2022-03-31-accounts

Inspired by birds, informed by science

CONTENTS

Inspired by birds, Informed by science

CONTENTS

CONTENTS
Opening words	3
At a glance	4
Delivering scientific impact	6
Enabling people to learn & grow	8
Inspiring & empowering people	10
Our volunteers	12
Our staff	14
Our community	16
A partnership approach	18
Informing policy & practice	20
Sharing data & information	22
Climate change report	24
Spotlight on seabirds	26
Focus on England	28
Focus on Wales	30
Focus on Scotland	32
Focus on Northern Ireland	34
Across the world	36
Being fit for the future	38
Fundraising	40
Our supporters	42
Our scientific output: 2021	44
Financial overview	46

FROM OUR CHAIR:PROFESSOR JENNY GILL

The United Nations Climate (CoP26) and Biodiversity (CoP15) meetings that took place during 2021 and 2022 were a timely reminder of the scale of the challenges that we face. As the world continues to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to address these challenges is increasingly apparent. Protecting and recovering nature is fundamental to averting the impending ecological and climate crises and safeguarding future generations. BTO data and knowledge play a very important role in informing and influencing the policies and actions that can contribute to nature’s recovery, and we are deeply committed to maintaining and enhancing these impacts of the extraordinary work of BTO volunteers. Working with our many partner organisations and building the collaborations that are needed to address these grand challenges are key elements, making the most of our data and knowledge, and we are proud of our trusted and respected status across the sector.

An important aspect of enhancing the impact of our work is broadening our reach and engagement. We are committed to ensuring that BTO is an inclusive organisation that welcomes, encourages and supports all communities, groups and individuals who share our concerns and interests. Delivering on this commitment will require actions, and we look forward to building on the experiences gained from working with our growing youth network to identify and remove barriers to access. The need for a better and more sustainable world for birds and for people is ever more urgent, and we will continue to work towards enhancing engagement, inclusion and the impact of BTO data to help meet these goals.

FROM OUR CEO: PROFESSOR JULIET VICKERY

The emergence from lock-down might have been wisely cautious but it saw a wonderful bounce back for BTO work. The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) achieved record levels of coverage in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and a remarkable 3,882 1-km squares were covered UK-wide. This is particularly welcome given the extent to which these long-term surveys are the bedrock of so much action for birds and biodiversity. For example, the results from core schemes provided the central evidence for a BTO report ‘ Climate Change and the UK’s Birds ’, published in November to coincide with CoP26 in Glasgow. The report highlighted the perilous future of our nationally important seabird populations if the world warms by over 2°C. BTO is already focusing on finding solutions that work for both birds and our own future, particularly through enhancing the monitoring of seabirds and using tracking studies to guide the development of offshore renewables in ways that minimise their impact on birds.

BTO impact comes not just through its data but also through the way these data are collected, and we are continuing to expand and refine opportunities to engage more volunteers in the joy of birds, birdwatching and participation in science. This sort of engagement, with its associated connection with nature, brings additional health and well-being benefits. These benefits should to be accessible to everyone but we know they are not, and BTO Youth are blazing a trail for us in this respect. There are now 36 Youth Volunteers (12 on the Youth Advisory Panel, and 24 Youth Reps) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, creating opportunities for young people to get involved with birds and wider nature, as well as advising the organisation on how to engage more young people with birds and the natural world.

BIRDWATCHING, BY DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 3

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

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THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE
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BTO staff published more than one peerreviewed paper each week throughout 2021, underlining the quality of our science.

A key BTO report showed how climate change is already impacting the UK’s birds, particularly our internationally important breeding seabird populations and upland breeding birds.

Thanks to the generosity of BTO supporters, our Equipment Donation Scheme has provided over 1,800 young people with access to birdwatching field guides and optics.

Thanks to our members, funders and supporters, £5.3 million was spent during the year carrying out our work, collecting and delivering information about birds, and inspiring people.

During 2021, volunteers contributed 2,029,493 hours to BTO work, representing an in-kind contribution of £41 million. This generosity delivers a significant part of the UK’s bird monitoring.

Thanks to the support of Breeding Bird Survey volunteers, we saw coverage bounce-back in 2021, post-pandemic, allowing UK population trends to be calculated once again.

“ This is the first course I have attempted, and I have learnt a lot and am inspired to learn more. It has also given me confidence that I am doing the right things most of the time. Thanks for all your work to produce this .”

Avril, Songbird identification course participant

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SEABIRD RINGING : DANIEL JOHNSTON / BTO; GOLDEN PLOVER : PHILIP CROFT / BTO; BIRDWATCHER : SARAH HARRIS / BTO
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4 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 5

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

DELIVERING SCIENTIFIC IMPACT

BTO continues to deliver impartial, impactful and relevant science, providing the information needed to plan and assess conservation action, and to inform decisionmaking processes for the benefits of birds, wildlife and people.

ENABLING RECOVERY

Wildlife conservation policies directed at common and widespread, yet declining, species are difficult to design and implement. In part this a consequence of the multiple environmental changes likely to have contributed to the declines in the first place. It may also reflect the fact that, in some instances, the actions needed to deliver the recovery of a population may not be those addressing the original cause(s) of the decline — i.e. tackling the original issue may fail to deliver the hoped-for outcome. BTO research has, for example, identified that some bird declines are a consequence of periods of low survival rates, but recovery of these populations has been constrained by subsequent levels of productivity (the number of young produced per breeding attempt). Low survival rates may have been the trigger but the solution lies in increasing productivity.

Such complexity makes it difficult to correctly target conservation measures; should we, to continue our example, target measures at increasing productivity or at improving survival rates, both of which may be key to reversing population declines. Recent BTO work, led by Cat Morrison at the University of East Anglia and bringing in collaborators from across Europe, sought to address this uncertainly, using information on breeding bird abundance and data on productivity and survival (Morrison et al. 2021).

The team was first able to examine the population trends of migrant and resident species breeding at sites across Europe, using data from the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (into which BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey data feed). These were found to be in step; sites that were good for resident species tended to be good for migrants, and vice versa. This implies that local breeding season conditions have a strong influence on local population changes in both resident and migratory species.

The team then examined the demographic parameters (productivity and survival), using data from Constant Effort Site ringing schemes. The productivity of migrant and resident species showed similar patterns across sites; there were some ‘good’ sites and some ‘poor’ sites in this regard. However, this was not the case for survival rates, where there was only weak covariation at the site-level. Taken together this suggests that conservation action, targeted at boosting local productivity within Europe, has the potential to benefit populations of both migrant and resident species, particularly where this action is directed towards improving productivity on currently ‘poor’ sites. The findings also imply that efforts to tackle migrant declines, directed at their breeding sites, could also improve the fortunes of the declining resident species that breed alongside them.

WORKING FOR WADERS

BTO’s work on declining wader populations is coordinated through our Breeding Wader Focal Area, which brings together staff from across the organisation. The work involves many different strands, from coordinating and supporting PhD fieldwork on Curlew decline, through to developing new approaches for involving landmanagers in the collection of data on breeding wader populations. Alongside this, BTO expertise in survey design and the use of tracking technology, is contributing major pieces of work that are providing vital evidence helping us to address the challenges faced by this group of declining species.

Working in partnership with the University of East Anglia, RSPB, and various landowners, Harry Ewing’s PhD is using an evidencebased approach to develop conservation management strategies, designed to increase breeding productivity and reverse the decline of the UK’s lowland Curlew populations. The PhD is not the only piece of Curlew work to be based in East Anglia over the year. BTO has been working with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the Royal Air Force, Natural England, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, on a Curlew headstarting project. Curlew eggs, rescued from military and civilian airfields where the risk of bird-strike means that the nests would otherwise have been destroyed, are hatched and reared in a specialist facility, where they can be ringed and tagged before release into the wild. The tracking component delivered by BTO staff provides a unique insight into the behaviour and survival of young birds and is helping to improve our understanding of headstarting as a conservation tool for Curlew recovery.

EVALUATING POLICY TOOLS

Work on a number of significant field survey projects was undertaken in 2021, involving both fieldwork and data analysis. This included the projects on woodland management (England), pollinator monitoring in Wales (see page 30), and agrienvironment scheme monitoring in Northern Ireland (see page 35), amongst others.

BTO research in these areas continues to inform agrienvironment schemes and their design, not least by evaluating how well these schemes actually work. Agri-environment schemes have required a huge investment of public funds and, aside from their conservation value, there is a clear public interest in ensuring that they deliver returns on this substantial investment. BTO expertise will be equally valuable as new policy tools come on stream, following the UK’s departure from the European Union.

YELLOW WAGTAIL : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

6 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

ENABLING PEOPLE TO LEARN & GROW

We are working to provide more and better opportunities for people to contribute to our work, at the same time helping them to learn new things and to grow in confidence as they develop their skills as birdwatchers and survey volunteers.

TAKING TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

One of the big success stories of the past year has been the number of people taking advantage of our training workshops, notably those being delivered online by the BTO’s Training Team, led by Nick Moran. During the year, the team ran 96 training courses, reaching 5,549 attendees. The sessions delivered a mix of bird identification and survey-specific training to individuals from a broad mix of backgrounds. While some of the training is provided for free, many of the courses carry a small fee, which helps to secure attendance — individuals are more likely to turn up to something they have paid for — and ensures that we can continue to deliver on and expand our training offering.

We ended the financial year with 18,926 members. Our membership offer was refreshed in November 2021 so new joiners can contribute any amount they choose, from a minimum of £3 a month (£36 a year). New membership includes all adults at the registered address, which will become available to all members in due course. Another new benefit, to be the first to hear about most nationally organised bird ID training courses, has been well received with members making up around 70% of training course participants. A second year of online-only events, notably our annual conference, has given us pause to consider how best to engage with our supporters both new and existing as we go forward.

Although many of the sessions were virtual, the team has begun to introduce more face-to-face opportunities now that things have eased post-pandemic. This hybrid approach will continue, recognising that getting to face-to-face events can be a barrier for some potential participants. Virtual events mean that we can reach more people, engage with new audiences, and reduce the environmental costs of delivering training. Such has been the success of the BTO training programme that we have had to recruit new staff in order to meet the demand for training courses.

ONLINE RESOURCES

The BTO YouTube channel continues to be a significant draw for individuals seeking information on bird identification. Our bird identification videos, each of which features two or more similar species, received 884,217 views during 2021, with over 30,000 hours watched. The most-watched video was one on Nightingales and other nocturnal singers. Such figures underline the value of this resource to the online audience.

TRAINING : ROB READ / BTO; NIGHTINGALE : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK; MENTORING : DAVID TIPLING / BTO

BIRDWATCHERS : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE

INSPIRING & EMPOWERING PEOPLE

We seek to inspire and empower people with an understanding of birds and the importance of scientific, evidence-based knowledge. Over the past year we have been working to increase the accessibility of our science.

ENGAGING SCHOOLS WITH SCIENCE

There are many benefits to engaging young people with nature and science. BTO’s What’s Under Your Feet project demonstrated very clearly how it is possible to do this in schools, delivering both scientifically valuable data and great engagement. By providing a structured scheme for schools to measure the abundance of soil invertebrates and birds using school playing fields, What’s Under Your Feet resulted in two scientific publications. The first showed how the abundance of soil invertebrates varies with season and habitat, and particularly the impact that drought can have on the availability of earthworms to birds in the surface of the soil. The second linked earthworm abundance to the numbers of the birds that feed on them, raising the tantalising prospect that changes in bird populations may indicate changes in soil health.

biodiversity monitoring in the UK. Recognising that many teachers are stretched, the paper notes how secondary school pupils can also help to support these activities, for example through natural history clubs. Being able to provide support for students in schools is one reason why BTO established its Youth Advisory Panel and is developing its work with younger people.

MAKING SCIENCE ACCESSIBLE

The primary outputs from our scientific research are peer-reviewed papers. Peer-review is an important arbiter of scientific quality, but scientific papers are rarely the most digestible form of scientific information for non-scientist audiences. Because of this, we also seek to deliver the science from these papers in other ways. Each BTO-authored paper gets its own page on the BTO website, with a more accessible summary of the work carried out and what it showed. The findings from individual papers may also be reported through our case studies and blogs, again communicated for a broader audience and often with the research presented within the wider context in which it sits.

In addition we place articles in a range of magazines and newspapers, often drawing several different pieces of research together to deliver a narrative exploring a particular issue or topic. In 2021, for example, we brought together the science from our work on bioacoustic monitoring for a feature article in the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s magazine In Practice . This showcased how the science that BTO is developing can be used in an applied field like environmental impact assessment. Being able to reach audiences and present our science in an appropriate way is key to securing the support needed to deliver our charitable objectives.

SCHOOL SCIENCE : FAYE VOGELY / BTO

In a paper published this year in the journal School Science Review , a themed journal for science teachers, BTO’s Director of Science Professor James Pearce-Higgins described how schools can contribute to long-term biodiversity monitoring schemes, at the same time underlining the benefits to schools and students of participation. The paper identifies predictable and sustained opportunities for schools to participate in the collection of scientifically valuable data year on year (Pearce-Higgins 2021).

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Space Enough in Lockdown? Managing Urban Wetlands
Gaelic Place Names and Public Engagement with Ecosystem Services
Urban Wilding: Lessons We Should Learn
The Remarkable Recovery of Urban Badgers
ractice Issue 114 | December 2021
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Urban and
Cultural Ecology
Bulletin of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
be overcome through the densities, attributes that may nocturnal or occur at low for taxa that are cryptic, Such data are often lacking and development decisions. inform land management distribution are needed to populations, their status and Robust data on wildlife species groups.a suite of project types and managers working across ecologists and environmental to be used more widely by opportunities for acoustics different species are providing of the sound identification of advances in our knowledge technological innovations and As this article reveals, use of acoustic monitoring.
An Example of How
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Figure 1. Daubenton’s bat. Photo by Ján Svetlik.
OrnithologyBritish Trust for Stuart Newson OrnithologyBritish Trust for Simon Gillings OrnithologyBritish Trust for Mike Toms
December 2021 | Issue 114 | 47
Orthoptera, urban planningKeywords: bats, impact assessment,
approaches, such as acoustic monitoring et al challenging than it is for others (Plummer data for some taxonomic groups is more have been achieved. Securing robust promised positive biodiversity outcomes which can be used to assess whether development has been completed – choices – and those present after the which can be used to inform planning those present prior to development – . 2020), but the development of robust data on wildlife populations, both friendly planning is contingent on having Our ability to develop biodiversity-
Introduction
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The benefits to the students include opportunities for training and feedback and to gain practical experience. Some schemes, such as BTO’s BirdTrack, provide an online repository of submitted data, whilst others provide access to additional information resources. These data can be used to provide students with experience of scientific analysis, and the paper suggests how this can be achieved. It is hoped that this new publication will increase awareness of the potential for schools to contribute to long-term

CASE STUDY: OPENING UP OUR SCIENCE

Online channels have been of particular importance throughout the pandemic and are increasingly important more generally, as a greater proportion of information is sourced online. Online platforms provide an opportunity to do more things with our data and information than is possible when using offline channels, like books and papers. The annual Wetland Bird Survey outputs, delivered through WeBS Report Online, provide a powerful tool for those interested in the changing status and distribution of the birds using our coastal margins. In a similar way, the annual BirdTrends report delivers a suite of information on changing status, productivity and other metrics from our core terrestrial surveys, together with helpful commentary. The report has become something of a ‘one-stop-shop’ for anyone wanting the latest information on the UK’s birds.

If our science is to have impact then it needs to be accessible to all of our audiences, from policy-makers and land-managers, to conservation practitioners, funders and the public.

Over the past year we have continued our work to make BTO’s science more accessible to a wider range of audiences. We have, for example, sought to showcase the work of our scientists, putting them centre stage and getting them to talk about their research in a series of ‘ Science Shorts ’; videos that we can share on the BTO YouTube channel and across social media.

During 2021, work continued to develop the BTO Data Portal (a working title), which will bring together the core data from BTO schemes, extending back over many years, alongside other information on the UK’s birds, the latter drawn from our BirdFacts pages. This ambitious project, seeking to leverage significant datasets to deliver something that truly is a one-stop-shop, will enable users to drill down into the data and to pull out information at a more local level. This initiative is only possible because of the incredible wealth of information collected by generations of BTO volunteers and contributed to a suite of surveys and monitoring programmes. The work being done now has been generously supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, who recognise the tremendous value in making this wealth of information available for a diverse audience of end users.

Being able to present our science in this bite-size way also enables us to demonstrate the passion and enthusiasm of our staff. In turn, this increases audience engagement with the science and provides role models for younger people thinking about a career in science or conservation. Science Shorts produced during the year included Harry Ewing talking about his PhD fieldwork on Curlews, Professor James Pearce-Higgins discussing the findings of our Climate Change and the UK’s Birds report, and Hugh Hanmer and Michelle Reeve sharing the results of the BTO Tawny Owl Calling Survey. The BTO YouTube channel now has over 22,000 subscribers, and also hosts our extensive collection of video guides to bird identification.

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CURLEW : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK
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10 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

FIRM FOUNDATIONS

OUR VOLUNTEERS

What makes BTO different is the way we build and harness the passion, knowledge and curiosity of thousands of volunteers to tackle the urgent challenges of today by advancing our understanding of birds and their habitats.

VOLUNTEER BOUNCE BACK

It is a wonderful testament to our community of volunteers that, after the difficulties of the 2020 survey season, 2021 saw a strong return in survey coverage. This was particularly evident in the case of the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). COVID-19 restrictions had a significant impact on the survey in 2020, reducing our ability to report on the population trends of more common and widespread species, and requiring careful statistical examination of trend production for the annual report — an official government statistic. Thanks to the efforts of BBS volunteers, we saw UK coverage reach 3,919 squares, up from 2,029 squares in 2020 and not far short of the peak of 4,046 seen in 2018. 2021 also saw new record coverage levels in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, at 625 squares, 152 squares and 10 squares respectively.

While such top line figures provide a useful measure of the amazing contribution made by BTO volunteers, delivering so much for society, they hide the wealth of knowledge and expertise vested in these volunteers. As an organisation we need to continue to support, encourage and nurture our volunteer networks and, importantly, work to share this knowledge and expertise with others, growing opportunities for people to participate in science and to secure the well-being and other benefits that come from doing so.

As is evident throughout this year’s annual report, there is a huge appetite to grow our volunteer networks and, alongside this, provides opportunities for more people from more backgrounds. The knowledge that, collectively, our passion, actions and financial contributions make a difference means that we are even more determined to inspire others, inform decision-makers and stimulate a deeper public understanding about the state of the natural world. In return, and through their involvement with us, our volunteers benefit from improved well-being, a stronger connection with nature, a better understanding of birds and the environment, and the knowledge that they are contributing positively to society.

Some 275 of our 2,685 BBS volunteers visited their survey squares again later in the year to carry out the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey, operated in partnership with Butterfly Conservation and with their volunteers taking coverage to 787 sites and recording 98,405 butterflies of 48 species. That our volunteers are making a significant contribution to the monitoring of a different taxonomic group underlines the willingness of our community to get involved and to make a difference for wildlife through the collection of that vital evidence base.

DELIVERING VALUE FOR NATURE

During 2021, volunteers contributed approximately 2,029,493 hours to our work, enabling us to deliver on our charitable objectives and to make a difference for birds. This represented an increase of 7% compared with 2020, and is the equivalent of 1,247 staff years. The estimated monetary value to society of this incredible contribution is at least £18 million (based on the UK National Living Wage of £8.91 per hour, introduced in April 2021).

