This year the RSPB and the South Pennines Twite Group will be coordinating one of the most extensive surveys of Twite in the South Pennines. There are seven sites to be surveyed within Greater Manchester and luckily all but one site has been allocated to volunteer surveyors. However, I'm keen to recruit a volunteer for a site close to Watergrove Reservoir in Rochdale. The survey methodology is similar to a typical BTO survey and will require 3 visits over the breeding season. If anybody would be keen to take on the site email me at graham.jones@tameside.gov.uk for further info.
It is possible for survey sites to be surveyed by more than one volunteer so if you regularly go birding in Twite country, particularly in Rochdale, and would like to get involved, again, email offsite and I'll be more than happy to give you further info.
Another way you can help is by forwarding reports of any Twite you see over this spring or summer in likely breeding areas anywhere within the South or West Pennines to either me or Amy Crowther at the RSPB amy.crowther@rspb.org.uk
Judith has kindly passed on all twite records on the GM database, but any other past records, particularly within the last few years, would also be gratefully received.
We are still hoping to have a project officer in post in the near future to coordinate a species recovery project for Twite, and it is hoped that this survey will enable us to target conservation work more effectively.
