TRANSLATED BY MARTIN KELSEY
From the beginning of this blog, since May 2010, the only section that has remained unchanged has been the monthly summaries of the most interesting sightings of birds in Extremadura. This compilation of records did not arise from the blog, rather it had been taking place from much earlier, indeed since the mid 1990s. The purpose was to publish them in a book, an annual report called “Aves de Extremadura”. Up to now, four reports have been published, covering the period 1998 to 2008. Given that the information flow is, thanks to new technology, much greater now than in those first years, it is also much easier to disseminate it, so that these monthly summaries have become the priority, appearing each month, regularly and on time. All of this is possible thanks to the enormous efforts of Sergio Mayordomo, who has been compiling all of the observations that meet certain criteria for each species (see vol IV de Aves de Extremadura). Given the large number of records, not all necessarily appear in the summaries; although as many as possible do.
To
the end of 2013, some graphs have been prepared to show
the amount of information that has been received to date
(taking into account all data received, not just that given in the
summaries). There
are more than 10,000 records between May 2010 and December 2013, that
together with the information gathered between 1998 and 2008 in the
reports, provide the biggest
database on birds in Extremadura.
The main
source is the Goce Forum.
There are also records
submitted directly. The
information shown in the graphs is so clear that it barely requires
comment. From the first year, people have been encouraged to submit
records and there is now an average of 3,200
annual records.
By month, the pattern is the same as bird activity, with maxima
coinciding with migration peaks in April and September/October (there
is great interest in phenological patterns) and lowest at the start
of summer in June and July, when there is less bird movement and
people may spend less time in the field because of the heat.
As
well as providing information of use for our birding and for those
visiting Extremadura, a lot of this information has been made
available also for particular studies of species and sites, when
required. Always we have in mind the understanding that we can only
conserve what we know! Of course, this database has only been
possible thanks to the incalculable collaboration of hundreds of
birders who pass on their records. A thousand thanks to you
all!!