As noted above, there was a recovery to pre-pandemic levels of participation in the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, as was also the case for the Heronries Census, the Waterways Breeding Bird Survey, the Nest Record Scheme and the two core Ringing Surveys — CES & RAS. Garden Birdwatch participation grew by a further 16% and young volunteers contributed over 3,500 hours to our youth programme. There were small declines in participation in BirdTrack and WeBS, and larger declines in the newly-introduced Garden CES ringing project and in Nesting Neighbours, the former perhaps reflecting increased opportunities for wider countryside ringing post-pandemic.

RINGING CLOTHING FROM A SEABIRD SESSION : MIKE TOMS / BTO

BTO VOLUNTEERS : DAVID TIPLING / BTO

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FIRM FOUNDATIONS
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FIRM FOUNDATIONS

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FIRM FOUNDATIONS
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OUR STAFF

BTO is fortunate to have dedicated and professional staff, whose expertise and commitment helps to drive forward our charitable activities. Working in partnership with volunteers, and staff at other organisations, they are a vital resource.

AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO

REFLECTING SOCIETY BETTER

There has never been a time when our long-term data and rigorous scientific analyses have been more important, their use today helping us to address the urgent global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Our data, coupled with our distinctive approach, provide the impartial, impactful and evidence-based knowledge that empowers society to respond effectively to these and other challenges. That we are able to do this so effectively is down to the successful partnership between our hard-working volunteers and staff.

We recognise that candidates from minority ethnic groups are under-represented in our organisation, and that there are often additional barriers present for people from these groups when applying for roles in the charity sector. It is our policy to help under-represented groups get into the conservation and environmental sector. This policy also defines our approach to staffing and recruitment, and we now guarantee first stage interviews to any candidate from an ethnic background who meets the essential criteria for a role. As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme a similar guarantee is made to applicants with a disability. We have also introduced blind hiring and have put resources in place to address unconscious bias during recruitment.

Most of our staff also participate in BTO surveys and schemes as volunteers themselves, something that enables them to understand the motivations for participation, and to share experiences with our wider volunteer network. Our survey organisers and scientists can talk with passion about their schemes and research because they share the excitement and passion of our volunteers, of people wanting to discover the answers to important questions.

We have been working to make our staff even more accessible to our members and volunteers, something that has been challenging with home-working an important tool for the business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our website and social media channels have been of particular importance while the opportunities for face-to-face encounters have been restricted. We are learning the lessons from this, and bringing these into our working practices as we go forward. Online events, where supporters can meet and interact with staff, and other volunteers, have proved popular, and have enabled us to reach audiences that have traditionally not attended face-to-face events.

YELLOWHAMMER : JOHN HARDING / BTO

ROYAL RECOGNITION

The societal contribution of BTO staff was recognised during the year through honours bestowed by Her Majesty The Queen. Dr Andy Clements, former BTO Chief Executive, and a career conservationist, was awarded an Order of the British Empire medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to conservation and policy.

Dr Gavin Siriwardena also received an Order of the British Empire medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, this time for services to biodiversity. Gavin leads BTO’s Land-Use Research team, whose work focuses on the pure and applied research of terrestrial bird ecology. His work on farmland birds, in particular on testing the agri-environment solutions to farmland bird conservation problems and on measuring the effects of current issues in farmland such as the disappearance of set-aside, has made a significant contribution.

BTO STAFF IAN HENDERSON AND GREG CONWAY SETTING NETS FOR NIGHTJARS : MIKE TOMS / BTO

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FIRM FOUNDATIONS

OUR COMMUNITY

One of our strengths is the breadth of opportunities for people to be part of our community through their shared love of birds. That we have such a vibrant community emphasises that what we are doing matters to a great many people.

RECOGNISING CONTRIBUTIONS

LISTENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE

The contribution made by each of our supporters is highly valued and gratefully received, but it is right that we should sometimes single out particular individuals who have made a significant contribution to our work. We do this through two awards, presented at our Annual Conference.

In December 2021, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge invited a group from the BTO’s Youth Advisory Panel to meet with him at Kensington Palace so that he could hear first-hand about the work they do in a voluntary capacity for BTO. His Royal Highness heard about the importance of the work they do with BTO, as well as the way they are working to help the organisation ‘grow younger’. He also heard about the benefits of encouraging more young people to connect with nature, including the positive effect on their mental health. Lastly, he learned about their desire to address their concerns for the climate and the need for clear scientific data to help do so.

The first of these awards is the Jubilee Medal, awarded to an individual who has shown outstanding and committed devotion to BTO. This year’s recipients were Tony Cross and Mike Archer. Tony’s inspirational enthusiasm for ornithology has been passed on to many individuals through numerous projects across Wales and beyond. Mike Archer recognised the need to support and encourage young ornithologists and has helped to set up, and continues to support, several key initiatives. These include initiatives that support young people attending the BTO Annual Conference, and provide young people with opportunities to spend time at one of the country’s network of Bird Observatories. The Bernard Tucker Medal is awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to BTO’s scientific work, and this year’s recipient Tony Davis was recognised for his significant contributions to BTO work on migrant birds, and for the huge amount of time that he has put into training the next generation of ringers and nest recorders.

The BTO Youth Advisory Panel has proven a springboard for new projects and schemes for young people. These schemes help them develop their skills and enjoyment of birdwatching and to become more actively involved in collecting the information that underpins our understanding of what is happening to the UK’s bird populations. One of the most popular schemes that the Panel has initiated is the Equipment Donation Scheme. The scheme enables birdwatchers to donate surplus binoculars, telescopes and bird identification guides, to BTO to distribute to young people who cannot access or afford such equipment themselves. So far over 1,800 young people have benefited from the scheme.

BTO YOUTH ADVISORY PANEL MEMBERS MEETING HRH THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE : KENSINGTON PALACE

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FIRM FOUNDATIONS
A COMMON INTEREST
During the first year of the pandemic we sought to provide lock-
down households with the motivation to engage with the wildlife
in their gardens, and to contribute meaningful data through
participation in citizen science. We did this by opening up our
Garden BirdWatch scheme, removing the payment barrier so that
more people could be part of this amazing project. Thousands of
people signed up as a result, joining the existing community of BTO
Garden BirdWatchers whose generosity continues to enable the
collection, analysis, and reporting of vital information on the UK’s
garden birds.
The ongoing response to opening up this weekly survey has been
so positive that we have decided to continue with an option for
free participation going forwards post-pandemic. Of course we still
need to cover the costs of running the survey, so a donation-based
option is continuing alongside the free option. Those participants
who are so generously supporting the project, and enabling our
research into urban birds, receive additional feedback through a
quarterly magazine, which also had a refresh during the year.
The impact that this now extended community of BTO Garden
BirdWatchers is having is neatly demonstrated through a series of
research outputs submitted for peer-review publication, likely to
emerge next year. For the individuals who participate there are likely
to be various well-being benefits resulting from structured and
regular time spent engaging with the natural world.
GARDEN BIRDWATCHER AND ROBIN : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK
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ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH

Partnership is at the heart of our approach. With our impartial, evidence-based position, delivering robust science, we are able to work with a very broad range of partners and to tackle important questions.

SHIFTING SOUNDSCAPES

SUPPORTING UK BAT MONITORING

A particularly interesting example of partnership working can be seen in a piece of research published in 2021 that looked at the extent to which our avian soundscapes have changed. Bird song helps us to build and maintain connections with the natural world and is a core component of the natural soundscapes that define the landscapes around us.

The UK has one of the best-developed bat monitoring programmes in the world, delivering vital information on their changing status. However, for six of the UK’s 17 resident bat species the available data are insufficient to support the production of population trends. In a report to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Newson et al . 2021), BTO has been able to draw on its expertise in bioacoustic monitoring to provide advice on how this important knowledge gap could be filled.

The diversity of bird song at a given location plays an important role in defining the quality of our engagement with these soundscapes. Long-term declines in bird populations across the globe are likely to have reduced the diversity and scale of avian soundscapes, but the lack of historical recordings makes it difficult to assess the impact of these changes over time. This is something that has been explored through work led by Cat Morrison at the University of East Anglia, working with a broader partnership, including BTO.

Large-scale deployment of passive acoustic monitoring devices is an approach that BTO has already used successfully at the regional level, demonstrating the potential for the monitoring of bats, bushcrickets and small mammals. Key to this success has been the use of effective survey and sampling protocols, something that is again highlighted in this new report.

By analysing passive acoustic data collected by volunteers from a study area in the south-west of Britain, the BTO authors were able to quantify the ability of the approach to detect population declines in bat numbers in relation to a number of methodological considerations, such as whether recording is carried out across the whole night and the number of sites surveyed. The report’s recommendations will inform possible approaches to the national monitoring of all 17 of our resident bat species.

The study uses a novel approach, reconstructing ‘lost’ soundscapes from the information collected by volunteers for bird surveys operated across Europe and North America. By combining survey data, including those submitted through the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, with recordings for over 1,000 bird species, taken from the online Xeno Canto database of songs and calls, Cat and her colleagues were able to reconstruct soundscapes for more than 200,000 locations over the past 25 years. The acoustic properties of the reconstructed soundscapes could then be explored statistically through a series of standard measures, capturing the richness of each.

PRIORITISING CONSERVATION ACTION

Perhaps the best example of effective partnership working is the periodic production and publication of the UK’s Birds of Conservation Concern review, which reports on the status of our bird populations and assesses their conservation status (Stanbury et al. 2021). The most recent review, the fifth since 1990, assessed 245 species and assigned each to one of three lists of ‘conservation concern’. Data from the core schemes operated by BTO enable each species to be assessed against criteria reflecting changing population size and changing range. In addition, global conservation status and evidence of an earlier historical decline are also used in the assessment process.

Some 70 species (nearly one in three of those assessed) were placed on the Red List, with 11 moving to the Red List since the last review. Included in these are three familiar species: Swift, House Martin and Greenfinch, whose population declines are of particular concern. More positively, six formerly Red-listed species moved to the Amber list, highlighting that directed conservation action can improve fortunes. The listing processes is a vital aid to identifying species and habitat conservation priorities, something that means that finite resources can be targeted most effectively.

GREENFINCH : LIZ CUTTING / BTO

While these measures broadly mirror avian species richness and abundance, they are primarily driven by song complexity and diversity across the contributing species. Because of this, the measures are likely to describe those aspects of avian soundscapes that are most important to their perception by human listeners. The analysis reveals variation in soundscape quality, both across sites and over time, and demonstrates a chronic deterioration in soundscape quality over time. Sites that experienced the largest declines in total abundance and/or species richness also showed larger declines in acoustic diversity and sound intensity. Ongoing declines in bird populations are expected to cause further reductions in attributes of soundscape acoustics and, by extension, a continued decline in the quality of our experience of the natural world.

HOUSE SPARROWS : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

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TITLE

INFORMING POLICY DECISIONS INFORMING POLICY & PRACTICE

BTO evidence and expertise continues to inform policy and practice across a broad range of areas, supporting decision-making processes, as we seek to respond to the challenges of competing land-use needs and a changing climate.

SPEED MATTERS ...

USING THE RIGHT TOOLS

Renewable energy is playing a vital role in attempts to counter the effects of climate change, but is not without its own impacts. BTO has continued its research into the effects of wind energy developments on birds, providing valuable evidence that is informing the placement and design of the infrastructure delivering renewable energy around the UK and beyond.

A related piece of work, this time partnering BTO with RSPB, the University of the Highlands and Islands, and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, reviewed the methods and technologies currently used to provide bird flight data for assessing the impact of wind energy developments (Largey et al . 2021). The review identified four tools, including radar and tracking technologies, that improved the estimation of bird flight parameters. Interestingly, the study also revealed that these empirical sensor-based tools were more often used in academic peer-reviewed studies than in report-based environmental statements. Where sensor-based tools were used in the report-based literature, their inconsistent application often resulted in an uncertain regulatory environment for practitioners. While sensor-based tools may not be the most cost-effective option for practitioners, these costs offer a good return on the investment required when viewed against the costs of a proposed development being refused consent.

Whilst wind energy developments help to reduce carbon budgets, they may also impact bird populations through the increased mortality from collisions, the modification of habitats used by the birds, and changes to foraging behaviour, as birds avoid renewable infrastructure such as offshore wind farms. BTO work on collision risk models, which are used to estimate the potential mortality caused by wind turbines, has been of particular importance in this regard, as a study published in 2021 reveals (Masden et al. 2021).

SUPPORTING POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Policy development and implementation can be difficult, not least because of the dynamic nature of the wider political environment. An example of the dynamic nature of the environment in which policy development operates was highlighted by the UK’s recent departure from the European Union. Understanding the possible impacts of that departure, and how these might differ depending upon what that departure looked like, would be key for identifying what this might mean for future land management opportunities and the associated environmental costs or benefits.

Working with staff from UKCEH, ADAS and Forest Research, BTO ecologists have combined existing agri-economic modelling approaches with well-tested environmental models, to explore potential Brexit impacts on land use, environmental outcomes and the agricultural labour pool in Wales (Thomas et al. 2021). Agriculture in Wales is dominated by animal production on grassland systems, so a particular focus was on potential changes in livestock numbers under three potential post-Brexit trade agreement scenarios (an EU Deal, No Deal, and the implementation of a Multilateral Free Trade Agreement) and what these might mean for levels of employment and pollution, as well as for biodiversity and sustainable development goals.

GEESE AND WINDFARM : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

Collision risk models are widely used by the industry and those making judgements about the design and placement of new infrastructure. However, the value of these models is dependent upon the quality of the data available to test their underlying assumptions. New work, bringing together BTO researchers and colleagues from the University of the Highlands and Islands, RSPB, and the University of Amsterdam, explores the sensitivity of the models to differences in bird flight speed. By using GPS-derived flight speeds from tagged Lesser Black-backed Gulls, rather than a standard generic value, the team established that the models were sensitive to flight speed. By using site-specific flight speed data from tagged birds rather than a standard value reduced the predicted number of collisions. This underlines a need for need for more representative flight speed data and, where possible, sitespecific data, so that decisions about possible future developments can be based on the most robust information.

By working collaboratively, and involving the Welsh Government throughout the process, this work has delivered valuable evidence to support policy development. The outputs will support Welsh Government as it seeks to develop programmes that manage the Brexit transition pro-actively, while mitigating risks to the agricultural sector, the environment, and rural communities.

COMMON CRANES : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

The traditional approach to site-based conservation policy has been guided by three overarching aims: to prevent species from going extinct, to mitigate habitat degradation, and to counter the depletion of natural resources. More recently a fourth aim has been added: to facilitate species’ responses to climatic warming. This new addition identifies a need for sites to support the ‘movement’ of a species through a landscape so that its distribution can track the changing climate. In simple terms, the species should be able to redistribute from sites that are no longer suitable to new sites that have become suitable because of the change in climate.

Protected area networks are a conservation tool that can facilitate these responses to climate change, but it is unclear which management approaches are most effective at delivering this. Two pieces of work published during the past year examine this question, both of which use data collected through the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) — a partnership jointly funded by BTO, RSPB and JNCC, with fieldwork conducted by volunteers. The WeBS data used are from the January count dataset, which forms the UK contribution to the International Waterbird Census — the wider dataset examined in these two papers.

CASE STUDY: WHICH SITES TO PROTECT?

Can managing sites that are specifically designated for a target community help to counter the effects of a changing climate and secure that community for the future?

Gaget et al. (2021) examined the effectiveness of the European Natura 2000 network of protected sites, which in the UK includes Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation. The authors found that, in the face of climate warming, it was those sites that were explicitly designated to protected waterbirds and those with management plans that were the most effective in enabling waterbird communities to respond. There was no evidence that effectiveness was linked to the length of time that a site had been protected, which implies that targeted conservation policies, identifying and protecting suitable sites, could be a particularly effective approach to adopt.

A paper in the journal Nature by Wauchope et al. (2022), using BTO data with other data sources at a global scale, looked at the value of protected areas for waterbirds at a larger spatial scale. Using International Waterbird Census data for over 27,000 waterbird populations from across the world, the study revealed a mixed impact for the 1,506 protected areas examined. Some of the less favourable outcomes were linked to poor management of the sites or to the impacts of effects operating outside of the area protected, and there was also only a weak signal that larger areas are more beneficial than smaller ones. However, the study also found that management for waterbirds or their habitats was more likely to benefit populations. While the study shows that protection alone does not guarantee good biodiversity outcomes, it does underline the value of managing these sites for their target species.

Such studies are only possible because of the thousands of hours that volunteers put into collecting data on waterbirds at sites across the UK, and beyond. These data are used to inform the designation of protected sites and, as seen here, to evaluate their effectiveness in delivering conservation objectives. Being able to combine such data at much wider spatial scales is testament to partnership working, and enables a global response to these planet-wide challenges.

BLACK-TAILED GODWITS : ALLAN DREWITT / BTO

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ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

SHARING DATA & INFORMATION

BTO data fed into a wide range of projects over the past year, supporting policy, land management and conservation work across the UK and beyond. Our long-term datasets, in particular, provide incredibly powerful evidence of the changes to our bird populations, and the reasons behind them.

A CONTINENTAL SCALE

ACOUSTIC PIPELINE

BTO’s long-term datasets continue to play a key role in identifying changes in our bird populations, and enabling the evaluation of conservation efforts and policy decisions. They are the evidence base used by a wide range of stakeholders. The long-term nature of these datasets is important, as is being able to collect data at large spatial scales. This is because identifying long-term population trends across the full range of a species can help to tease out variability in the processes driving the changes seen.

The launch of BTO’s Acoustic Pipeline provides a rather different example of the ways in which BTO has been able to mobilise data and information over the past year. The pipeline provides the infrastructure to allow audio recordings to be uploaded to a secure remote server in the cloud, where they are then processed to find and identify biological sounds, before returning the results back to the user. With a current focus on 34 species of European bat, the system also identifies 14 small mammal species, 18 bush-cricket species and two moth species, where these are recorded as by-catch.

However, collecting long-term and broad-scale information on population changes for multiple species is challenging. Financial resources are often limiting, and there may be a lack of volunteers or paid staff with the right skills. The monitoring of birds benefits from the numbers of people for whom birdwatching is a hobby, but this is not necessarily the case in every country. It is reassuring, then, that thanks to datasets like those collected by BTO volunteers, it has been possible to report on the relative changes of widespread and common European species.

The system not only delivers powerful cloud processing, running the recordings through a suite of acoustic classifiers to deliver an identification with an associated measure of confidence, but it also facilitates data storage and onwards use by researchers and others. The system has been developed with a range of end users in mind. For example, projects can be private and hidden, or public to allow any users to register and participate. This functionality provides support for both local atlases and commercial projects, ensuring that BTO expertise in the field of bioacoustic monitoring can be shared as widely as possible.

During 2021, the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) delivered its latest database of between-year and longterm changes for 170 species, the data collected by thousands of volunteers across 28 countries (Brlík et al., 2021). This publicly available dataset is being used to answer research questions, report on international biodiversity targets, support policy work, and assess conservation efforts. That these data are available, and are continuing to play such a vital role, is testament to the incredible efforts of the volunteers who contribute each year.

MONITORING OTHER WILDLIFE

During the quieter summer months many birdwatchers turn their attention towards other taxa, collecting records of butterflies, plants, dragonflies and damselflies. Such is the interest in of other taxa that several core BTO projects now enable the capture other taxa data by those observers wishing to contribute records. Mammal data are submitted from 90% of BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey sites, for example, while BTO Garden BirdWatchers have been adding records of butterflies, bumblebees, mammals, dragonflies and damselflies to their weekly counts since 2001. Users of BTO’s BirdTrack app also have the option to record sightings of certain other taxa groups.

