logos appear on the cover of this book: Cheshire County Council, Forestry Commission, Macclesfield Borough Council, Natural England, Shell UK, United Utilities, Vale Royal Borough Council and the Zoological Gardens Chester.

Many individuals have supported the Atlas through sponsoring bird species, and their names are given alongside each species text.

Substantial in-kind support was also provided by the British Trust for Ornithology, including the Breeding Bird Survey and Wetland Bird Survey, AstraZeneca and Halton Borough Council. The RSPB also contributed towards the Atlas.