Recording areas

In England and Wales in 1974 the Local Goverment Act (1972) made a lot of changes to existing county boundaries, with Scotland following a year later with regional changes.

For the sake of consistency in recording of bird data it was decided that areas that produce their own bird report would ornithologically speaking form a county or region, and these are listed below.

A number of counties still adhere to the Watsonian county boundaries that used VCs for recording data, so as to have a continuation of data, while others have chosen the newer or existing boundaries. Hence the need for this explanation here.

Further detailed reading on the subject by David K. Ballance and A. Judith Smith (2008) Recordings Areas of Great Britain.

ENGLAND

Avon

In 1996 Avon was dissolved as an administrative unit and replaced with four unitary authorities: South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North-east Somerset and North Somerset. This area closely corresponds with the old County of Avon and is what is used by the Avon Bird Committee for their report. The Axe Estuary has a border with Somerset and is a dual county site.

Bedfordshire

Appears to have suffered little change.

Berkshire

Parts of Wraysbury Reservoir are shared county records with Buckinghamshire and Greater London.

Buckinghamshire

Wraysbury Reservoir was in Buckinghamshire during 1971-74 and then was shared with Berkshire and Greater London until 1991.

Cambridgeshire

The old county of Huntingdonshire now forms part of Cambridgeshire. Ouse Washes is a dual county area with Norfolk.

Cheshire & Wirral

Including South Merseyside (Wirral). See Brit. Birds 101: 371.

Cheshire & Wirral count species recorded at a locality that was in Cheshire at the time (Cheshire BR 1992: 77-82).

Cleveland

Cleveland as a county ceased to exist on 1st April 1996, and reverted to the two ceremonial counties of Yorkshire and Durham, although the four non-metropolitan districts in Cleveland remained administratively independent from the corresponding administrative county councils.

It consists of four local authorities, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Stockton-on-Tees, and Redcar & Cleveland. Its borders overlap with Durham's and in the south with North Yorkshire, so consequently, practically all their records are dualled with one or the other of these counties.

Cornwall

Isles of Scilly records were published in the Cornwall Bird-Watching Reports until 1968.

The Tamar Lakes (dual county) are usually assigned to Devon, but the west banks are in Cornwall.

Cumbria

In the south gained an area of Lancashire.

Derbyshire

Some small areas lost to Nottinghamshire and Cheshire.

Devon

Includes records from Eddystone Lighthouse although it is technically in Cornish waters. Tamar Lakes (dual county) has the west shore in Cornwall.

Dorset

In 1974 Dorset was acceded the area around Christchurch in 1974 which contained a lot of historical records.

Co. Durham

Includes the removed 1974 Tyne & Wear area which was south of the River Tyne, but now includes most parts of Cleveland southwards to the River Tees, hence a lot of dual county records. Derwent Reservoir is also shared due to partly being in Northumberland.

Essex

Uses the Watsonian vice county boundaries with a small part now in Cambs. Wood (2007) includes a lot of records which are in Greater London resulting in dual county records.

Gloucestershire

Lost an area in the south of the county including the left bank of the Severn estuary, southern Cotswolds and as far as Bristol in the change of 1974 to Avon. Swaine (1982) contains records from this new area only. A small area of the Cotswold Water complex lies in the county which is mainly in Wiltshire (see Birds of Wiltshire 2007 for a detailed map).

Greater London

Covers an area within 20 miles of St Paul's Cathedral. There are many dual county records formed with surrounding counties.

Greater Manchester

In their Bird Report (1996: 134) there are minor boundary changes from 01/04/1995: Beacon Farm, King's Moss, Shaley Brow, Wiswall's Farm, all Billinge and Wrightington Fish Ponds are now in Lancs. ornithologically; Kenyon, Diggle Green, Old Carr Farm, Woods Farm and Glazebury are now in Cheshire.

Hampshire

In the 1974 changes Hampshire lost the area around Christchurch to Dorset and no longer own the records from that area.

Herefordshire

From 1974 to 1998 it was merged with Worcestershire, but has since reverted back. The Malvern Hills form a border between the two.

Hertfordshire

Parts of Greater London are included.

Isle of Wight

Used to be included with Hampshire until 1976 in the three earlier avifaunas but now publishes its own report.

Isles of Scilly

Records used to be published in the Cornwall Bird-Watching Report but since 1969 has produced its own bird report.

Kent

Parts of historical Kent are now in Greater London.

Lancashire & North Merseyside

During the changes of 1974 areas were lost in the north to Cumbria and in the south to Cheshire to create Merseyside and Greater Manchester, and also parts of West Yorkshire were added to Lancashire. White, McCarthy and Jones (2007) only accept records that have occurred in the new area termed Lancashire & North Merseyside. So, some records that appeared in older county avifaunas of Lancashire are now lost to other counties.