Collectively these records feed into the National Biodiversity Network Atlas, and they are also shared with other organisations, such as the British Dragonfly Society, contributing to atlas and other worthwhile projects. BTO’s Hedgehog data, for example, form a vital component of the periodic State of Britain’s Hedgehogs report, published by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, and enabling the production of population trend figures for a species with an unfavourable conservation status. While birds remain our focus, we will continue to support partners working on other taxa through the collection of these additional data.

WHEATEAR : BETHAN CLYNE / BTO; YELLOW WAGTAIL : SARAH KELMAN / BTO; DARK BUSH-CRICKET : MIKE TOMS / BTO; HEDGEHOG : STEVE ROUND / BTO

BBS VOLUNTEER : JILL TARDIVEL / BTO

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CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT

The Climate Change and the UK’s Birds report, published in November, provided a timely synthesis of climate change impacts, not only highlighting the species at greatest risk and how to respond, but also demonstrating the value of our science.

REVEALING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS

SEABIRDS AND UPLAND BIRDS AT RISK

An increasing body of research demonstrates the impacts of climate change on bird species across the globe, revealing a suite of responses. The timing of bird breeding and of migration have both become earlier, and there is a consistent poleward shift in the distribution of bird species, the rate of change exceeding 11 km per decade. Climate change is driving large-scale shifts in bird communities across the globe, and we are seeing a consistent simplification of bird communities as they become more similar to each other. BTO data provide the evidence base for many of these changes, underlining the vital role of our long-term monitoring and research work continue to play in understanding climate change impacts and identifying ways in which we can help bird populations adapt to these.

The report identified that breeding seabirds and upland breeding birds are the two UK groups most vulnerable to climate change. Fourteen seabird species and nineteen upland breeding bird species are regarded as being at risk of negative climate change impacts. Tendencies for upland birds and seabirds to decline may be related to their more negative responses to warmer temperature. In contrast, positive impacts of temperature change may contribute to increases in wetland and non-native species.

Importantly, the report also highlighted the lack information about the extent to which climate change might be driving population trends for 132 (55%) of our breeding bird species and for most of our wintering birds. It is essential that we address these important knowledge gaps, and BTO staff have been considering what additional monitoring approaches might be able to deliver.

In November 2021, alongside the United Nations Climate conference in Glasgow (CoP26), we published an important report assessing the impact that climate change is having on UK bird populations. The work, carried out by BTO’s Director of Science, Professor James Pearce-Higgins, showed how climate change is already having a widespread impact on UK bird populations. The report provides the most comprehensive synthesis of the likely future impacts of climate change on UK birds to date, whilst also highlighting examples of where large-scale climate mitigation work, such as woodland planting, has the potential to transform landscapes and impact on bird populations. It also demonstrated where conservation action might help species adapt to climate change.

MANAGING MITIGATION

It is essential that we not only understand the potential future impacts of a changing climate on the populations of UK birds, but that we also identify any possible impacts that might arise from mitigation measures that we adopt to combat climate change. The report explored two of these, increasing renewable energy generation and woodland establishment to support net zero targets, by way of example.

If we are to identify where conflicts might arise between planned mitigation measures and the populations of birds that these areas currently support, then we need extensive data on the distribution and abundance of species. Such data are collected through the core surveys and schemes operated by BTO, but it is worth noting that attaining adequate survey coverage can be difficult for some of these locations (e.g. across our uplands). This is one reason why BTO has been seeking new ways to encourage and increase survey participation in our more remote areas.

PROTECTING THE RIGHT SITES

As is evident from some of the other BTO work reported in this Annual Report, BTO researchers have been working with others to understand the resilience of protected sites and reserves for birds under a changing climate. The Climate Change and the UK’s Birds report underlines that the maintenance of an extensive network of large sites that protect important natural and seminatural habitats, such as the Special Protection Areas established under the EU Birds Directive, will play an important continentwide role in the conservation of birds in a changing climate. There is also growing evidence that how we manage that land will also be important.

PTARMIGAN : SARAH KELMAN / BTO

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SPOTLIGHT ON SEABIRDS

The UK is of particular importance because of its breeding seabird populations. Many of these are in decline and there is an urgent need to address gaps in our current understanding of these birds. Here we spotlight the work BTO has been doing.

courses included significant material on the ecology and status of seabirds. This information provides valuable context to those wishing to become involved with seabirds, and helps to reinforce why monitoring these birds is so important for their future fortunes. Material was developed by the BTO Training Team, with support from BTO seabird scientists, who delivered the courses together. It is hoped that participants will go on to attend an advanced course on gull identification, already offered by BTO, and engage with survey and ringing training opportunities in the future. A second series of these courses is planned for 2022/23.

IDENTIFYING AN URGENT NEED

The UK is home to eight million breeding seabirds and hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in Europe. With many of their populations suffering significant declines, and with seabirds highlighted as a group particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (see page 24), it is essential that we have robust information on their numbers, breeding success, and survival. Only with this information can we understand the threats they face and target appropriate conservation action towards them.

Because of the gaps in our understanding, BTO identified an urgent need to recruit, train and support a new generation of volunteers. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, contributing to the ‘Our Lost Seabirds Appeal’, we have been able to develop a series of new initiatives and resources directed towards seabird monitoring.

DEVELOPING NEW RESOURCES

The work to provide training on seabird survey methods ties in with other developmental work to update the Seabird Monitoring Handbook , last revised in 1995. Alongside this BTO has been working with partners to shape the future form of the Seabird Monitoring Programme, bringing into play our expertise in managing volunteer-based monitoring schemes and delivering a robust evidence base. This work is ongoing but should result in a new look programme to be launched in time for the 2023 breeding season.

In addition to the training being offered to volunteers, funding has been used to secure photographic and video resources that can be used in online training materials. The material has been sourced so that it is suitable for a range of different uses, including some more technical audiences who we hope will become involved in collecting new information on the ecology, behaviour and movements of our seabirds. As such, the emphasis here has been on methods to catch, handle, ring and tag seabirds.

TACKLING BARRIERS

Ringing provides vital information on changing survival rates for these often long-lived birds, but is not the most accessible of activities because of the locations in which many seabirds breed. In order to increase opportunities for seabird ringing we have first carried out work to understand the barriers that stop people from getting involved. This work included a focus group with experienced seabird ringers, and a wider questionnaire study. One of the barriers identified was the funding needed to access the often remote seabird colonies. In response, BTO has made grants available so that more individuals and ringing groups can access colonies to collect vital data. Another key barrier was found to be the equipment used for ringing seabirds. The types of rings fitted to seabirds require a strong grip when using ringing pliers, which can be problematic for people with small to medium-sized hands. Thanks to appeal funding, we are developing an adaptor for existing pliers that will overcome this problem.

RAZORBILL : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

SHARING SKILLS

Thanks to the funding we have received, and having identified the key audiences to address, we are now working to increase the number of volunteers involved in seabird monitoring. Some 476 individuals signed up for our online seabird identification courses, delivered through June and July 2021. The courses covered all of the species monitored by the Seabird Monitoring Programme — the core programme for these species in the UK — and had a particular emphasis on the more common and accessible species. Unlike most of our other online training courses, which have a strong focus on identification, the seabird

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KITTIWAKES : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK
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FOCUS ON ENGLAND
ENGLAND
Many policy decisions have a strong country- or regional-focus, and BTO’s work
reflects this. We continue to deliver projects from our Country Offices, often working
with country-level partners and other stakeholders.
SAFEGUARDING SHELDUCK
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BADGERS AND BIRDS

The Badger is a highly adaptable and opportunistic forager, whose diet includes a wide range of animal and plant material. Although earthworms are the most important component of Badger diet, these robust mammals may also predate Hedgehogs, frogs, small mammals and small (often ground-nesting) birds. The Badger is thought to be the main wildlife transmitter of bovine tuberculosis to cattle in England and, as a result, has been the subject of control measures in areas where they have been identified as an important factor in spreading the disease to cattle.

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Having a working knowledge of the movements made by this question, first through an analysis of Shelduck ring-
migratory birds is an essential first step in understanding recovery data from the British and Irish Ringing Scheme,
the risks that these species face from development and and then by carrying out a pilot GPS tracking study, in order
changes in land management. Shelduck from across Britain to demonstrate the utility of this technology for collecting
and Ireland undertake an annual moult migration, which data on the migratory routes, flight speeds and altitudes of
sees much of our breeding population migrate to moulting Shelduck (Green et al. 2021).
sites in the Wadden Sea, notably the Helgoland Bight. While
Through the pilot tracking work, four Shelduck were
it is clear that a significant proportion of the north-west
successfully tracked from East Anglia to the Wadden Sea, the
European Shelduck population moves back and forth across
birds using four separate routes, with previously unreported
the North Sea each year, there are no published data on
stopovers noted in the Dutch Wadden Sea, before birds
the routes used, the time taken, or how fast and at what
continued on to moulting sites in the Helgoland Bight. Flight
altitude Shelduck fly.
speeds averaged 30.3 knots, with the birds flying at altitudes
Given the scale of marine renewable development planned of up to 354 m. An expansion to the tracking study is
for the southern North Sea, and because the UK hosts planned, to increase sample sizes and geographical coverage.
internationally important numbers of Shelduck during the
non-breeding season, there is an urgent need to address
the gaps in our understanding of Shelduck movements, so
that we can identify the magnitude of possible impacts on
their populations from increasing numbers of
wind turbines.
28 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22
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The licensed reduction of Badger populations across large areas of the countryside to combat bovine tuberculosis is likely to have an effect on some other animals and plants, some of which may be ecologically significant. Investigating these consequences is of interest, both for evaluation of the culling policy itself and in terms of basic ecology. The existence of landscape-scale survey data from the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provides an opportunity to explore the implications of the culling policy for bird populations, and this is something that BTO has done, resulting in a peer-reviewed publication this year (Kettel et al. 2021).

The study led by Esther Kettel set out to investigate whether there was any detectable effect of the Badger cull on birds, evident in the BBS dataset. There was no evidence for broad or consistent effects within the cull areas, but it is worth noting that the small sample sizes available, coupled with likely habitat and management differences between sites, may have limited the statistical power of the approach. This initial work is being followed up with additional analyses, with additional years of data and an increased sample size.

THE IMPACTS OF LIGHT POLLUTION

As noted opposite, migratory birds face many challenges during their annual movements between breeding and wintering areas. BTO research, led by Simon Gillings and published in 2021, has investigated whether artificial light at night could disrupt the movement patterns of migrant thrushes (Gillings & Scott 2021). Previous studies have shown that artificial light at night can disorientate nocturnally migrating birds and cause them to collide with structures such as oil platforms and tall buildings. This problem is particularly associated with skyscrapers in North America. While UK cities tend to have fewer tall buildings, we still need to understand possible impacts on this side of the Atlantic.

By using passive acoustic monitoring devices, deployed in the gardens of local birdwatchers to record the calls of nocturnally migrating Redwings, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, Gillings and Scott examined a gradient of nocturnal illumination in Cambridgeshire — from the brightly lit city of Cambridge to the darker surrounding villages and countryside. The audio recordings were analysed using artificial neural networks, which had been trained to identify calls of the target species and differentiate them from other sources of night-time noise. The results showed that thrush call rates were up to five times higher over the brightest urban areas than in the darkest villages, suggesting a strong effect of artificial light on these migratory species. Although evidence

BADGERS : LIZ CUTTING / BTO

from studies involving radar indicates that this result can be explained by birds being attracted to brightly lit areas, it is also possible that individual birds call more often than normal in such environments if they are disorientated. The new work underlines the need to better understand the effects of artificial light on birds and other wildlife. It also demonstrates the potential for passive acoustic monitoring to help answer ecological questions.

SENSITIVITY MAPPING FOR WADERS

The creation of new woodlands provides opportunities for biodiversity (including birds) but it can also damage populations of other species dependent on the existing habitat at sites where the new woodland is being established. One group of birds that may be at particular risk from the establishment of new woodlands are our breeding waders, most of which now have an unfavourable conservation status.

A BTO report published in 2021 describes the development of a tool that can support decisions on where to establish new woodlands and, at the same time, minimise the risk to existing breeding wader populations (O’Connell et al. 2021). Using data from Bird Atlas 2007—11 , John Calladine and Mark Wilson used predictive modelling to create ‘wader sensitivity maps’ for the whole of Britain. The performance of the models used to create the maps was examined by using both empirical data and ground-truthing surveys, the latter carried out in two areas of particular interest: Northumberland and the NE Cumbria Forest Investment Zone, and the Cairngorms National Park.

The best models were for species with more data underpinning them, for example, Curlew and Oystercatcher. In addition to guiding wader conservation and forest planning, the tool can be used to assess the relative importance of particular landscapes, land uses and areas with statutory designations for breeding waders. Being able to inform high-level policy decisions affecting breeding waders, including balancing wader conservation and forest expansion, should bring real benefits.

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TITLEFOCUS ON WALES

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

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WALES
BTO Cymru gives a Welsh voice and perspective on issues that are important to
the birds of Wales. This is achieved by working closely with partners across Wales,
including the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, the Welsh Ornithological
Society, RSPB, bird clubs, and our members and volunteers.
MONITORING POLLINATORS IN WALES
The Welsh environment supports significant economic sectors,
including agriculture, fisheries, tourism and forestry, which are
also of importance to other key policy areas, including health
and well-being, energy, and infrastructure. Understanding
how the policies that shape these economic sectors deliver on
their objectives requires a monitoring and reporting framework,
to which BTO is contributing.
BTO is one of 22 partners undertaking the Environment
and Rural Affairs Monitoring & Modelling Programme
(ERAMMP) in Wales. Like its predecessor, which ran
from 2013—2016, ERAMMP is collecting monitoring
data across the Welsh landscape and will be a key
source of data for future editions of the State of
Natural Resources Report, published by Natural
Resources Wales.
In 2021, BTO put together a team of fieldworkers to monitor
pollinator abundance and habitat use in 80 survey areas spread
across Wales. The outputs of these surveys – numbers of bees,
butterflies and hoverflies, and their associated flora — will be added
to the modelling work that will be submitted to Welsh Government,
and later published in peer-reviewed papers. Because the study is
repeating previous monitoring (2013—2016) of the Glastir agri-
environment scheme, it will report on any changes that have
occurred in abundance and community structure.
Fieldwork targeting birds is taking place in 2022, but this is the
first time that BTO has been directly involved in running pollinator
surveys of this kind, something that underlines the transferability
of our expertise in monitoring work.
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FISH-EATING BIRDS

Amongst the complex and inter-related reasons for the decline of migratory salmonids (Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout) — which include changing land use, climate and rainfall, and alterations in the marine environment — it is important to understand any additional contribution made by the changing populations of fisheating birds. This has been the subject of recent BTO work in Wales.

Migratory salmonid populations in Wales are classified as ‘at risk’ or ‘probably at risk’ and most populations are declining. The species are important to anglers and net fishers, supporting both recreational activities and the wider socioeconomic benefits that arise from wellrun fisheries. In addition, these species have a broader societal value as iconic indicators of healthy river systems.

If the numbers of a species fall below safe biological limits, then predation may limit the population further or suppress any recovery. It is therefore important to document and understand the extent to which predation is impacting Salmon and Sea Trout populations in Wales. The main predators of these species in Welsh rivers are fish-eating birds, notably Cormorant and Goosander. Both the fish and the fish-eating birds are protected under national and international legislation, which again highlights the need to balance the conservation and human interest components linked to both the fish and the birds.

Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and a broad coalition of partners and stakeholders have been working to understand the multiple factors affecting Welsh salmonid populations. The interests of different stakeholders do not always align with one another, adding complexity to the work being done, and this is where BTO’s scientific independence and political neutrality can bring benefits. Our independent and robust evidence base enables effective decision-making, supports the testing of solutions, and informs debate. Rachel Taylor (scientific lead for BTO Cymru) has participated as scientific advisor to the multi-stakeholder Wales Fish-eating Birds Advisory Group since its inception in 2018.

The Wales Fish-eating Birds Advisory Group has spent several years developing a shared understanding of both fish and bird ecology, the critical environmental pressures and the concerns of the relevant stakeholders; informed throughout by BTO data and scientific expertise. Several pieces of review, research and survey work have been commissioned, including the Winter River Survey delivered by BTO in 2020—21 (see below). These have informed cooperative development of a set of strategic recommendations to policy on the future management of this difficult conservation conflict in Wales. The Group recommendations will be presented to Natural Resources Wales and are expected to underpin a new policy for supporting salmonid recovery in future.

WINTER RIVER SURVEY

An early task identified by the Welsh Fish-eating Birds Advisory Group was to improve our understanding of both populations and distribution of Cormorant and Goosander in Welsh rivers through the winter months. Goosanders demonstrate a complex seasonal migratory pattern, which includes a sex-biased moult-migration,

and we lack a detailed understanding of their winter movements. Cormorant populations also demonstrate complexity in their movements, with the majority of the Welsh breeding population being of the coastal-breeding carbo race. However, the winter population is thought to be supplemented by breeding birds from elsewhere in Britain (and of probably both the carbo and sinensis races), plus an unknown and variable number of sinensis race birds from the Continent.

The distributions of both species change seasonally but BTO’s core long-term datasets do not provide a robust enough basis for management activities intended to reduce predation risk to critical salmonid populations. This is because the Wetland Bird Survey and the Non-estuarine Waterbirds Survey deliver much better winter coverage across estuaries and still-waters than on open rivers, where many Welsh Cormorants and Goosanders are thought to winter.

Natural Resources Wales tasked BTO Cymru with designing a survey capable of robustly assessing populations and winter distributions of these two highly mobile species, and subsequently delivering this challenging survey and providing population estimates for 10 principal salmonid rivers across Wales. The team, expertly supported by staff from across BTO and including six contracted field staff, surveyed 956 km of river channels through December, and a further 1,400 km of channels and tributaries through January and February. This was a challenging survey, especially against a backdrop of coronavirus restrictions, and the more predictable problems of snow, rain, flooding and remote fieldwork.

The project delivered modelled distributions and population estimates for both Cormorant and Goosander for the 10 rivers, their wider catchments and (extrapolated) population estimates for all-Wales, and provided these and the underpinning data to Natural Resources Wales and the Fish-eating Birds Advisory Group at the end of the winter (and BTO’s financial year).

GOOSANDERS : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

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TITLEFOCUS ON SCOTLAND

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

MONITORING SCOTTISH RAPTORS

Scotland is home to important bird of prey populations, whose changing fortunes are being monitored through the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme. During 2021, the scheme was again funded by NatureScot, BTO, RSPB, FLS and SOC, with in-kind contributions from all the partners (the others being SRSG, RBBP, SF and JNCC). The scheme, which was launched in 2002, seeks to provide robust information on Scottish raptors, especially trends in numbers, range and productivity, and to understand the pressures faced.

Analyses using Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme data to produce the first set of national and regional trends for Scottish raptor populations were completed in 2021 and will be launched as part of the scheme’s 20th anniversary in 2022. Such information is extremely valuable, not least because these species are often poorly represented in core, multi-species, monitoring schemes, and the work of the Scheme and its partners is making a significant contribution to the conservation of these iconic birds.

During 2021, as well as leading on trends development, Mark Wilson reviewed the information collected by Raptor Patch, the scheme’s initiative to promote better monitoring coverage of widespread raptor species in Scotland, like Common Buzzard and Raven. In particular, analyses were carried out to assess the numbers of sample patches likely to be needed in future to contribute rigorous information on trends for the widespread species. The findings will be fed into plans for enhancing raptor monitoring in Scotland that will be developed further during 2022.

