Ground and Aerial Monitoring of Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) in Carmarthen Bay Spatial Protection Area (SPA) (2002 - 2008)
Carmarthen Bay Spatial Protection Area (SPA) was classified as the UK's first SPA in 2003 on the basis of holding at least 1% (16,000 individuals) of the biogeographic population of Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra). The Common Scoter is strongly migratory and often travels considerable distances over land making brief stop-overs on inland waters. Its diet consists predominantly of molluscs, especially during the winter, although it occasionally takes other aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans (e.g. barnacles and shrimps), worms, echinoderms, isopods, amphipods and insects (e.g. midges and caddis flies) as well as small fish and fish eggs which are found in abundance in the shallow water in Carmarthen Bay. Common scoter are also listed as a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species. Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) has supported ground based counts since 1996, following the Sea Empress oil spill. Aerial surveys have also been employed as scoter often occur out of sight of land. This dataset is compiled from data collected by The British Trust for Ornithology with support from CCW from 2002 onwards. The purpose of this data capture was to maintain a monitoring program using a combination of ground-based and aerial surveys to assess numbers and distribution of common scoter in Carmarthen Bay and to investigate whether ground-based counts provide an appropriate index of overall numbers of scoter within Carmarthen Bay as well as update the current index.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS109752
- Alternative Title
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- Monitro ar y tir ac o'r awyr o'r for-hwyaden ddu Melanitta nigra yn AGA Caerfyrddin, 2002 ymlaen
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
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This is a collation of ground and aerial common scoter count surveys. At each site and on each date, the time of count, weather (wind-speed, wind direction, precipitation, cloud cover), sea-state and any disturbance was recorded. Ground counts are made on 4 dates in the winter. Counts are carried out at three stations along the coast. In some years a fourth station at Rhossili is also used. At each site weather conditions, sea-state and any disturbance are recorded. Full sea-scans are then carried out. For each flock, the number of birds, their bearing and distance from shore was recorded. Aerial surveys are performed using the 'distance' method based on statistical principles of distance sampling . The surveys are carried out in winter and follow pre-determined transect lines running north-south through the bay. Transects are spaced 2 km apart to minimise chances of double-counting birds flushed by the plane. Surveys are carried out by 2 observers using a Partenavia PN68 aircraft, flown at ground speed 200 km/h, altitude 75m. Surveys cannot be carried out in wind speeds greater than 24 km/h. Each flock or individual bird was recorded along with time of observation, number and species. Also distance was recorded to one of four distance bands as described in the standards.This dataset only contains work carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) under contract to CCW.
- Additional Information
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A sustained program of monitoring scoters in Carmarthen bay has been in place since 1997 (Stewart et al, 1997, Cranswick et al, 1998, WWT 2003).
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2008-05-31
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 2002-11-29
- End date
- 2008-03-16
- Topic category
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- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- ABERTAWE - SWANSEA
- Geographic Extent
- SIR GAERFYRDDIN - CARMARTHENSHIRE
- Geographic Extent
- SIR BENFRO - PEMBROKESHIRE
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
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benthic boundary layer
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
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Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System
()
- Specification
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Reports as word documents or pdfs, Excel spreadsheets, GIS Tab Files Raw data held as MapInfo tables for aerial data and excel and csv files for ground data.
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Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System
()
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Lineage
-
This is a collation of ground and aerial common scoter count surveys. At each site and on each date, the time of count, weather (wind-speed, wind direction, precipitation, cloud cover), sea-state and any disturbance was recorded. Ground counts are made on 4 dates in the winter. Counts are carried out at three stations along the coast. In some years a fourth station at Rhossili is also used. At each site weather conditions, sea-state and any disturbance are recorded. Full sea-scans are then carried out. For each flock, the number of birds, their bearing and distance from shore was recorded. Aerial surveys are performed using the 'distance' method based on statistical principles of distance sampling . The surveys are carried out in winter and follow pre-determined transect lines running north-south through the bay. Transects are spaced 2 km apart to minimise chances of double-counting birds flushed by the plane. Surveys are carried out by 2 observers using a Partenavia PN68 aircraft, flown at ground speed 200 km/h, altitude 75m. Surveys cannot be carried out in wind speeds greater than 24 km/h. Each flock or individual bird was recorded along with time of observation, number and species. Also distance was recorded to one of four distance bands as described in the standards.This dataset only contains work carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) under contract to CCW.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
- NRW Thesaurus
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- common scoter (black scoter)
- melanitta nigra
- Carmarthen Bay
- Special Protection Areas (SPAs) (see also proposed Special Protection Area pSPA)
- aerial counts
- ground counts
- bird population
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2023-12-31
Keywords
- SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
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- Bird taxonomy-related abundance per unit area of surface
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Revision)
- 2021-01-06
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
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Ground and aerial monitoring protocols for in shore special protection areas : common scoter in Carmarthen Bay 2002 - 04
- NRW Related Title
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Ground and aerial monitoring of common scoters in Carmarthen Bay 2007 - 2008
- NRW Related Title
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Ground and aerial monitoring for Carmarthen Bay SPA 2004 - 2007
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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© CNC/NRW 2008 . There are no use restrictions on this data. Recipients may re-use, reproduce, disseminate this data free of charge in any format or medium, provided they do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose, that dissemination or publishing does not result in duplication, and that it is fairly interpreted. Advice on interpretation should be sought where required. To avoid re-using old data, users should periodically obtain the latest version from the original source.
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313039373532 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2024-05-31T09:38:42.336Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
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1.0