Leicestershire & Rutland

During 1974 both counties were merged into Leicestershire, since revoked in 1997 when they became unitary authorities, and now merged again.

Stanford Reservoir is a shared area with Northamptonshire.

Lincolnshire

Contains partly the area that in 1974 was termed Humberside, since ornithologically removed, with East Yorkshire.

The former Wisbech Sewage-farm was a shared area with Norfolk.

Norfolk

Included in Norfolk is an area south of Breydon Water which is also included by Suffolk who use the Watsonian vice county system, hence there are some dual county records. The former Wisbech Sewage-farm was a shared area with Lincolnshire.

Northamptonshire

Stanford Reservoir is a shared area with Leicestershire & Rutland.

Northumberland

Has the Tyne as its southern boundary and the Tweed as its northern boundary.

Nottinghamshire

Slight changes in areas mainly with Derbyshire and south Yorkshire since the 1974 changes.

Oxfordshire

Gained an area of Berkshire from 1974 county boundary changes

Shropshire

Appears to have suffered little change.

Somerset

Has agreed boundaries with Avon in the north. Excellent map at rear of Ballance, 2006. Between 1924-83 county was divided into seven districts. District 1 was lost to Avon in 1974 reshuffle, but continued in BR until 1978. In 1984, the new county was divided into six districts and used from 1984-87. This proved too inflexible and was abandoned. A new system from 1994.

The Axe Estuary has a border with Avon and is a dual county site.

Staffordshire

The West Midland Bird Club has been running for many years and manages the records from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Chasewater was from 1974 to 1995 partly in the West Midlands, but has now reverted back to being totally in Staffordshire.

Suffolk

Uses the Watsonian vice county system for a continuation of recording data, and therefore their northern boundary is a median line in Breydon Water and River Yare, so an area just south of Breydon Water is shared with Norfolk.

Piotrowski (2003: 15) says: 'Yarmouth records have been omitted unless it can be pin-pointed in Watsonian Suffolk.'

Other dual county records are shared with Cambridgeshire and Essex (Stour Estuary).

Surrey

Uses the Watsonian boundaries with an added area in the NW called Spelthorne acceded in 1965 which has the old site of Perry Oaks Sewage-farm partly within Surrey. A lot of records are dual with Greater London in the NE of Surrey, and also with Berkshire, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent. See pp. 10-74 and p. 663 of Wheatley (2007). Frensham Great Pond is almost entirely in Surrey but close to Hampshire border. Wraysbury Reservoir is now all in Surrey, but the Gravel-pits are still in Berkshire. Kempton Park racecourse is in Surrey but not the Gravel-pits/Nature Reserve. There is a vague map at the front and rear of the book.

Sussex

Jury's Gap and The Midrips are in Sussex (Sussex BR 1953: 5). There was a period where records were split into East and West Sussex. Some areas of Surrey gained.

Warwickshire

The West Midland Bird Club has been running for many years and manages the records from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

West Midlands

The West Midland Bird Club has been running for many years and manages the records from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Wiltshire

In the Birds of Wiltshire (2007) there is a map of the Cotswold Water Park complex defining the county boundaries with Gloucestershire.

Worcestershire

The West Midland Bird Club has been running for many years and manages the records from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Malvern Hills are shared with Herefordshire.

Yorkshire

Up until 1996 Yorkshire used the Watsonian County boundaries that included parts of Cleveland north to the Tees. Yorkshire also contained parts of the 1974 county of Humberside with Lincolnshire, since ornithologically removed. Since 1997, Yorkshire has encompassed the four ceremonial counties of Yorkshire, namely The East Riding, South, West and North Yorkshire, with the latter extending to south bank of the River Tees.

Cleveland as a county ceased to exist on 1st April 1996, and reverted to the two ceremonial counties of Yorkshire and Durham, although the four non-metropolitan districts in Cleveland remained administratively independent from the corresponding administrative county councils (as did the city of York, and other metropolitan areas elsewhere in Yorkshire).

The history is more complicated.

That part of VC 63 in Greater Manchester was dropped from Bird Reports in 1974.

The part of VC 63 in Derbyshire has never been included as far as I can see, as in Derbyshire since the 1860s.

That part of VC 65 in Durham was dropped in 1980.

That part of VC 64 in Lancashire was dropped in 1981.

The part of VC 62 in Cleveland was dropped in 1973 but re-instated in 1997 (matching the creation of Cleveland in 1974 and its demise in 1996).

Humberside 1974 to 1st April 1996 was ignored, with Reports just following the old boundaries of East Riding.

Many thanks to Geoff Dobbs for the above information.

SCOTLAND

Produces its own national Bird Report.

Angus & Dundee

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Tayside. Since then it has lost Perth and gained the area of Dundee to the old county of Angus.