WHITE-TAILED EAGLE : LIZ CUTTING / BTO

STUDYING SAWBILLS

It is not just Welsh fish-eating birds (see page 30) that have been the focus of BTO research over the last year. BTO Scotland staff have carried out a pioneering piece of work to improve our understanding of Goosander movements. As noted earlier, the movements of these birds are complex and poorly understood, something that is now being addressed through the use of GPS—GSM tracking devices. These devices use either Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites or the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) to determine their location, which is transmitted to a base station at regular intervals through the day.

TAGGING GOOSANDERS / BTO

There are two particular challenges in deploying and using these devices on Goosanders; the first is that Goosanders are difficult birds to catch, the second is that they are adept at removing the devices, which typically only remain on the bird for a couple of weeks. The BTO Scotland team has developed a safe method for catching the Goosanders using mist nets positioned across shaded river sections. So far, 11 birds have been captured on two river systems, the River Devon — a tributary of the River Forth in Clackmannanshire — and the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. Interesting differences in the movements of birds on the two rivers have been revealed, and it is hoped that the information gained will help to inform the debate about the impacts of these fish-eating birds on fish stocks. This important work was funded through the generosity of Mark Constantine, to whom we are extremely grateful.

ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE

BTO’s efforts to engage more younger people in our work has seen a number of UK-wide initiatives, together with additional targeted work. BTO Scotland staff have been working in partnership with the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club to provide more opportunities for Scotland’s young people. A series of monthly Youth Engagement Events was launched in October 2021 and has proved to be very popular, with up to 60 young people booked on each session.

The online training delivered by BTO Scotland staff also increases opportunities for younger people, and others for whom the practicalities of attending face-to-face training events can be a barrier. During the year, BTO Scotland staff delivered virtual training events on bird songs and calls, upland birds, waders and waterbirds, together with training relating to particular BTO-led surveys. A programme of face-to-face sessions complemented the virtual courses. Virtual training has a particular benefit in Scotland, increasing accessibility, including for people living in more remote areas. The team also supported delivery of training for supporters in Northern Ireland, and helped the BTO’s Training Team to deliver a series of UK-wide training events online.

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FOCUS ON NORTHERN IRELAND

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

NORTHERN IRELAND

BTO Northern Ireland plays an active role, working with partners and our members and volunteers, to deliver much-needed information on Northern Ireland’s birds. Our team works closely with BTO staff in other offices, sharing expertise and feeding into our wider strategic work.

TRACKING BLACK GUILLEMOTS

Marine Protected Areas are a vital mechanism for seabird conservation, but high-quality evidence is required to ensure they are well placed and managed. To this end, BTO was contracted as part of the Marine Protected Areas Management and Monitoring (MarPAMM) Programme to study the at-sea distribution and habitat use of Black Guillemots in Northern Ireland, a charismatic species at the southerly limit of its global range, and one not typically included in traditional protected sites due to its non-migratory nature. This project has been supported by the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. Using a novel combination of location and depth recorders, the sea floor foraging behaviour of Black Guillemots was described for the first time, and the findings of the study are being used to increase the protection afforded to the species in Northern Ireland.

BTO also oversaw censusing of Northern Ireland’s largest and most challenging seabird colonies for the MarPAMM project. Field teams were kept busy counting over 150,000 Guillemots and around 23,000 Razorbills on Rathlin Island and the north Antrim coast. Considering Rathlin alone, records of 149,510 Guillemots and 22,421 Razorbills made the island the UK’s largest Guillemot colony and third-largest Razorbill colony at the time of surveying. Red-listed Kittiwake has increasedon Rathlin by 38% since the Seabird 2000 census with ~13,700 pairs counted.

The picture was less rosy for Puffin, which continued to decline on the island, with only 407 individuals counted. The abundance and trend data collected will underpin conservation management plans for seabirds in the region and provide important context for future research.

DELIVERING ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE

Back on dry land, BTO is providing essential evidence on the impacts of agri-environment scheme (AES) interventions on Northern Ireland’s birds, as part of a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) funded partnership project with the RSPB. The six-year project aims to assess the effectiveness of Northern Ireland’s current AES, the Environmental Farming Scheme, in benefiting three groups of birds of special conservation importance in the region: waders, upland birds and seed-eating birds.

Surveys are similar in structure to the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), involving a random sample of 1 km squares, but each square includes 3 km of transects and more detailed habitat recording. The first two spring and summer survey seasons (2021 and 2022), and first round of winter surveys (2021/22), are now complete, enabling some reflection on progress so far. In particular, the support of DAERA in liaising with landowners and facilitating access has been exemplary, but as is often the case, achieving survey coverage in Northern Ireland has been a challenge compared to more populated parts of the UK.

This project highlights the importance of empowering and upskilling a greater number and diversity of people in bird survey techniques through our engagement work, so that we can continue to collect evidence essential to informed decision-making.

INCREASING VOLUNTEER NUMBERS

The BTO team achieved record BBS coverage in Northern Ireland in 2021, with 85 volunteers surveying at least 100 grid-squares. With the continued support of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), an additional 52 squares were surveyed by professional contractors, resulting in a total of 152 squares. The previous highest totals were 70 volunteers and 131 squares. This period also saw record numbers of active BTO Garden BirdWatch participants in Northern Ireland (116 in 2021).

It is thought that online training in both bird identification and BTO-led projects, introduced during the first lock-down in 2020 and latterly combined with field trips in a ‘hybrid’ approach, has helped BTO reach out to a new audience in Northern Ireland. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable local representatives, who can provide oneto-one mentoring and support, are absolutely vital in Northern Ireland. Building and maintaining this network has been a priority over the last few years. Engagement and training work continues, with hybrid courses in the Wetland Bird Survey, BBS and the Nest Record Scheme delivered this year.

SONG THRUSH : TOM CADWALLENDER / BTO

WORKING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS

The team in Northern Ireland is working to reach new audiences through engagement with existing community groups and partnerships with other environmental NGOs. This has particular value when targeting monitoring gaps in Northern Ireland, including our understanding of Northern Ireland’s woodland birds. A partnership project with the Woodland Trust in the Faughan Valley, Co. Londonderry, is providing a beginner-friendly introduction to monitoring for Woodland Trust volunteers interested in learning more about birds. By training new volunteers in simple point-count methods, we aim to boost the confidence and experience of fledgling birders and provide basic but underrecorded information on birds in native woodland.

BTO has also been developing its relationship with the Lough Neagh Partnership, which works to improve the environment (ecological, economic, social) in and around Lough Neagh. We are working towards a pilot joint project, to collate and interpret data on the lough’s waterbirds, to build a shared understanding of threats and conservation action that can be taken.

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ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

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WORKING ACROSS THE WORLD
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BTO data and expertise continue to contribute to projects across the globe, reflecting
our strong partnership approach and the regard in which our work is held. Working
with international partners will continue to be a key component of our efforts to
address the issues affecting migrant birds.
PROTECTING WATERBIRD FLYWAYS
The future of many migratory waterbirds depends on the conservation of a
network of key wetland sites, situated along their flyways. The suitability of
these sites is changing because of climate change, and it is essential that we
understand what this means for the birds that use them.
A large international consortium, led by Wetlands International but also
involving BTO and analysing BTO-data, developed a priority index to highlight
sites that are currently important for waterbirds, for example because they
harbour a high number of threatened species or a high proportion of the
population. Using bioclimatic models the team found that projected climate
change will reduce habitat suitability for waterbirds across 58% of existing
Critical Sites within the African-Eurasian flyway. African and Middle East
sites are particularly threatened, comprising 71 of the 100 most vulnerable
sites (Breiner et al. 2021). By highlighting priority sites for conservation, and
classifying Critical Sites into Climate Change Adaptation Strategy classes,
the results can be used to support the climate change adaptation of both
individual sites and the wider network.
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36 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22
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PROTECTING SPOTTED EAGLES

We have been working with Ukrainian and Belarusian colleagues in Polesia since 2019 on a multinational, multi-partner project, funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme and led by Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). The project aims to boost conservation efforts in the huge wet lowland region of Polesia. Polesia spans the border region of southern Belarus and northern Ukraine, and contains the largest national park in both countries: the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

We are appalled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and stand in full support of those affected by this conflict. Our project partner Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) has been working to get partners and staff in Ukraine to safety, though most remain on-site, providing refugees with resources and supporting the protected areas’ running costs at a time when other funding has been cut off. We hope that the global support of Ukraine will help bring an end to this terrible conflict, and that we will be able to continue to work with our colleagues to learn about and protect the country’s precious habitats and wildlife.

Part of our work in Polesia has involved the GPS-tagging of Greater Spotted Eagles to find out why this species is declining in the region and what resources it needs to reverse these declines. A peer-reviewed paper, published in the journal Bird Conservation International during the year, provides the first systematic study of Greater Spotted Eagle migration (Vali et al . 2021). BTO’s Adham Ashton-Butt and the team used GPS tracking devices to following the migrations of eagles from the three remaining European breeding populations in Estonia, Poland, and Belarus.

The tracked eagles wintered across three continents, with 46% wintering in Africa (mostly in the eastern part of the Sahel), 43% in southern Europe (mostly in Greece) and 11% in the Middle East. The three populations were found to differ in their migration strategies; while birds from the Estonian population wintered in Southern Europe, those from Poland and Belaruse were divided between southern Europe and Africa. Single birds from each of the breeding populations wintered in the Middle East.

The eagles chose to winter in wetland sites throughout their wintering range, with roughly half of the birds wintering within internationally or nationally protected sites (including 12 Ramsar sites). Interestingly, nearly a third of the birds wintering in southern Europe chose the same Greek national park, which might indicate a lack of other options in the region.

The findings of the study highlight the importance of protected wetlands to Great Spotted Eagles and, alongside this, the vulnerability of these populations to future wetland degradation. It also reveals that, with just two of the 14 wintering sites in Africa under some form of protection, male eagles are at greater risk than females because they are the ones more likely to winter at a greater distance from the breeding areas.

LESSER KESTREL : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

One consideration when planning conservation action for a migratory species is where to target that action; should it be targeted towards local factors or those acting on the species elsewhere, either of which may be driving a population decline. Migration may expose individuals to a range of anthropogenic threats, some of which may act to reduce future breeding success — perhaps because birds arrive back on their breeding grounds later than ideal or in poorer condition. Understanding these effects is important, and can inform conservation action.

One way to examine the potential impact of carry-over effects — those that affect an individual in one season but impact it in a subsequent season — is to compare the breeding parameters of two or more populations, where one is migratory and the other resident. Lesser Kestrels breeding in Spain provide a particularly good opportunity to test this approach, because resident individuals breed in mixed colonies alongside long-distance transSaharan migrants (Buchan et al. 2021).

BTO’s Phil Atkinson, working with colleagues at the universities of East Anglia, Porto, and Lisbon, the Estación Biológica de Doñana, and the Tumbabuey Grupo de Anillamiento in Cádiz, combined tracking data, stable isotope analysis and resighting data to examine the effects of this stark difference in migratory strategy on body condition, breeding phenology and breeding success. Four Lesser Kestrel colonies in southern Spain were monitored for five consecutive years (2014—18), yielding 1,962 captures, and revealing the migratory strategy for 107 adults.

Despite a 3,000 km difference in distance travelled, and marked differences in the wintering experiences of migrant and resident Lesser Kestrels, the reproductive carry-over effects were limited, with conditions on the breeding grounds being of greater relevance for adult and chick body condition. There was little evidence to support the hypothesis that anthropogenic change could be having a disproportionate effect on migrants, and thereby disrupting the balance in reproductive fitness benefits of each strategy. However, because the study looked at reproductive success, rather than survival, recruitment or population trends, the choice of migratory strategy could still have important consequences for these populations, and this is something that will require future work.

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PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

BEING FIT FOR THE FUTURE

We continue to face complex challenges, resulting from climate change, and pressures on our environment to meet growing demands on the planet’s resources. Ensuring that society can respond effectively depends on organisations like BTO playing a strong role and making our voice heard.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

BTO has extended its current strategy through 2021 and into 2022, and is continuing to deliver the commitments made, which coalesce around the following four core aims: i) to enable and deliver high quality, impartial and impactful science, ii) to share data information and knowledge through excellent communications, inspiring and empowering people with an understanding of birds and the importance of knowledge, iii) to enthuse and encourage existing and new members, enabling more people to learn and grow through participation and environmental discovery, and iv) to grow our financial independence. In addition to our current commitments, we will carry out other work to ensure that we are ready to deliver for birds; this work will focus on three areas: Staff and Supporters, Sustainability, and Impacts.

In 2023, BTO will celebrate its 90th anniversary. As part of those celebrations we will launch a new strategy that, whilst remaining true to the original core value of its central founder Max Nicholson, “recognising the potential of cooperative birdwatching to inform conservation”, will focus to a much greater extent on the impact of BTO work.

We intend to reach this anniversary as a fit and healthy organisation, confident in its ability to deliver for birds. This will mean building on what BTO has always done best: the robust, longterm national monitoring schemes, capitalising on novel scientific approaches like tracking technology and acoustic monitoring, and engaging new supporters, particularly through our youth work.

The financial environment remains challenging, but our work and the datasets we collect, curate and analyse have never been more important. With your support we will continue to direct our resources towards the pressing questions affecting birds and their environment, so that the results of our efforts deliver outcomes that are better for birds and society. We need to grow unrestricted income, diversifying income generation and addressing the pension deficit, and review the way we deliver our most impactful research through contracts and appeals.

RESPONDING TO CHANGE

We are conscious of both our environmental and social footprints, and will, for example, continue our work towards being a more inclusive organisation, attracting, supporting, developing and retaining excellent staff and volunteers (see page 14). We will develop and deepen links with existing supporters, and widen our reach to engage with new and more diverse communities.

We will develop and implement a stronger environmental sustainability strategy and integrate the drive towards greater equality, diversity and inclusiveness across all of our operations. New ways of working will require us to invest in business-critical digital infrastructure and systems, ensuring that we can sustain existing commitments and rise to the challenge of future demands and priorities.

FUTURE PROJECTS

RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

The transition to living with COVID-19 provides a moment to re-evaluate and reset our ways of working. The increase in people connecting with nature at this time suggests a unique opportunity and a responsibility to broaden, deepen and diversify our engagement. We have, for example, seen the opportunities that have come from virtual events, reaching new audiences and fostering new forms of engagement, and we will learn from these, broadening our offering so that we continue to support and engage with a wider section of society.

We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic, together with growing recognition of the climate crisis, is both changing the ways in which society operates and reshaping individual behaviour. Our organisation must understand and reflect on these changes, so that we can continue to deliver appropriate opportunities for participation in our work. It is essential that we continue to demonstrate the impact of our work and how it delivers for birds, wildlife and people, and this will be a focus for our new strategy.

We want BTO science to be more strongly focussed on addressing the issues of biodiversity loss, climate change, and human health and well-being. To do this we will consider the questions we want to answer, by strengthening our links to policy and environmental decision-makers to ensure we understand the key environmental questions, and raise awareness of the vital role that BTO science and data play in answering them.

We will review our long-term core surveys and contract research, to maximise their value in addressing emerging needs, supporting nature’s recovery, meeting local and country level requirements, and engaging a diversity of supporters. We will build active links with social science, in particular, to better understand, quantify and improve the benefits of connecting to nature for people.

We will raise the profile of science communications with key audiences, including volunteers, collaborators, funders and decision-makers, to ensure our science is prominent and accessible. By doing all of this we will deliver the impact that is both needed and expected of us as a Registered Charity.

38 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

SUPPORTING OUR WORK

SUPPORTING OUR WORK

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Each year we need to raise thousands of pounds to fund our work so that we can deliver the charitable outcomes that are so important to our supporters. We are fortunate to receive wonderful support from members, funders, trusts, corporate partners and many others, all of which help to make our work possible.

SUPPORTERS FUND VITAL RESEARCH

SUPPORT FROM TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS

This year thousands of supporters gave generously to appeals, played the spring raffle, sponsored Cuckoos and much more. These donations supported BTO staff and volunteers to produce important research like the Climate Change & the UK’s Birds Report that launched during CoP26 to highlight how climate change is already impacting the UK’s birds. Globally, up to 7% of birds are considered to be at risk of extinction due to climate change, and in the UK some of our most iconic species like Puffin are at serious risk from rising sea temperatures. Understanding the potential impact of climate change relies on our long-term monitoring efforts, which provide crucial evidence to explain and find solutions to some of the biggest threats to our wonderful wildlife. Our monitoring and research are fundamental to challenging policy-makers and governments to make the changes needed to reduce the impacts of climate change and pull these iconic species back from the brink.

BTO is fortunate to have the support of several trusts which generously fund us each year, often by making unsolicited donations despite the current economic pressures.

One key funder is the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, which has supported BTO with substantial annual grants, plus discretionary Trustee awards to specific projects. During 2021/22, we were successful in securing a further large grant from the Foundation, providing £130,000 per annum over five years to fund monitoring, research and our growing programme of work with younger people.

We made a successful applications to Covid Recovery Grant funds set up by government departments through the Heritage Lottery Fund, securing a grant of £110,000 over 18 months from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF/Defra) to recruit a Youth Engagement Coordinator, providing training for youth volunteers and organising events and activities for young people. Our application for a part-time Project Officer to develop our engagement with people in Northern Ireland was also approved by the Covid Recovery Employment and Skills Initiative for Heritage (CRESI/Dept. for Communities, NI), and we were awarded a grant of £83,500 over three years.

Our spring appeal raised vital funds to help improve seabird monitoring efforts. UK breeding seabird populations have declined by a quarter since 1986, and we urgently need a better understanding of why. Due to the remote nature of many seabird colonies, there are significant gaps in the data that could provide crucial answers. Supporters responded generously, donating to fund a programme to recruit, train and support seabird surveyors across the UK, helping to provide compelling evidence to incite the action our seabirds so sorely need. We kicked this off with a series of online training courses for the public, aimed at increasing confidence in seabird identification, while raising awareness of their ecology and population declines. A total of 476 supporters joined us to learn about the 25 species that breed in the UK and the major conservation issues they face.

In Scotland, we received a grant for the very first time from the Hugh Fraser Foundation, towards our work with young people, and with the support of an Esmée Fairburn Foundation Trustee, we received a grant of £13,000 to support our project tracking migrating songbirds from Scotland (see page 32).

We are immensely grateful for all of this support, enabling BTO to continue with valuable work and to develop as an organisation.

THE WITHERBY CUSTODIANS MEET AGAIN

After two years of virtual events, the BTO Witherby Custodians finally met in person again in December 2021. The group of committed supporters, who not only support BTO financially but also share experience and input to our plans and strategy in meetings with the BTO board and staff, visited the Natural History Museum in Tring for a private viewing of Henry Forbes Witherby’s collection of bird skins, sold in 1933 for an impressive sum of £1,400, which was then used to fund the start of BTO. BTO Chief Executive, Juliet Vickery. along with key wader researchers and members of the Youth Advisory Panel updated the Custodians on developments in research and how BTO is adapting to meet future challenges. If you are interested in becoming a Witherby Custodian, please contact: [e-mail]

PUFFIN : SARAH KELMAN / BTO

OUR SUPPORTERS’ MEMORIES LIVE ON

BTO has been incredibly fortunate to have received £1.46 million from gifts in Wills — 64% of our annual fundraised income. We are so grateful to all those supporters whose life-long love of birds and a concern for their future drove them to include a bequest to BTO in their Wills.

Peter Arbery was a valued member of the BTO family, whose passion for birds was ignited when he saw his very first Redwing. Eileen, Peter’s partner of 43 years, remembers a walk through farmland one early spring, when they saw a flock of Lapwings displaying. Peter had never seen them before and Eileen remembers him being quite bewitched. Peter and Eileen loved to birdwatch on their hill-walking holidays in the Lakes, Yorkshire and Scotland. Eileen recalls a ‘magical trip’ to South Uist, where they watched Raven, Golden Eagle, migrating waders and Merlin, and a wonderful trip to the Isle of Mull, where (despite being bitten by midges) they looked on in wonder at a Golden Eagle hunting over the moorland. Peter loved taking part in fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007—11 , and at home he would look out for the returning Swallows and House Martins, noting down their numbers and dates of arrival. He was saddened over the years to notice the decline of birds like Golden Plover, Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer, which were no longer common occurrences on his daily walks. We are so grateful to Peter for choosing to support BTO in this incredibly special way, to monitor the health of the birds that brought him and Eileen so much pleasure.

Linda Blenkinship, valued BTO member and Garden BirdWatcher, sadly passed away before she received a bequest from a late friend’s Estate. Her husband, David, chose to pass on that gift from Linda’s estate, to charities and groups that were precious to her during her life. We were touched to be one of those organisations whose values were appreciated by Linda. During her time as a BTO Garden BirdWatcher, Linda submitted an incredible 15,465 individual observations of birds from her garden. David, Linda’s husband, told us that “ first thing in the morning, Linda would be there in the garden — putting food out for the ground-feeders, and checking that the feeders on the fence were full for those who flew in. The birds were her first call, whatever the weather .” The data Linda submitted during her life are a wonderful legacy, alongside the gift in her Will which will support future BTO research on the birds that she had diligently counted for so many years.

We are grateful to both Eileen McLernon and David Hawtin for allowing us to share personal stories about Peter and Linda and the gifts they gave.

We continued to hold gifts in Wills awareness events online during 2021/22 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Three events were delivered: Celebrating your BirdTrack records, BTO’s Youth Engagement Programme and Celebrating 10 Years of BTO Cymru. All three events were well attended and gave a special opportunity for guests to pose questions to BTO staff ‘face-to-face’. We hope to begin to offer in person events later in 2022, COVID-19 permitting, as well as continuing to offer opportunities to attend online.

LAPWINGS : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

This year, BTO has successfully raised funds through our partnership with Westland Horticulture and our Corporate Membership Scheme. Along with contributing vital funds towards our core work, Westland has helped raise awareness for the charity by displaying a wide range of BTO-endorsed goods throughout garden centres across the country, as well as providing several prizes for our spring raffle. Through their sister company, Marshalls, we received donations of wildflower seeds which are sent to the families of supporters who have passed away, to plant and attract birds and wildlife as a way to remember them.

If you would like to know more about any of the projects or how you might support our work, please contact: [e-mail]

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Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 41

SUPPORTING OUR WORK

OUR SUPPORTERS

We are very grateful for the generous support that we have received, both in time and money, in the past year. In addition to members and other fieldworkers, there are many other individuals and companies who support our work with financial contributions. We are particularly pleased to acknowledge the following corporate and other supporters.

CORPORATE SUPPORTERS 2021/22

Anglian Water, Birding in Portugal, BirdGuides, Birdkind, Brinvale Bird Foods, CJ Wildbird Foods, Eddowes Aviation Safety Ltd., Gardman Ltd., Grant Arms Hotel, HR Wallingford Ltd., Natureguides, Northumbrian Water, Opticron, Outdoor Alternative, Roys of Wroxham, S. E. Marshall & Co. Ltd., Swallowtail Print, Swarovski UK Limited, Westland Horticulture Ltd.

CHARITABLE TRUSTS 2021/22

The British Birds Charitable Trust, Chapman Charitable Trust, Downton Banister Trust, The Dovehouse Trust, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The Edinburgh Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Gilander Foundation, The Helen And Horace Gillman Trusts, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Tasso Leventis Foundation, The Lizandy Charitable Trust, The Jack Patston Charitable Trust, The Penchant Foundation, Cecil Pilkington Charitable Trust, The Evelyn Rose Fund, Sandra Charitable Trust, The Saxham Trust, John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust, The Emily Weircroft Charitable Trust, The Whaites Charitable Fund.

LEGACIES 2021/22

Richard Allen, Peter Arbery, Dr Antony Robin Atherton, Yvonne Mary Rose Bishop, Linda Blenkinship, Gerard Burns, Gary Caine, Mary Kathleen Coates, Patricia Louise Collier, Ann Cotton, Jean Davis, Moira Duncan, Joan Margaret Edwards, Benjamin Flavel, Linton Gaunt, Joan Hollis, John Raymond Huntingford, Kathleen Joyce, Suzanne Kelsey, Margaret Kettlewell, Enid Marion Mercer, Stephen Metcalfe, Mrs E. M. Milton, Geoffrey Richard Moss, Peter Arthur Rawlins, John Ewart Rednall, Pamela Rhodes, Sarah Elisabeth Rowlands, Charles Edward Saxton, Marian Burr Smith, Kitty Southern, Jim Stevenson, Geoffrey William Stone, Sheila Mary Veronica Thompson, Wallace Thomas Thrower, Angela Triplett, Susie Diana Ullman, Dorothy Vincent, Michael John Welch.

IN MEMORIAM 2021/22

Myrna Anderson, Olga Andrews, Peter Arbery, Alwyn Arnold, Elaine Baker, Fran Bowman, Jill Bullock, Mr R. Bulman, Peter Catchpole, Heidi Chaterjee, John Claridge, James Cobb, Mary Crook, Allan Gaunt, David Harris, Mr Honour, Christine Hazel, Malcolm Higgin, Michael Holdsworth, Trevor Johnson, Sheila Mary Jones, Jane Kemp, Mary Kershaw, Frank Lowe, Paul Marshman, David Mason, Anne McKeever, Geoffrey Orton, Nicholas George Page, Helen Phipps, Lorraine Piercy, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Shane Robinson, Richard Simons, Mary Squires, Arthur John Welch, Peta Wright.

FUNDERS OF BTO WORK 2021/22

ABP Research & Consultancy, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), APEM Ltd., Bat Conservation Trust, Bayer, Bookend Trust, Bureau Waardenburg bv, Butterfly Conservation, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Chilterns Conservation Board, The Crown Estate, DAERA, Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Devon Wildlife Trust, DONG Energy, Duchy of Cornwall, EURING, European Commission, European Food Safety Authority, Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia, Forestry England, Forestry & Land Scotland, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Galloper Wind Farm Ltd., Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Hartley Anderson Ltd., Heather Trust, Hepple Estate, Hi-Def Aerial Surveying Ltd., Institute of Avian Research, Interreg, John Neighbour, Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of the statutory nature conservation agencies: Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot and the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland), Ken & Linda Smith, KPMG LLP, Mark Constantine, Moors for the Future, National Grid Hinkley, National Trust, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Natural Environment Research Council, NIRAS Consulting Ltd., North York Moors National Park Authority, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, ORSTED, Rifcon, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Government, NatureScot, Scottish Raptor Study Group, Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Sound Approach, Star of the Sea Windfarm, States of Guernsey, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Tasso Leventis Foundation, Ulster Wildlife Trust, University of Cambridge, University of West England, University of East Anglia, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Stirling, Vattenfall, WEG, Welsh Government, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, WOOD Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Ltd., Woodland Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Zoological Society of London.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: YOUNG LEADERS COURSE / BTO; YOUTH ADVISORY PANEL MEETING OUR PATRON / KENSINGTON PALACE; BTO YOUTH GET-TOGETHER : BTO; BTO/MARSH TRUST AWARDS : MARTIN SYLVESTER

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SUPPORTING OUR WORK
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42 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

OUR SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT: 2021

OUR SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT: 2021

Peer-review is an important process, establishing the validity of research through review by other expert researchers in the field. It also provides valuable feedback, enabling researchers to improve their papers before publication. BTO reports annually across a number of indicators relating to its scientific work; three of these relate to scientific publications, reflecting the quality of the publications being produced, their impact, and the degree to which the work has been delivered through collaboration.

During 2021 our staff produced 60 peer-reviewed papers, of which 47 were in ISI-listed journals and 22 were published in high impact publications (with an impact factor of 3.5 of greater). Twenty-one of the publications were BTO-led, and 53 were collaborative in nature, underlining the strong partnership approach to our work.

Border, J.A. & Calladine, J. (2021) Sensitivities to land use change by breeding Short-eared Owl ( Asio flammeus ) in Britain. Airo 29 : 54—65.

A.M.A. (2021) Carryover effects of long-distance avian migration are weaker than effects of breeding environment in a partially migratory bird. Scientific Reports 11 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80341-x.

Bradfer-Lawrence, T., Beresford, A., Anderson, G., Aung, P.P., Chang, Q., Chowdhury, S., Clark, N. , Gerasimov, Y., Green, R., Hilton, G., Hughes, B., Lappo, E., Li, J., Syroechkovskiy, E., Tomkovich, P., Zöckler, C. & Buchanan, G. (2021) Modelling the potential nonbreeding distribution of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea . Bird Conservation International 31 : 169—184.

Buchanan, G.M., Field, R.H., Bradbury, R.B., Luraschi, B. & Vickery, J.A. (2021) The impact of tree loss on carbon management in West Africa. Carbon Management 12 : 623—633.

Calladine, J. & Jarrett, D. (2021) Upward elevational shift by breeding Whinchat Saxicola rubetra in response to cessation of grazing in upland grassland. Bird Study 68 : 47—53.

Breiner, F.T., Anand, M., Butchart, S.H.M., Flörke, M., Fluet-Chouinard, E., Guisan, A., Hilarides, L., Jones, V.R., Kalyakin, M., Lehner, B., Leeuwen, M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. , Voltzit, O. & Nagy, S. (2021). Setting priorities for climate change adaptation of Critical Sites in the Africa-Eurasian waterbird flyways. Global Change Biology 28 : 739—752.

Chang, Q., Ki, T.L.T., Anderson, G.Q.A., Brides, K., Clark, N.A ., Ding, J., Leung, K.K.S., Li, J., Melville, D.S., Phillips, J., Weston, E., Yang, Z. & Green, R.E. (2021) Numbers of Spoon-billed Sandpipers in Jiangsu Province, China, during the post-breeding moult in relation to recent changes in the intertidal zone. Bird Conservation International 31 : 169—184.

Brides, K., Wood, K.A., Hall, C., Burke, B., McElwaine, E., Einarsson, Ó., Calbrade, N. , Hill, O. & Rees, E.C. (2021) The Icelandic Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus population: current status and long-term (1986—2020) trends in its numbers and distribution. Wildfowl Journal 71 : 29—57.

Clewley, G.D. , Barber, L.J ., Conway, G.J. , Clark, N.A. , Donato, B.J., Thaxter, C.B. & Burton, N.H.K. (2021) Foraging habitat selection by breeding Herring Gull ( Larus argentatus ) from a declining coastal colony in the United Kingdom. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 261 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107564.

Brides, K., Wood, K.A., Petrek, S.W., Cooper, J., Christmas, S.E., Middleton, J., Leighton, K. & Grogan, A. (2021) Moult migration, site fidelity and survival of British Greylag Geese Anser anser at Windermere, Cumbria. Ringing & Migration 34 : 84—94.

Clewley, G.D ., Clark, N.A. , Thaxter, C.B. , Green, R.M. , Scragg, E.S. & Burton, N.H.K. (2021) Development of a weak-link wing harness for use on large gulls (Laridae): methodology, evaluation and recommendations. Seabird 33 : 18—34.

Brlík, V., Šilarová, E., Škorpilová, J., Alonso, H., Anton, M., Aunins, A., Benkö, Z., Biver, G., Busch, M., Chodkiewicz, T., Chylarecki, P., Coombes, D., de Carli, E., del Moral, J.C., Derouaux, A., Escandell, V., Eskildsen, D.P., Fontaine, B., Foppen, R.P.B., Gamero, A., Gregory, R.D., Harris, S ., Herrando, S., Hristov, I., Husby, M., Ieronymidou, C., Jiquet, F., Kålås, J.A., Kamp, J., Kmecl, P., Kurlavi č ius, P., Lehikoinen, A., Lewis, L., Lindström, Å., Manolopoulos, A., Martí, D., Massimino, D. , Moshøj, C., Nellis, R., Noble, D. , Paquet, A., Paquet, J.-Y., Portolou, D., Ramírez, I., Redel, C., Reif, J., Ridzo ň , J., Schmid, H., Seaman, B., Silva, L., Soldaat, L., Spasov, S., Staneva, A., Szép, T., Florenzano, G.T., Teufelbauer, N., Trautmann, S., van der Meij, T., van Strien, A., van Turnhout, C., Vermeersch, G., Vermouzek, Z., Vikstrøm, T., Vo ř íšek, P., Weiserbs, A. & Klva ň ová, A. (2021) Long-term and large-scale multispecies dataset tracking population changes of common European breeding birds. Scientific Data View 8 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00804-2.

Cook, A.S.C.P. , Burton, N.H.K. , Dodd, S.G., Foster, S., Pell, R.J., Ward, R.M., Wright, L.J. & , Robinson, R.A. (2021) Temperature and density influence survival in a rapidly declining migratory shorebird. Biological Conservation 20 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109198.

Douglas, D.J.T., Brown, D., Cohen, S., Colwell, M., Donaghy, A., Drewitt, A., Finney, K., Franks, S. , Heptinstall, D., Hilton, G., Kelly, S., Lindley, P., McCarthy, B., McCulloch, N., O’Donoghue, B., Sanders, S., Thompson, P. & Whitehead, S. (2021) Recovering the Eurasian Curlew in the UK and Ireland: progress since 2015 and looking ahead. British Birds 114 : 341—350.

Fuller, R. (2021) Woodland management and birds. Part 1. Sylvicultural systems and tree species. Quarterly Journal of Forestry 115 : 168—174.

Brown, J.M., van Loon, E.E., Bouten, W., Camphuysen, K.C.J., Lens, L., Müller, W., Thaxter, C.B. & Shamoun– Baranes, J. (2021) Long–distance migrants vary migratory behaviour as much as short–distance migrants: an individual–level comparison from a seabird species with diverse migration strategies. Journal of Animal Ecology 90 : 1058—1070.

Fuller, R. (2021) Woodland management and birds. Part 2. Conservation measures and strategies. Quarterly Journal of Forestry 115 : 238—244.

Fuller, R. & Freeman, G. (2021) Editorial: Letting nature take back control. British Wildlife 32 : 235—236.

Fuller, R. & Gilroy, J. (2021). Rewilding and intervention: complementary philosophies for nature conservation in Britain. British Wildlife 32 : 258—267.

Buchan, C., Gilroy, J.J., Catry, I., Bustamante, J., Marca, A.D., Atkinson, P.W. , González, J.M. & Franco,

PHEASANT : EDMUND FELLOWES / BTO

Gaget, E., Pavón-Jordán, D., Johnston, A., Lehikoinen, A., Hochachka, W.M., Sandercock, B.K., Soultan, A., Azafzaf, H., Bendjedda, N., Bino, T., Boži č , L., Clausen, P., Dakki, M., Devos, K., Domsa, C., Encarnação, V., Erciyas-Yavuz, K., Faragó, S., Frost, T. , Gaudard, C., Gosztonyi, L., Haas, F., Hornman, M., Langendoen, T., Ieronymidou, C., Kostyushin, V.A., Lewis, L.J., Lorentsen, S.-H., Luigujõe, L., Meissner, W., Mikuska, T., Molina, B., Musilová, Z., Natykanets, V., Paquet, J.-Y., Petkov, N., Portolou, D., Ridzo ň , J., Sayoud, S., Š ć iban, M., Sniauksta, L., St ī pniece, A., Strebel, N., Teufelbauer, N., Topi ć , G., Uzunova, D., Vizi, A., Wahl, J., Zenatello, M. and Brommer, J.E. (2021) Benefits of protected areas for nonbreeding waterbirds adjusting their distributions under climate warming. Conservation Biology 35 : 834—845.

Gaget, E.. Johnston, A., Pavón Jordán, D., Lehikoinen, A., Sandercock, B., Soultan, A., Boži č , L., Clausen, P., Devos, K., Domsa, C., Encarnação, V., Faragó, S., Fitzgerald, N., Frost, T. , Gaudard, C., Gosztonyi, L., Haas, F., Hornman, M., Langendoen, T., Ieronymidou, C., Luiujoe, L., Meissner, W., Mikuska, T., Molina, B., Musilová, Z., Paquet, J.-Y., Petkov, N., Portolou, D., Ridzo ň , J., Sniauksta, L., St ī pniece, A., Teufelbauer, N., Wahl, J.,; Zenatello, M. & Brommer, J. (2021) Protected area characteristics that help waterbirds respond to climate warming. Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13877.

Gibbons, D.W., Sandbrook, C., Sutherland, W.J., Akter, R., Bradbury, R., Broad, S., Clements, A. , Crick, H.Q.P., Elliott, J., Gyeltshen, N., Heath, M., Hughes, J., Jenkins, R.K.B., Jones, A.H., Lopez de la Lama, R., Macfarlane, N.B.W., Maunder, M., Prasad, R., RomeroMuñoz, A., Steiner, N., Tremlett, J., Trevelyan, R., Vijaykumar, S., Wedage, I. & Ockendon, N. (2021) The relative importance of COVID-19 pandemic impacts on biodiversity conservation globally. Biological Conservation 36 : e13781.

Gillings, S. & Scott, C. (2021) Nocturnal flight calling behaviour of thrushes in relation to artificial light at night. Ibis 163 : 1379—1393.

Goddard, M.A. et al. (2021) A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems . Nature Ecology & Evolution 5 : 219—230.

Gosal, A.S., McMahon, J.A., Bowgen, K.M. , Hoppe, C.H. & Ziv, G. (2021) Identifying and Mapping Groups of Protected Area Visitors by Environmental Awareness. Land 10 DOI: 10.3390/land10060560.

Green, R.M.W. , Burton, N.H.K. & Cook, A.S.C.P. (2021) Migratory movements of British and Irish Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna : a review of ringing data and a pilot tracking study to inform potential interactions with offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Ringing & Migration 34 : 71—83.

Green, R.E., Syroechkovskiy, E.E., Anderson, G.Q.A., Chang, Q., Chowdhury, S.U., Clark, J.A. , Foysa, M.,

Gerasimov, Y., Hughes, B., Kelly, C., Lappo, E., Lee, R., Leung, K.K.S., Li, J., Loktionov, E.Y., Melville, D.S., Phillips, J., Tomkovich, P.S., Weston, E., Weston, J., Yakushev, N. & Clark, N.A. (2021) New estimates of the size and trend of the world population of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper using three independent statistical models. Wader Study 128 : 22—35.

Green, R.E., Taggart, M.A., Pain, D.J., Clark, N.A. , Clewley, L., Cromie, R., Elliot, B., Green, R.M.W., Huntley, B., Huntley, J., Leslie, R., Porter, R., Robinson, J.A., Smith, K.W., Smith, L., Spencer, J. & Stroud, D. (2021) Effect of a joint policy statement by nine UK shooting and rural organisations on the use of lead shotgun ammunition for hunting common pheasants Phasianus colchicus in Britain . Conservation Evidence 18 : 1—9.

Gutiérrez - Cánovas, C., Worthington, T.A., Jâms, I.B., Noble, D.G. , Perkins, D.M., Vaughan, I.P., Woodward, G., Ormerod, S.J. & Durance, I. (2021) Populations of high-value predators reflect the traits of their prey. Ecography 44 : 690—702.

Hordley, L.A., Gillings, S. , Petchey, O.L., Tobias, J.A. & Oliver, T.H. (2021) Diversity of response and effect traits provides complementary information about avian community dynamics linked to ecological function. Functional Ecology 35 : 1938—1950.

Hughes, R., O’Hanlon, N.J. , Calladine, J. & Harvey, P.V. (2021) The Shetland Bird Survey: population trends for widespread breeding birds 2002—2019. Bird Study 67 : 521—530.