Argyll

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Strathclyde. It now stands alone, but excludes the island of Bute.

Ayrshire

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Strathclyde. It now stands alone, but excludes the island of Arran.

Borders

Consists of the old counties of Berwickshire, Peebleshire, Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire after the 1975 change.

Caithness

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Highland. It now stands alone.

Clyde

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Strathclyde. It now stands alone, consisting of the old counties of Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow.

Clyde Islands

After the 1975 change was part of an area known as Strathclyde. It now stands alone to include the islands of Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes.

Dumfries & Galloway

Consists of old counties Dumfries-shire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire.

Fair Isle

Although still a part of Shetland, it produces its own Bird Report and is therefore classed as a region.

Fife

British Birds used to include the Isle of May under Fife even though it produced its own Bird Report.

Highland

After the 1975 change it included Caithness, but that now stands on its own. It now consists of six areas known as Badenoch & Strathspey, Inverness, Lochaber, Ross & Cromarty, Skye & Lochalsh, Sutherland.

Isle of May

The bird observatory opened in 1934 from which year they have kept a log. Produces its own bird report.

Lothian

After the 1975 change the region now consists of West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian.

Includes Blackness (which is now in Central Region) and islands Inchkeith, Inchcolm, Carr Craig and Haystack in the Firth of Forth (Fife Region). Bothwell and Monynut valleys are included despite now being in Borders Region. A small area around Gilston has also been lost to Borders in addition to Crystal Forest in the Lammermuirs, but both are still included in Lothian BR.

Moray & Nairn

After the 1975 change the area came under Grampian Region apart from the county of Nairn which was in Highland Region. Along with the western part of Banffshire (border at Cullen), it now forms part of Moray & Nairn.

North-east Scotland

After the 1975 change it was known as Grampian Region. It now consists of the old counties of Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire and the eastern part of Banffshire. Border is from centre of Cullen on north coast to southern edge of St Cyrus on east coast.

Orkney

Islands include: Auskerry, Burray, Copinsay, Eday, Egilsay, Gairsay, Graemsay, Hoy, Linga Holm, Mainland, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Pentland Skerries, Rousay, Rysa Little, Sanday, Shapinsay, South Ronaldsay, South Walls, Stronsay, Sule Skerry, Swona, Westray and Wyre.

Hoy consists of the following parishes: Hoy & Graemsay and Walls.

Mainland consists of the following parishes: Birsay, Deerness, Evie, Firth, Harray, Holm, Orphir, Rendall, Sandwick, St Andrews, St Ola, Stromness, Stenness.

Outer Hebrides

After the 1975 change was known as the Western Isles, but has now reverted back to its old name. It consists of a number of islands but the main ones are Lewis and Harris in the north of the chain, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. St Kilda is forty miles westwards.

Perth & Kinross

After the 1975 change it was known as Tayside. It now reverts back in an amalgamation of the two old counties.

Shetland

Islands include: Balta, Bressay, Fetlar, Foula, Haaf Gruney, Hascosay, Huney, Lamba, Linga, Mainland, Mousa, Muckle Flugga, Noss, Out Skerries, Papa Stour, Trondra, Unst, Vaila, West Burra, Whalsay and Yell.

Mainland is split into counties: Delting, Dunrossness, Nesting, Northmaven, Sandsting, Tingwall and Walls & Sandness.

Upper Forth

After the 1975 change it was known as Central Region. It contains Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk areas.

WALES

Produces its own national Bird Report.

Anglesey

After the 1974 change it formed part of Gwynedd.

Breconshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Powys.

Caernarfonshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Gwynedd.

Carmarthenshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Dyfed.

Ceredigion

Formely Cardigan. After the 1974 change it formed part of Dyfed.

Denbighshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Clwyd.

East Glamorgan

After the 1974 change it formed part of Mid-Glamorgan and South Glamorgan. This county covers the Unitary Authorities of Bridgened, Rhondda/Cynon/Taff, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and the west part of Caerphily. It is covered by two Bird Recorders, East Glamorgan and Gower.

Flintshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Clwyd.

Gower

After the 1974 change it formed part of West Glamorgan. Gower covers the Unitary Authorities of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Gwent

After the 1974 change it formed Gwent. Includes Monmouth, Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and part of Caerphilly.

Meirionnydd

After the 1974 change it formed part of Gwynedd.

Montgomeryshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Powys.

Pembrokeshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Dyfed.

Radnorshire

After the 1974 change it formed part of Powys.

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is a British Crown Dependency and does not form part of Britain. It maintains its own bird list, but records are adjudicated by BBRC and contained in their statistics.

There are six sheadings: Rushen, Glenfaba, Michael, Ayre, Garff and Middle. There are also seventeen parishes within the island which lies in the Irish Sea.