Humphreys, E. , Austin, G. , Frost, T. , Mellan, H. , Boersch-Supan, P. , Burton, N. & Balmer, D. (2021) Wader populations on the United Kingdom’s open coast: results of the 2015/16 Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS-III) and a review of population trends Bird Study 67 : 371—384.

Jellesmark, S., Ausden, M., Blackburn, T.M., Gregory, R.D., Hoffmann, M., Massimino, D. , McRae, L. & Visconti, P. (2021) A counterfactual approach to measure the impact of wet grassland conservation on UK breeding bird populations. Conservation Biology 35 : 1575—1585.

Kettel, E ., Lakin, I., Heydon, M. & Siriwardena, G.M. (2021) A comparison of breeding bird populations inside and outside of European Badger Meles meles control areas Bird Study 67 : 279—291.

Laidlaw, R.A., Smart, J., Ewing, H., Franks, S.E. , Belting, H., Donaldson, L., Hilton, G.M., Hiscock, N., Hoodless, A.N., Hughes, B., Jarrett, N.S., Kentie, R., Kleyheeg, E., Lee, R., Roodbergen, M., Scott, D.M., Short, M.J., Syroechkovskiy, E.E., Teunissen, W., Ward, H., White, G. & Gill, J.A, (2021) Predator management for breeding waders: a review of current evidence and priority knowledge gaps. Wader Study 128 : 44—55.

Langley, L.P., Bearhop, S., Burton, N.H.K. , Banks, A.N., Frayling, T., Thaxter, C. , Clewley, G. , Scragg, E . & Votier, S.C. (2021) GPS tracking reveals landfill closures induce higher foraging effort and habitat switching in gulls. Movement Ecology 9 : 56.

Largey, N., Cook, A.S.C.P. , Thaxter, C.B. , McCluskie, A., Stokke, B.G., Wilson, B. & Masden, E.A. (2021) Methods to quantify avian airspace use in relation to wind energy development. Ibis 163 : 747—764.

Lehikoinen, A., Johnston A. & Massimino, D. (2021) Climate and land use changes: similarity in range and abundance changes of birds in Finland and Great Britain. Ornis Fennica 98 : 1—15.

Mander, L., Scapin, L., Thaxter, C.B. , Forster, R. & Burton, N.H.K. (2021) Long term changes in the abundance of benthic foraging birds in a restored wetland. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.673148.

Martín–Vélez, V., van Leeuwen, C.H.A., Sánchez, M.I., Hortas, F., Shamoun–Baranes, J., Thaxter, C.B. , Lens, L., Camphuysen, C.J. & Green, A.J. (2021) Spatial patterns of weed dispersal by wintering gulls within and beyond an agricultural landscape. Journal of Ecology 109 : 1947—1958.

Masden, E.A., Cook, A.S.C.P. , McCluskie, A., Bouten, W., Burton, N.H.K. & Thaxter, C.B. (2021) When speed matters: The importance of flight speed in an avian collision risk model. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 90 DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106622.

Morrison, C.A., Auni ņ š, A., Benk ő , Z., Brotons, L., Chodkiewicz, T., Chylarecki, P., Escandell, V., Eskildsen, D.P, Gamero, A., Herrando, S., Jiguet, F., Kålås, J.A., Kamp, J., Klva ň ová, A., Kmecl, P., Lehikoinen, A., Lindström, Å., Moshøj, C., Noble, D.G. , Øien, I.J., Paquet, J-Y., Reif, J., Sattler, T., Seaman, B.S., Teufelbauer, N., Trautmann, S., van Turnhout, C.A.M., Vo ř išek, P. & Butler, S.J. 2021. Bird population declines and species turnover are changing the acoustic properties of spring soundscapes. Nature Communications 12 : 6217.

Morrison, C.A., Butler, S.J., Robinson, R.A. , Clark, J.A. , Arizaga, J., Aunins, A., Baltà, O., Cepák, J., Chodkiewicz, T., Escandell, V., Foppen, R.P.B., Gregory, R.D., Husby, M., Jiguet, F., Kålås, J.A., Lehikoinen, A., Lindström, Å., Moshøj, C.M., Nagy, K., Nebot, A.L., Piha, M., Reif, J., Sattler, T., Škorpilová, J., Szép, T., Norbert Teufelbauer, N., Thorup, K., van Turnhout, C., Wenninger, T. & Gill, J.A. (2021) Covariation in population trends and demography reveals targets for conservation action. Proceedings of the Royal Society (B) 288 : 1946.

Nagy, S., Breiner, F., Anand, M., Butchart, S., Florke, M., Fluet-Choinard, E., Guisan, A., Lammert, H., Jones, V.R., Kalyakin, M., Lehner, B., Pearce-Higgins, J.W. & Voltzit, O. (2021). Climate change exposure of waterbird species in the African-Eurasian flyways. Bird Conservation International 32 : 1—26.

Nguyen, K.H., Boersch-Supan, P.H. , Hartman, R.B. & Rohr, J.R. (2021) Interventions can shift the thermal optimum for parasitic disease transmission. PNAS 118 : e2017537118.

Nicolau, P.G., Burgess, M.D., Marques, T.A., Baillie, S.R. , Moran, N.J. , Leech, D.I. & Johnston, A. (2021) Latitudinal variation in arrival and breeding phenology of the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca using largescale citizen science data. Journal of Avian Biology 52 DOI: 10.1111/jav.02646.

O’Brien, D.A., Talyor, M.L., Masonjones, H.D., BoerschSupan, P.H. & O’Shea, O.R. (2021) An experimental assessment of social tolerance and den ecology in a high-density octopus population. Marine Biology 168 : 61.

O’Hanlon, N.J. , Bond, A.L., Masden, E.A., Lavers, J.L. & James, N.A. (2021) Measuring nest incorporation of anthropogenic debris by seabirds: An opportunistic approach increases geographic scope and reduces costs. Marine Pollution Bulletin 171 : e112706.

Pearce-Higgins, J.W. (2021) Engaging schools with long-term monitoring of nature. School Science Review 102 : 32—36.

Petrusková, T., Kahounová, H., Pišvejcová, I., Č ermáková, A., Brinke, T., Burton, N.H.K. & Petrusek, A. 2021. Evaluating the potential effects of capturing and handling on subsequent observations of a migratory passerine through individual acoustic monitoring. Journal of Avian Biology 52 DOI: 10.1111/jav.02739.

Robinson, R.A. & Wilson, M (2021) Contrasting long-term trends in age-specific survival of Peregrine Falcons ( Falco peregrinus ) in Britain using smoothed estimates of recovery probabilities. Ibis 163 : 890—898.

Staley, J.T.,Redhead, J.W., O’Connor, R.S., Jarvis, S.G., Siriwardena, G.M. , Henderson, I.G. , Botham, M.S., Carvell, C., Smart, S.M., Phillips, S., Jones, N., McCracken, M.E., Christelow, J., Howell, K. & Pywell, R.F. (2021) Designing a survey to monitor multi-scale impacts of agri-environment schemes on mobile taxa. Journal of Environmental Management 290 : 112589.

Stanbury, A.J., Eaton, M.A., Aebischer, N.J., Balmer, D. , Brown, A.F., Douse, A., Lindley, P., McCulloch, N., Noble, D.G. & Win, I. (2021) The status of our bird populations: the fifth Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk for Great Britain. British Birds 114 : 723—747.

Sutherland, W.J., Atkinson, P.W. , Broad, S., Brown, S., Clout, M., Dias, M.P., Dicks, L.V., Doran, H., Fleishman, E., Garratt, E.L., Gaston, K.J., Hughes, A.C., Le Roux, X., Lickorish, F.A., Maggs, L., Palardy, J.E., Peck, L.S., Pettorelli, N., Pretty, J., Spalding, M.D., Tonneijck, F.H., Walpole, M., Watson, J.E.M., Wentworth, J. & Thornton, A. (2021) A 2021 Horizon Scan of Emerging Global Biological Conservation Issues. Trends in Ecology & Evolution DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.014.

Thomas, A., Cosby, B.J., Gooday, R., Lyons, H., Siriwardena G. , Kettel, E. , Matthews, R. Beauchamp, K., Petr, M. & Emmett, B.A. (2021) Rapid adaptive modelling for policy support towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals: Brexit and the livestock sector in Wales. Environmental Science & Policy 125 : 21—31.

Tucker, A.M., McGowan, C.P., Lyons, J.E., DeRose-Wilson, A. & Clark, N.A. (2021) Species-specific demographic and behavioral responses to food availability during migratory stopover. Population Ecology 64 : 19—34.

Väli, Ü., Dombrovski, V., Maciorowski, G., Sellis, U. & Ashton Butt, A. (2021) Spatial and temporal differences in migration strategies among endangered European Greater Spotted Eagles Clanga clanga. Bird Conservation International DOI: 10.1017/S0959270921000411.

Van Doren, B.M., Conway, G.J. , Phillips, R.J., Evans, G.C., Roberts, G.C.M., Liedvogel, M. & Sheldon, B.C. (2021) Human activity shapes the wintering ecology of a migratory bird. Global Change Biology DOI:10.1111/gcb.15597.

van Rees, C.B., Aragonés, D., Bouten, B., Thaxter, C.B. , Stienen, E., Bustamante, J. & Green, A.J (2021) Dynamic space use of Andalusian rice fields by Lesser Black-backed Gulls ( Larus fuscus ) is driven by flooding pattern. Ibis 163 , 1252—1270.

Wood, C.M., Alison, J., Botham, M.S., Burden, A., Edwards, F., Garbutt, R.A., George, P.B.L., Henrys, P.A., Hobson, R., Jarvis, S., Keenan, P., Keith, A.M., Lebron, I., Maskell, L.C., Norton, L.R., Robinson, D.A., Seaton, F.M., Scarlett, P., Siriwardena, G.M. , Skates, J., Smart, S.M., Williams, B. & Emmett, B.A. (2021) Integrated ecological monitoring in Wales: the Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme field survey. Earth System Science Data 13 : 4155—4173.

44 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 45

SUMMARISED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

TITLE

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

The principal sources of funds continued to be contract research, membership subscriptions, individual donations and legacies. Record legacies of £1,464k (2021 £856k) were received in the year, and the expected bounce back in contract work also generated exceptional income. Voluntary income formed 43% of total group income for the year (2021 41%). We aim to raise this to over 50% in the longer term.

A total of £5,301k (2021 £4,544k) was spent during the year on carrying out, supporting and communicating ornithological research, with a significant increase in youth related work. An uptick in bond yields (and thereby the discount rate) meant a significant reduction in the present value of the defined benefit pension obligation. A periodic external evaluation of the Nunnery land and buildings also boosted the balance sheet, so that net assets returned to a positive total.

The Board has a free reserves target range of 3 to 4 months’ running costs. These reserves are held against any unexpected falls in income or other unforeseen circumstances. Free reserves are total General funds less Tangible fixed assets. At 31 March 2022 these stood at £1,849k (2021: £1,068k), equivalent to 3.9 months’ budgeted expenditure (2021: 2.5 months’).

TRUSTEES’ STATEMENT

These are summarised financial statements. To gain a full understanding of the financial affairs of the Trust please refer to the Annual Report and Financial Statements published on the BTO website, or request a printed copy from the Director of Finance & Services, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU.

The Annual Report and Financial Statements were approved by the Board on 1 August 2022 and will be submitted to the Registrar of Companies, the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

The auditors have issued an unqualified report on the full financial statements and on the consistency of the Trustees’ Report with those financial statements. Their report on the full financial statements contained no statement under sections 498(2)(a), 498(2)(b) or 498(3) of the Companies Act 2006.

SUMMARISED ACCOUNTS: 2021/22

INCOME Donations and legacies Charitable activities	£’000 2021/22 3,334 3,527	£’000 2021/22 3,334 3,527	£’000 2020/21 2,539 2,486
Other tradingactivities		970	956
Investments		1	3
Coronavirus Job Retention Schemegrants		10	203
Total income & endowments		7,842	6,187
EXPENDITURE Raisingfunds Charitable activities Other – defined benefitpension scheme	2021/22 1,167 5,301 104		2020/21 1,463 4,544 120
Total expenditure		6,572	6,127
Net income / (expenditure)		1,270	60
Netgains on investments		18	95
Gain on revaluation of fixed assets		550	—
Actuarialgain/(loss) on defined benefitpension	scheme	986	(519 )
Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward REPRESENTED BY Fixed assets Net current assets Creditors due after oneyear Defined benefitpension liability	2,824 (734 2,090 2021/22 2,908 3,059 (100 (3,777 ) ) )		(364 (370 (734 2020/21 2,343 1,800 (83 (4,794 ) ) ) ) )
		2,090	(734 )

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ STATEMENT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

We have examined the Financial Overview for the year ended 31 March 2022 set out on page 46.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND THE AUDITORS

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report in accordance with applicable United Kingdom law.

Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the Financial Overview within the Strategic Report with the full financial statements and the Trustees’ Report, and its compliance with the relevant requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006 and the regulations made thereunder.

We also read the other information contained in the Strategic Report and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the Financial Overview.

We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2008/3 issued by the Auditing Practices Board. Our report on the company’s full financial statements describes the basis of our opinion on those financial statements and on the Trustees’ Report.

OPINION

In our opinion the Strategic Report is consistent with the full financial statements and the Trustees’ Report of the British Trust for Ornithology for the year ended 31 March 2022 and complies with the applicable requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006, and the regulations made thereunder.

Ensors Accountants LLP, Connexions, 159 Princes Street, Ipswich IP1 1QJ 10 August 2022

46 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 47

BTO BOARD AND MANAGEMENT 2022

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND MANAGEMENT

The British Trust for Ornithology Board of Trustees and Management 2022 - Continued

The British Trust for Ornithology Board of Trustees and Management 2022

	2022
Patron	HRH The Duke of Cambridge
President	F R Gardner OBE TD VR FRGS
Board of Trustees
Chair	Prof J A Gill	2016-22
Honorary Treasurer	I Packer FCA	2016-22
Chair of Finance & Risk Committee	J Spencer	2015-22
Chair of Governance & Nominations Committee	F M Hurst	2013-22
Chair of Regional Network Committee	Dr D M Parker	2014-22
Chair of Ringing Committee	Dr L Wright	2022-25
Ordinary Board Members	I Coucher	2022-25
	R du Feu	2022-25
	S J Marquis	2020-23
	Dr D J Reynolds	2016-23
	N A Sherwin	2017-22
Vice Presidents	Dr F Barclay	2022-30
	Prof S Bearhop	2019-26
	D C Jardine	2020-27
	Prof I P F Owens	2016-23

Past Presidents and Chairs

Presidents		Chairs
1958-60	R C Homes	1933-39	The Right Hon. Lord Scone MP,
			7th Earl of Mansfield and Mansfield
1961-64	C A Norris	1940-41	The Right Hon. Malcolm MacDonald MP
1965-68	R C Homes	1942-47	Dr A Landsborough Thomson CB OBE DSc
1969-72	I J Ferguson-Lees	1948	Dr E M Nicholson CB CVO
1973-76	R A O Hickling	1949	A W Boyd MC
1977-80	J M McMeeking MBE	1950	Sir Norman Kinnear
1981-84	S M Taylor	1951-56	Major-General H P W Houston
1985-89	J A Hancock OBE	1957	R C Homes
1990-93	R P Howard	1958-87	No Chair
1994-96	Sir William Wilkinson	1988-91	G H Green
1997-2001	Sir Frederick Holliday	1992-96	I C Castle
2002-05	Lord Blakenham	1996-2000	Dr H P Sitters
2006-13	Baroness Young of Old Scone	2001-04	A J Martin
2014-18	C G Packham	2005-08	Dr S Hunter
2019-	F R Gardner OBE TD VR FRGS	2009-13	Prof I Newton FRS OBE
		2014-16	Prof A D Fox
		2016-	Prof J A Gill

Finance & Risk Committee

Chair J Spencer; I Coucher; I Packer; Dr D J Reynolds.

Governance & Nominations Committee

Chair F M Hurst; Dr D M Parker; N Sherwin.

Regional Network Committee

Chair Dr D M Parker; C Gunn; A Jarratt-Knock; S Marquis; Dr D McGarvie; S Taylor; E Tigwell.

Ringing Committee

Chair Dr L Wright; S Bayley; L Clewley; R du Feu; P Kirmond; S Vickers; R Walsh; Representatives : H Land; A Phillips.

Senior Leadership Team

Chief Executive Officer Prof J Vickery;

Director of Science Dr J W Pearce-Higgins; Director of Engagement Dr D I P Evans; Director of Finance & Services, Company Secretary A T Scott ACIS; Director of Information Services G N Hatt; Associate Director Country Offices Dr C V Wernham; Head of People and Organisational Development S Knott.

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Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | BTO Annual Report 2021/22 - B3 49

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology Staff List As at 31 March 2022

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Prof Juliet Vickery

PA to the Chief Executive Officer: Nicki Read

SCIENCE

Director: Dr James Pearce-Higgins

PA / Senior Secretary: Nicki Read Senior Secretary: Jane Chase

Associate Director – Research: Dr Rob Robinson (Secretary: Jane Chase) Senior Research Fellow: Dr Stephen Baillie (Secretary: Jane Chase)

Terrestrial Ecology

International Research

Head & Principal Ecologist Senior Research Ecologist Research Ecologist

Head & Principal Ecologist Dr Gavin Siriwardena Head & Principal Ecologist Dr Phil Atkinson Senior Research Ecologist Dr Ian Henderson Senior Research Ecologist Dr Chris Hewson Research Ecologist Dr Greg Conway Senior Research Ecologist Dr Adham Ashton-Butt Research Ecologist Dr Kate Plummer PhD student Jen MacIsaac Research Ecologist Dr Joseph Cooper Research Scientist Máire Kirkland Research Ecologist Dr Hugh Hanmer Secretary Maria Knight/Nicki Read Research Ecologist Dr Charlotte Ward based at David Attenborough Building Research Ecologist Maddie Barton Research Ecologist V acant Monitoring Research Senior Research Officer David Norfolk Principal Ecologist Dr David Noble Survey Assistant John Worthington-Hill Research Ecologist Dr Ailidh Barnes Secretary Maria Knight/Nicki Read Research Ecologist Dr Blaise Martay based at Exeter University_ based at BTO Scotland RESEARCH Population Ecology & Modelling Head Dr Dave Leech Senior Ecological Statistician Dr Philipp Boersch-Supan _Ringing Licensing and Sales Spatial Ecologist Dr Jenni Border Manager Jez Blackburn Secretary Jane Chase Licensing Data Manager Nicola Bugg Ringing Sales Officer Anne Trewhitt Wetland & Marine Research Ringing Data Management Head & Principal Ecologist Dr Niall Burton Ringing & Nest Records Process Manager Bridget Griffin Senior Research Ecologist Dr Graham Austin Ringing Officer Sabine Schäfer Principal Ecologist - Dr Aonghais Cook Ringing Officer Kevin Leighton Offshore Renewable Energy Demographic Monitoring Projects Principal Ecologist - Sea Birds Dr Liz Humphreys Demographic Surveys Officer Lee Barber Senior Research Ecologist Dr Sam Franks Ringing & Nest Record Database Officer Carl Barimore Research Ecologist Dr Jacob Davies Ringing & Nest Record Comms Officer Ruth Walker Research Ecologist Ros Green Scheme Administrator Hazel McCambridge Research Ecologist Dr Nina O’Hanlon Research Ecologist - Christopher Pollock Offshore Renewable Energy Head & National Survey Coordinator Dawn Balmer Senior Research Ecologist Dr Chris Thaxter BirdTrack Organiser Scott Mayson Research Officer Ian Woodward BBS National Organiser Sarah Harris Secretary Maria Knight/Nicki Read Engagement and Surveys Officer David White _* based at BTO Scotland Wetland Bird Survey undertaking PhD part time_

MONITORING

Demography

Ringing Licensing and Sales

Ringing Data Management

Ringing & Nest Records Process Manager Bridget Griffin Ringing Officer Sabine Schäfer Ringing Officer Kevin Leighton Demographic Monitoring Projects Demographic Surveys Officer Lee Barber Ringing & Nest Record Database Officer Carl Barimore Ringing & Nest Record Comms Officer Ruth Walker Scheme Administrator Hazel McCambridge

Surveys

Head & National Survey Coordinator Dawn Balmer BirdTrack Organiser Scott Mayson BBS National Organiser Sarah Harris Engagement and Surveys Officer David White Wetland Bird Survey

WeBS Manager Dr Teresa Frost Data Request Coordinator Neil Calbrade WeBS Counter Network Organiser Gillian Birtles Secretary Maria Knight/Nicki Read

Data Science and Bioacoustics

Head & Principal Ecologist Dr Simon Gillings Senior Research Ecologist Dr Stuart Newson Research Ecologist Dr Dario Massimino Secretary Jane Chase

The British Trust for Ornithology Staff List As at 31 March 2022 - Continued

BTO SCOTLAND

ENGAGEMENT

BTO SCOTLAND	BTO SCOTLAND
Associate Director Country Offices: Dr Chris Wernham
Senior Secretary: Rebecca Cranston
Senior Research Ecologist Data and Admin. Officer	John Calladine Anne Carrington-Cotton
Head of Development and Engagement	Dr Ben Darvill
Development and Engagement Officer	Steve Willis
Principal Ecologist - Sea Birds	Dr Liz Humphreys**
Research Ecologist	Dr Blaise Martay*
Research Ecologist	Dr Mark Wilson
Research Ecologist	Dr Gary Clewley
Research Ecologist	Dr Daniel Johnston
Research Ecologist	Peadar O'Connell
Research Ecologist/	Christopher Pollock**
Offshore Renewable Energy
Research Ecologist	Anthony Wetherhill
Research Ecologist	Dr Jacob Davies**
Research Ecologist Scottish Raptor Monitoring Coordinator Wader Project Officer *Monitoring Research Team	Dr Nina O’Hanlon** Dr Amy Challis Paul Noyes
** Wetland & Marine Team

Director of Engagement: Dr Ieuan Evans Engagement & Fundraising Head of Income Generation Mike Naidu Senior Supporter Administrator Sam Graham Supporter Development Officer Caroline Foot Supporter Administrator Samantha Culverhouse Supporter Administrator Amanda Gee Trust & Foundation Fundraising Manager Bonita Johnston Legacy Manager Sam Rider Fundraising Administrator Jessica Hooks Major Giving Officer David Agombar Digital Marketing Manager Jon Boardman GBW Manager Dr Michelle Reeve GBW Supporter Development Officer Robert Jaques Communications Head of Communications Mike Toms Media Manager Tom Stewart Media Manager Paul Stancliffe Science Communications Manager Dr Viola Ross-Smith Social Media Officer Tom Stewart Website Editor Miriam Lord BTO Archivist Lesley Hindley Training Training Manager Nick Moran Training Officer Emily Cuff Youth Engagement Youth Engagement Manager Faye Vogely Youth Engagement Officer Anna Dupont Youth Engagement Coordinator Chris Marais

BTO CYMRU

BTO CYMRU
Senior Ecologist Research Ecologist Research Ecologist Development Coordinator BTO NORTHERN IRELAND	Dr Rachel Taylor Dr Katharine Bowgen Dr Callum Macgregor Kelvin Jones
Northern Ireland Officer Scientific Officer INFORMATION SYSTEMS Director IS: Graham Hatt Senior Secretary: Jane Chase Senior Database Officer Database Developer Database Developer	Stephen Hewitt Dr Katherine Booth Jones Dr Andrew Joys Steve Pritchard Justin Walker
Database Developer Website Manager Website Developer Website Developer	Charlotte Clark V_acant_ Tom Sage Daniel Higgins
Senior Software Developer	Mark Hammond
Senior Software Developer	Matthew Baxter
Software Developer	Oliver Barrett
Junior Software Developer	Ewan Stacey
Junior Software Developer	Hayden Woods
Senior Systems Manager Computing Support Officer	Ben Brooke Dom Render
Business Analyst	Dave Turvey
PORZANA
Business Director	David Agombar
Business Manager	Shane Muggridge
Production Assistant	Alex Court
Production Assistant	Philippa Elson
Production Assistant	Elaine Ennis
Production Assistant	Lucy Willsher

FINANCE & SERVICES

Director: Andrew Scott

FINANCE & SERVICES Director: Andrew Scott
Accounts & Facilities
Financial Accountant / Facilities Manager Management Accountant Finance Assistant General Sales Officer / Admin. & Finance Assistant	Mary Gray Irene Bowles Terri-Louise Montgomery Sonya Calder
Admin. Assistant Facilities Officer Receptionist	Diane Bragg Pat Sparkes Ronnie Hatt
Human Resources
Head of People and
Organisational Development	Sian Knott
People and Projects Officer	Holly Stevenitt
People, Health and Safety Officer	Cheryl Wilson
Research Support
Resource Manager	Virginia Cates
Research Support Administrator	Sandra Sparkes
Research Support Officer	Penny Mitchell
Research Support Officer	Heidi Mellan
Research Support Officer	Dean McFarlane
Nunnery Lakes Site Manager	Ian Henderson

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Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | 51 BTO Annual Report 2021/22 - B5

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

The British Trust for Ornithology Trustees’ Annual Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

For the purposes of Section 162 of the Charities Act 2011 and the Directors’ Report for the purposes of Section 415 of the Companies Act 2006.

Company number: 00357284 (England and Wales) Charity number: 216652 (England and Wales) SC039193 (Scotland) Registered Office: The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU Principal Advisers: Auditors Ensors Accountants LLP, Connexions, 159 Princes Street, Ipswich IP1 1QJ Principal Bankers National Westminster Bank plc, 7 Cornhill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1BQ The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, 2 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh EH7 5JH Solicitors Browne Jacobson LLP, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham NG2 1BJ Pensions Advisers Russell Ulyatt Financial Services Ltd, 1 The Triangle, ng2 Business Park, Nottingham NG2 1AE Investment Advisers Russell Ulyatt Financial Services Ltd, 1 The Triangle, ng2 Business Park, Nottingham NG2 1AE Insurance Brokers Uttings Insurance Brokers, 16 The Fairland, Hingham, Norwich, Norfolk NR9 4HN

The members of the Board are the directors of the charitable company under company law and the trustees for the purpose of charity law. Those serving during the year were as follows:

Dr I P Bainbridge Mr S J Marquis Dr F Barclay Mr I Packer Mr I Coucher Dr D M Parker Mr R du Feu Dr D J Reynolds Professor J A Gill Mr N A Sherwin Ms S R R Guy Mrs J Spencer Dr S Hunter Dr L Wright Ms F M Hurst

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The British Trust for Ornithology (known generally as the BTO) is a company limited by guarantee governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. Membership is open to any person whose application is approved by the Board upon payment of the requisite subscription. Members undertake to contribute up to £1 each in the event of an insolvent winding up, which represents the limit of their guarantee.

The British Trust for Ornithology Trustees’ Annual Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Related Parties

The BTO’s wholly owned subsidiary, BTO Services Ltd, was established to undertake commercial activities to support the work of the BTO, and gifts its profits to the Trust. On 30 August 2017 BTO Services Ltd acquired the ring manufacturer Porzana Ltd. The net assets and activities of Porzana Ltd were subsequently hived up to BTO Services Ltd and it then became dormant. On 15 November 2019 BTO Services Ltd incorporated BTO Consulting Ltd which company is dormant. ‘Porzana’ and ‘BTO Consulting’ are trading names of BTO Services Ltd.

The BTO co-operates with many other charities, with government agencies and other bodies in pursuit of its objectives, as illustrated in Parts A and B of this document .

Volunteers

The Trust depends on the contributions of many thousands of volunteers who participate in BTO surveys and other activities. We are greatly indebted to them, and especially to the Regional Representatives and other regional volunteers who organise so much BTO activity at a local level. BTO volunteers contributed the equivalent of approximately 274,250 days of work in calendar year 2021 (2020: 255,500 days).

Risk Management

A risk register is maintained which identifies the significant risks faced by the BTO and the measures in place to manage and mitigate those risks. These are monitored by the Senior Leadership Team and regularly reviewed and amended as appropriate by the Finance & Risk Committee and the Board.

Fundraising Standards

BTO is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and follows the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice. All fundraising from individual giving is undertaken by BTO staff, and during the year we used the services of a specialist consultancy to help us research and approach charitable trusts and foundations. We have not received any complaints regarding our fundraising practices. We take all reasonable steps to treat supporters fairly and transparently, especially if we believe they may be in a vulnerable position.

Investments

The Memorandum of Association permits the Trust to invest monies not immediately required for its purposes as the trustees see fit. The trustees’ investment policy is to maximise long term total return by investing in a combination of 40% high quality short dated bonds and 60% globally diversified equities. The equities part of the portfolio is invested in a sustainable fund (see Note 10). Investment performance against benchmark was as follows:

Trustees

Trustees are nominated by the Board, on the recommendation of the Governance and Nominations Committee, following open advertisement, or by members and elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting each year, to serve from the following 1 January. The normal term of office is four years, with a limit of two consecutive terms. New trustees receive a comprehensive information pack and undergo induction to brief them on the BTO and their role as company directors and trustees.

Organisation and Key Management Remuneration

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the BTO. It meets at least four times a year. The Board is supported by the Finance & Risk Committee, Governance & Nominations Committee, Regional Network Committee and Ringing Committee. The day-to-day operational management of the BTO is delegated to the Senior Leadership Team, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

	Portfolio	Benchmark
Year ended 31 March 2022 Since inception (28 August 2014)	+3.93% +68.10%	+6.79% +67.92%

Objectives and Activities

Charitable Objects

The objects of the Trust, as set out in its Memorandum of Association are, for the benefit of the nation:

• (i) To promote, organise, carry on and encourage study and research and particularly field work for the advancement of knowledge in all branches of the Science of Ornithology.

• (ii) Permanently to preserve and protect lands and objects which by their natural features are suitable for the preservation and study of bird life and of fauna and flora generally.

The salary of the CEO is determined by the Board on the basis of comparability to relevant benchmarks. The remuneration of all other staff is set according to a bespoke job evaluation scheme, benchmarked to the Croner Charity Rewards database. All salaries are subject to annual cost of living review. There is no bonus scheme.

52 | Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 BTO Annual Report 2021/22 - B6

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 2021/22 | BTO Annual Report 2021/22 - B7 53

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

The British Trust for Ornithology Trustees’ Annual Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology

Trustees’ Annual Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Public Benefit

Statement of Board Members’ Responsibilities

The trustees have complied with the duty in Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. The following paragraphs set out in detail the aims, activities and performance of the Trust, and the way in which they provide public benefit.

The Board members are responsible, as Directors of the Company, for preparing the Annual Report (including the Strategic Report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Objectives and Activities

The BTO’s purpose and public benefit is to deliver objective information and advice, through undertaking impartial research and analysis about birds, other wildlife and habitats, to advance the understanding of nature. We inform policies and evidence-based decisions that impact on the environment such that future generations can benefit from a healthy and wildlife-rich environment. The BTO does this by:

• Sustaining long-term extensive programmes and smaller scale intensive research to study the population trends, movements, breeding, survival, ecology and behaviour of wild birds;

• Encouraging, enthusing, training and supporting volunteers to take part in scientific studies;

• Bringing together professional scientists and volunteer birdwatchers in surveys of wildlife (particularly, but not exclusively, birds); and

• Analysing the data gathered through these studies, making information available to Government and other bodies, and publishing the results in the primary scientific literature and via the internet, the birdwatching and conservation press and the media more generally.

Strategic Report

The Strategic Report (Achievements and Performance, Plans for Future Periods) is contained in Part A of this document.

Principal Risks and Uncertainties

The trustees consider that the principal risks and uncertainties which could affect BTO’s ability to deliver its objectives in the short term are public expenditure reductions leading to reduced contract, grant and partnership funding, and in the medium to long term, inflation and the final salary pension scheme deficit. These are able to be mitigated through the continued growth strategy and careful cash management.

Company law requires the Board members to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the group at the year end and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company and the group for the year. In preparing these financial statements, Board members are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in SORP (FRS 102);

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company and the group will continue in operation.

Board members are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and the group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Board members are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Trust's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

In so far as Board members are aware:

• there is no relevant audit information of which the Trust’s auditors are unaware; and

Financial Review

• Board members have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

The Directors’ Report, the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto comprise Part B of this document.

Auditors

The principal sources of funds continued to be contract research, membership subscriptions, individual donations and legacies. Record legacies of £1,464k (2021 £856k) were received in the year, and the expected bounce back in contract work also generated exceptional income. Voluntary income formed 43% of total group income for the year (2021 41%). We aim to raise this to over 50% in the longer term.

A total of £5,301k (2021 £4,544k) was spent during the year on carrying out, supporting and communicating ornithological research, with a significant increase in youth related work.

An uptick in bond yields (and thereby the discount rate) meant a significant reduction in the present value of the defined benefit pension obligation. A periodic external evaluation of the Nunnery land and buildings also boosted the balance sheet, so that net assets returned to a positive total.

Reserves

A resolution to re-appoint Ensors Accountants LLP as auditors will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting under section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees’ Report (incorporating the Strategic Report) was approved by the Board as Directors and Trustees and authorised for issue on 1 August 2022.

----- Start of picture text -----
Prof J A Gill I Packer FCA
Chairman Honorary Treasurer
----- End of picture text -----

The Board has a free reserves target range of 3 to 4 months’ running costs. These reserves are held against any unexpected falls in income or other unforeseen circumstances. Free reserves are total General funds less Tangible fixed assets. At 31 March 2022 these stood at £1,849k (2021: £1,068k), equivalent to 3.9 months’ budgeted expenditure (2021: 2.5 months’).

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INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH TRUST OF ORNITHOLOGY

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The British Trust for Ornithology (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Charity Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated Group and Charity Balance Sheets, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of the group’s and the parent charitable company’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• • have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulations 6 and 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic Report and the Board Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent charitable company’s financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records or returns; or

• certain disclosure of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of Board Members

As explained more fully in the Statement of Board Members’ Responsibilities set out on page B9, the trustees (who are also the directors of the British Trust for Ornithology for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group or parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditors’ report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the Strategic Report and the Board Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the Strategic Report and the Board Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

Our audit was designed, after obtaining sufficient and appropriate knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company, its charitable nature, its income streams and the industry operated within. We undertook an assessment of the control environment and the systems and procedures put in place by the senior management team, combined with our detailed audit testing and supportive analytical work, to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement due to fraud. Our work has included considering areas of higher risk of fraud, including transactions with related parties, revenue recognition and areas where there is a risk of management override of systems and controls.

To address the risk of fraud we performed the following audit procedures:

• Assessment of key accounting estimates within the financial statements in order to assess their reasonableness and determine whether there is any bias in management’s estimates.

• All team members were informed of the relevant laws and regulations and potential fraud risks at the planning stage and reminded to remain alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance.

• Enquiring of management whether there have been any alleged, suspected or actual instances of fraud during the year.

• Enquiring of management and those charged with governance whether there have been any actual or potential litigation or claims.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

The British Trust for Ornithology Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (Including Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

• Reviewing correspondence with relevant legal authorities.

• Reviewing legal expense accounts for any indicators of litigation or claims.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors’ report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and to the charitable company’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 44(1) (c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and its trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company, the charitable company’s members as a body and its trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

10 August 2022

Helen Rumsey, Senior Statutory Auditor For and on behalf of Ensors Accountants LLP Connexions 159 Princes Street Ipswich IP1 1QJ

Note Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 3 Other trading activities 3 Investments 3 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants Total income and endowments Expenditure on: Raising funds 4 Charitable activities 4 Other – Amounts recognised as expenditure on defined benefit pension scheme 22 Total expenditure 7 Net income/(expenditure) before net gain/(loss) on investments Net gain/(loss) on investments 10 Net income/ (expenditure) 19 Transfers between funds 16,17 Other recognised gains/(losses): Gain on revaluation of fixed assets 9 Actuarial gain/(loss) on defined benefit pension scheme 22 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward 16,17 Total funds carried forward 16,17	Unrestricted Funds £’000 2,873 3,501 970 1 10 7,355 1,159 4,718 104 5,981 1,374 18 1,392 25 550 986 2,953 (1,828) 1,125	Restricted Funds £’000 461 26 - - - 487 8 583 - 591 (104) - (104) (25) - - (129) 1,094 965	Total 2022 £’000 3,334 3,527 970 1 10	Total 2021 £’000 2,539 2,486 956 3 203
			7,842	6,187
			1,167 5,301 104	1,463 4,544 120
			6,572	6,127
			1,270 18	60 95
			1,288 - 550 986	155 - - (519)
			2,824	(364)
			(734)	(370)
			2,090	(734)

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

The notes on pages B17 to B36 form part of these financial statements.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Charity Statement of Financial Activities (Including Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Note Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 3 Other trading activities 3 Investments 3 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants Total income and endowments Expenditure on: Raising funds 4 Charitable activities 4 Other – Amounts recognised as expenditure on defined benefit pension scheme 22 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) before net gain/(loss) on investments Net gain/(loss) on investments 10 Net income/ (expenditure) 19 Transfers between funds 16,17 Other recognised gains/(losses): Gains on revaluation of fixed assets 9 Actuarial gain/(loss) on defined benefit pension scheme 22 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward 16,17 Total funds carried forward 16,17	Unrestricted Funds £’000 3,199 3,501 461 1 10 7,172 976 4,718 104 5,798 1,374 18 1,392 25 550 986 2,953 (1,828) 1,125	Restricted Funds £’000 461 26 - - 487 8 583 - 591 (104) - (104) (25) - - (129) 1,094 965	Total 2022 £’000 3,660 3,527 461 1 10 7,659 984 5,301 104 6,389 1,270 18 1,288 - 550 986 2,824 (734) 2,090	Total 2021 £’000 2,766 2,486 447 3 203
				5,905
				1,181 4,544 120
				5,845
				60 95
				155 - - (519)
				(364)
				(370)
				(734)

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

The notes on pages B17 to B36 form part of these financial statements.

The British Trust for Ornithology Consolidated Group and Charity Balance Sheets as at 31 March 2022

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 9 Investments 10 Current assets Stocks 11 Debtors 12 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 13 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due after one year 14 Net assets excluding defined benefit pension liability Defined benefit pension liability 22 Net assets/(liabilities) including defined benefit pension liability 18 Represented by: Restricted funds 16 Unrestricted funds excluding Pension reserve Pension reserve 17 17 Total funds 18	Group 2022 £’000 2,445 463 2,908 293 1,346 3,799 5,438 (2,379) 3,059 5,967 (100) 5,867 (3,777) 2,090 965 4,902 (3,777) 2,090	Group 2021 £’000 1,898 445 2,343 279 1,558 2,318 4,155 (2,355) 1,800 4,143 (83) 4,060 (4,794) (734) 1,094 2,966 (4,794) (734)	Charity 2022 £’000 2,445 463 2,908 - 1,582 3,671 5,253 (2,194) 3,059 5,967 (100) 5,867 (3,777) 2,090 965 4,902 (3,777) 2,090	Charity 2021 £’000 1,898 445
				2,343
				- 1,774 2,190
				3,964 (2,164)
				1,800
				4,143 (83)
				4,060 (4,794)
				(734)
				1,094 2,966 (4,794)
				(734)

Approved by the Board and authorised for issue on 1 August 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

Chair Prof J A Gill Honorary Treasurer I Packer FCA

Company registration number 00357284

The notes on pages B17 to B36 form part of these financial statements.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Note Net cash inflow / (outflow) from operating activities 19 Cash flow from investing activities Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets 9 Investment income received Net cash flow from investing activities Net increase in cash for the year Cash at bank and in hand at 1 April Cash at bank and in hand at 31 March Analysis of Cash at Bank and in Hand This comprises: Bank current accounts and cash in hand Bank deposits Cash at bank and in hand at 31 March	Group 2022 £’000 1,506 (26) 1 (25) 1,481 2,318 3,799 2022 £’000 164 3,635 3,799		Group 2021 £’000 391 (25) 3 (22) 369 1,949 2,318 2021 £’000 370 1,948 2,318		Charity 2022 £’000 1,506 (26) 1 (25) 1,481 2,190 3,671 2022 £’000 36 3,635 3,671		Charity 2021 £’000 369
							(25) 3
							(22)
							347 1,843
							2,190
							2021 £’000 242 1,948 2,190

Bank deposits carry variable rates of interest.

The notes on pages B17 to B36 form part of these financial statements.

a) Accounting Convention

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (SORP (FRS102)) effective 1 January 2019, the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.

The financial statements are prepared in pounds sterling (rounded to the nearest thousand) which is the functional currency of the charitable company and the group.

The charity operates on a weekly basis and the Financial Statements have been made up to 27 March 2022, being the last Sunday in March.

b) Going Concern

The trustees have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. In their opinion the pension scheme deficit does not give rise to material uncertainties that could cast doubt upon the appropriateness of this policy.

c) Group Financial Statements

These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly owned trading subsidiary BTO Services Limited on a line by line basis.

d)

Income

Income from donations, gifts and legacies is recognised immediately when received in cash and as receivable where there is entitlement, the amount can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

Income from charitable activities includes income receivable under contracts which is recognised as earned as the related work is performed. Income from grant funding supporting charitable activities is recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt, and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Income is deferred when it is received in advance of the services it relates to. Life membership income is released to the Statement of Financial Activities in equal instalments over ten years.

Income from commercial activities of the trading subsidiary is recognised as earned as the related goods and services are provided.

Investment income, sponsorship and royalty income and membership subscription income are recognised on a receivable basis.

Income from Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants is recognised on a receivable basis.

e) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred. Costs are allocated directly to activity cost categories. The cost of holiday pay not taken at the year end is accrued.

Costs of raising funds are those incurred in attracting voluntary income, including membership subscriptions, in carrying out trading activities, and in receiving royalties and sponsorship income.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Costs of charitable activities include those incurred on scientific research contracts, and on allocated and restricted fund research work. They also include volunteer surveyor support and science communication costs.

Governance costs include those incurred in the governance of the charity and the safeguarding of its assets, and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a staff cost basis.

f) Expenditure (continued)

VAT is reclaimed on allowable expenses under the Business/Non-Business and the partial exemption rules. Where not reclaimable it is included within expenses.

g)

Tangible Fixed Assets

Individual assets costing £1k or more are initially capitalised at cost. Tangible fixed assets (except freehold property and land) are depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:

Asset Category Annual Rate Furniture and Equipment 25% Computer Equipment 25% Motor Vehicles 25%

The freehold property and land are stated at fair value under the revaluation model using sufficiently regular revaluations to ensure that the carrying amount does not differ materially from the fair value at the reporting date. Revaluations are performed every five years, or as the trustees consider necessary, by qualified external valuers. The increase or decrease on revaluation is credited or charged to the fund holding the asset.

At each reporting end date, the trustees review the carrying amounts of the tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

h) Investments

Investments are recognised initially at fair value which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs. Subsequently, they are measured at fair value with changes recognised in ‘Net gain/(loss) on investments’ in the Statement of Financial Activities if the shares are publicly traded or their fair value can otherwise be measured reliably. Other investments are measured at cost less impairment.

i) Stock

Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Net realisable value is based on estimated selling price less further costs to completion and sale. Cost is calculated on a first in first out basis.

j) Debtors and creditors falling due within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and falling due within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

k) Financial instruments

The group only has financial assets and liabilities that qualify as basic financial instruments, such as debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and payable within one year, which are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised as expenditure in the Statement of Financial Activities.

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

l) Foreign Currency Translation

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into pounds sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet dates. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the transaction date. All exchange differences are taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.

m) Funds Structure

The Trust has a number of restricted funds to account for situations where funds have been raised for a specific purpose. All other funds are unrestricted funds. Where the trustees intend to use part of the unrestricted funds to provide longer-term funding for BTO projects and core activities, designated funds are set up to reflect this. A Pension reserve fund has been created so that movements and balances relating to the defined benefit pension scheme valuations can be separately identified. The funds in each of these categories are disclosed in Notes 17 and 18.

n) Retirement Benefits

The defined benefit pension scheme provides benefits for staff based on final pensionable salary. The scheme was closed to future accrual with effect from 1 April 2013. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Trust, being invested with independent fund managers and are measured at fair value with changes recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities as set out in Note 21. Defined benefit pension liabilities are measured using the projected unit cost method and discounted at the current rate of return on a high quality corporate bond of equivalent term and currency to the liability. Under FRS 102, any net liability arising based on these valuations is the best estimate of the present value of the actual amounts to be paid out of the scheme, less the fair value of the scheme assets. The net of the interests on the scheme assets and liabilities is charged to the Statement of Financial Activities. Past service costs are recognised as expenditure when a liability is incurred and are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities. Actuarial gains and losses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities.

The Trust as employer also makes payments in respect of employees' own defined contribution schemes, through a group self-invested personal pension arrangement. For these schemes, the amount charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in respect of pension costs is the contributions payable in the year. Differences between contributions payable in the year and contributions actually paid are included as either accruals or prepayments in the balance sheet.

o) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In the application of the group and parent charitable company's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that year, or in the year of the revision and future years where the revision affects both the current and future years.

Key sources of estimation uncertainty

The estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are as follows:

Percentage completion on contracts

The degree of completion on the contracts is an estimate by the relevant project manager. This estimate relies on their professional opinion on the level of work completed in the whole contract, which impacts the level of income recognised, accrued and deferred. These estimates are reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team on a regular basis.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

Defined benefit pension scheme

The group has a defined benefit pension scheme which is closed to future accrual. The valuation of the defined benefit pension obligation necessarily involves a calculation which depends on the expected future outflow of economic

benefits that the group expects to make to satisfy this obligation. The calculation depends on a number of factors such as the methodology, discount rate and mortality assumptions used. The group use a qualified independent actuary to assist in preparing the necessary calculation in accordance with the requirements of FRS102.

Property valuation

The Nunnery is valued at fair value by the directors with reference to recent property transactions and their knowledge of the site. The directors obtain third party valuations of property at regular intervals to ensure that the fair value of these properties is kept up to date.

p) Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.

q) Employee benefits

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets. The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the year in which the employee’s services are received. Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

r) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand are basic financial assets and includes cash in hand, deposits with banks, other shortterm liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts.

2. MEMBERS' LIABILITY

Under the Memorandum of Association of the Trust, members are required to undertake to contribute to the assets of the Trust in the event of its being wound up while they are members, and within one year after they cease to be members, for payment of the debts and liabilities of the Trust contracted whilst they were still members, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, such amount as may be required but not exceeding £1 each. This represents the limit of their guarantee to the company.

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

3. ANALYSIS OF INCOME

Donations and legacies Membership subscriptions & donations Individual donations Corporate & trust donations & grants Legacies Charitable activities Core surveys - JNCC Partnership Core surveys - Other Other surveys & research - Voluntary funded Other surveys & research - Contract funded Research communication General volunteer survey support Nunnery Lakes Reserve Other trading activities Ringing & tagging sales Publications & general sales Corporate sponsorship & royalties Consultancy Data-related sales Other Income from charges to subsidiary Investment income Bank interest receivable Analysis by fund type Donations and legacies Unrestricted Restricted Charitable activities Unrestricted Restricted Other trading activities Unrestricted Restricted	Group 2022 £’000 1,094 584 192 1,464 3,334 837 42 29 2,404 76 118 21 3,527 506 37 53 247 125 2 - 970 1 Group 2022 £’000 2,873 461 3,334 3,501 26 3,527 970 - 970	Group 2021 £’000 960 438 285 856 2,539 804 45 9 1,487 76 38 27 2,486 436 85 53 254 121 7 - 956 3 Group 2021 £’000 2,224 315 2,539 2,483 3 2,486 956 - 956	Charity 2022 £’000 1,094 584 518 1,464 3,660 837 42 29 2,404 76 118 21 3,527 - - - - - 1 460 461 1 Charity 2022 £’000 3,199 461 3,660 3,501 26 3,527 461 - 461	Charity 2021 £’000 960 438 512 856
				2,766
				804 45 9 1,487 76 38 27
				2,486
				- - - - - 6 441
				447
				3
				Charity 2021 £’000 2,451 315
				2,766
				2,483 3
				2,486
				447 -
				447

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

4. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE

Raising funds Donations and legacies Membership subscriptions & donations Individual donations Corporate & trust donations & grants Legacies Other trading activities Ringing & tagging costs Publications & general costs Corporate sponsorship & royalties Consultancy Data-related costs Other Costs recharged to subsidiary Charitable activities Core surveys - JNCC Partnership Core surveys - Other Other surveys & research - Voluntary funded Other surveys & research - Contract funded Research communication General volunteer survey support Nunnery Lakes Reserve	Group 2022 £’000 222 226 33 66 547 377 33 (4) 161 53 - - 620 1,167 1,295 297 757 2,302 532 103 15 5,301	Group 2021 £’000 320 282 53 84 739 389 66 17 197 55 - - 724 1,463 1,378 394 479 1,594 589 72 38 4,544	Charity 2022 £’000 222 226 33 66 547 - - - - - - 437 437 984 1,295 297 757 2,302 532 103 15 5,301	Charity 2021 £’000 320 282 53 84
				739
				- - - - - - 442
				442
				1,181
				1,378 394 479 1,594 589 72 38
				4,544

Analysis by fund type Raising funds Unrestricted Restricted Charitable activities Unrestricted Restricted	Group 2022 £’000 1,159 8 1,167 4,718 583 5,301	Group 2021 £’000 1,441 22 1,463 4,284 260 4,544	Charity 2022 £’000 976 8 984 4,718 583 5,301	Charity 2021 £’000 1,159 22
				1,181
				4,284 260
				4,544

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

For the Year Ended 31 March 2022
5. NET INCOME / (EXPENDITURE) Net income for the year is stated after (crediting)/charging: Auditors’ remuneration: Audit of the charity’s annual accounts Audit of the trading subsidiary’s annual accounts Audit of the charity’s defined benefit pension scheme Depreciation (Note 9) 6. STAFF COSTS Wages and salaries Social security costs Defined contribution pension plan costs (Note 22) Expenditure recognised on defined benefit pension scheme (Note 22) The number of employees whose emoluments exceeded £60,000 fell within the following bands: £70,001 - £80,000 £60,001 - £70,000	2022 £’000 12 4 2 29 2022 £’000 3,782 326 389 104 4,601 2022 1 1	2021 £’000 15 6 3 28
		2021 £’000 3,655 318 387 120
		4,480
		2021 - 1

The emoluments of the CEO for the year were £75k (2021 £84k), with the same pension and other benefits as were applicable to all other staff. The total remuneration including social security costs and pension contributions of the Senior Leadership Team was £481k (2021: £475k). Trustees receive no remuneration. Trustees made donations totalling £5k during the year (2021 £5k).There were no other related party transactions requiring disclosure. Since they met remotely throughout the year, expenses were reimbursed to 0 (2021: 0) trustees as follows:

Travel & subsistence Average numbers of staff and full time equivalents (FTE) Permanent posts Seasonal fieldworkers 7. TOTAL EXPENDITURE Direct costs £’000 Raising funds 1,042 Charitable activities 4,735 Other – Amounts recognised as expenditure on defined benefit pension scheme 104 5,881	2022 £’000 2021 £’000 - - 2022 2021 No FTE No FTE 134 121.3 130 117.7 15 3.2 3 1.6 149 124.5 133 119.3 Support costs £’000 2022 Total £’000 2021 Total £’000 125 1,167 1,463 566 5,301 4,544 - 104 120 691 6,572 6,127
	Support costs £’000 125 566 - 691

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

8. SUPPORT COSTS

. SUPPORT COSTS
Raising funds Charitable activities	Premises £’000 2 10 12	IT & Office Services £’000 6 26 32	People & OD £’000 48 218 266	Manage- ment & Finance £’000 59 268 327	Govern- ance £’000 10 44 54	2022 Total £’000 125 566 691	2021 Total £’000 164 510
							674

All support costs are apportioned on a staff cost basis.

Governance costs include auditors’ remuneration, the meeting expenses of the Board and its committees, and the staff cost of servicing those meetings.

9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS - GROUP

Cost or valuation at 1 April 2021 Additions Disposals Revaluation of fixed assets At 31 March 2022 Depreciation at 1 April 2021 Depreciation charge Disposals At 31 March 2022 Net book value at 31 March 2022 Net book value at 1 April 2021	Freehold Property and Land £’000 1,850 - - 550 2,400 - - - - 2,400 1,850	Furniture and Equipment £’000 204 - - 204 201 3 - 204 - 3	Computer Equipment £’000 405 26 - 431 374 20 - 394 37 31	Motor Vehicles £’000 105 - - 105 91 6 - 97 8 14	Total £’000 2,564 26 - 550
					3,140
					666 29 -
					695
					2,445
					1,898

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS - CHARITY

Cost or valuation at 1 April 2021 Additions Disposals Revaluation of fixed assets At 31 March 2022 Depreciation at 1 April 2021 Depreciation charge Disposals At 31 March 2022 Net book value at 31 March 2022 Net book value at 1 April 2021	Freehold Property and Land £’000 1,850 - - 550 2,400 - - - - 2,400 1,850	Furniture and Equipment £’000 200 - - 200 198 2 - 200 - 2	Computer Equipment £’000 405 26 - 431 373 21 - 394 37 32	Motor Vehicles £’000 105 - - 105 91 6 - 97 8 14	Total £’000 2,560 26 - 550
					3,136
					662 29 -
					691
					2,445
					1,898

The Nunnery and Nunnery Lakes Reserve, the freehold property and land owned and occupied by The British Trust for Ornithology, were valued by qualified external valuers, Fenn Wright Chartered Surveyors, on 31 March 2022 on the basis of fair value, at £2,400k.

On an historical cost basis, the freehold property and land would have been included at a cost and net book value of £2,284k (2021: £2,284k).

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

10. INVESTMENTS

The Group

Listed Investment Funds

Birds in Trust Fund Dimensional Global Short Dated Bond Dimensional Global Sustainability Core Equity Wrap Cash General Funds Dimensional Global Short Dated Bond Dimensional Global Sustainability Core Equity Wrap Cash	Market value 1 April 2021 £’000 74 121 4 199 90 151 5 246 445	Disposals £’000 - (9) - (9) - (12) - (12) (21)	Additions £’000 8 - - 8 10 - - 10 18	Gains £’000 (5) 14 - 9 (5) 17 - 12 21	Market value 31 March 2022 £’000 77 126 4
					207
					95 156 5
					256
					463

On an historical cost basis, the investments would have been included at £298k (2021: £290k).

The Charity

Listed Investment Funds as above Fixed asset unlisted investments -BTO Services Ltd	2022 £’000 463 - 463	2021 £’000 445 -
		445

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

11. STOCKS The Group Finished goods, goods for resale and materials The Charity The charity holds no trading stock. 12. DEBTORS The Group Trade and contract debtors Taxes recoverable Prepayments Accrued income The Charity Trade and contract debtors Amounts due from Group undertakings Taxes recoverable Prepayments Accrued income	2022 £’000 293 2022 £’000 775 7 96 468 1,346 2022 £’000 673 446 7 77 379 1,582	2021 £’000 279
		2021 £’000 1,006 21 90 441
		1,558
		2021 £’000 814 488 21 64 387
		1,774

The Trust wholly owns its subsidiary undertaking, BTO Services Ltd, which is incorporated in England & Wales, company registration number 02907282. This company operates to promote the work of The British Trust for Ornithology by undertaking commercial activities to support such work. The aggregate value of the share capital and reserves at 31 March 2022 was £100 (2021: £100) and the company reported a £nil result after Gift Aid for the year (2021: £nil). £326k (2021: £228k) was paid to the Charity under Gift Aid. The value of the investment in the subsidiary undertaking is £100 (2021: £100) under the equity method of valuation.

The following is a summarised statement of income for the subsidiary for the financial year:

Turnover Cost of sales Gross profit Net administrative expenses Net profit before payment under Gift Aid	2022 £’000 969 (591) 378 (52) 326	2021 £’000 951 (643)
		308 (80)
		228

Turnover of the subsidiary includes sales to overseas markets of £182k (2021: £246k).

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

13. CREDITORS – AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

The Group Trade creditors Taxes and Social security costs Other creditors Accruals Deferred income The Charity Trade creditors Taxes and Social security costs Other creditors Accruals Deferred income	2022 £’000 572 233 63 103 1,408 2,379 2022 £’000 533 229 60 93 1,279 2,194	2021 £’000 249 339 65 161 1,541
		2,355
		2021 £’000 201 320 56 150 1,437
		2,164

14. CREDITORS – AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER ONE YEAR

The Group Deferred income The Charity Deferred income 15. DEFERRED INCOME RECONCILIATION The Group Opening balance at 1 April Amount released to income Amount deferred in year Closing balance at 31 March The Charity Opening balance at 1 April Amount released to income Amount deferred in year Closing balance at 31 March	2022 £’000 100 2022 £’000 100 2022 £’000 1,624 (2,331) 2,215 1,508 2022 £’000 1,520 (2,165) 2,024 1,379	2021 £’000 83
		2021 £’000 83
		2021 £’000 1,196 (1,012) 1,440
		1,624
		2021 £’000 1,026 (907) 1,401
		1,520

16. RESTRICTED FUNDS

The Group and the Charity

The funds of the group and the charity include restricted funds comprising the following balances of donations and appeal monies given for specific purposes. The opening and closing fund balances for the group and the charity are identical.

As at 31 March 2022

Atlas Beyond Maps Appeal Northern Ireland Fund Dilys Breese Fund Boddy & Sparrow Fund Migration Fund Nightingale Appeal Swallow Appeal Young Scientists’ Fund Garden Research Fund Out of Africa Fund Thrush Fund Curlew Appeal Arctic Skua Fund BTO Wales Fund Sound Approach Fund Tasso Leventis Fund Spotted Flycatcher Appeal Chaffinch Seabird Appeal Rhodes Training Fund Migrant Swallows & Insect Feeding Paper Postcode Lottery Grant Cuckoos & Nightingales EDF What’s Under Your Feet Bats Fund Short Eared Owl Wader Project Officer Dulverton Trust Insect Decline Eddowes PhD Ringers’ Bursary Fund Thorne Ringing Fund Youth Engagement Small Specific Donations	Balance at 1 Apr 2021 £’000 8 1 51 2 34 30 8 26 84 58 1 - 56 26 72 82 49 64 23 33 3 3 22 17 21 48 100 18 20 - - 1 80 53 1,094	Income £’000 2 - - - 39 1 - 5 8 58 - 28 3 1 21 - - 10 117 - - - 1 - 10 5 26 - 16 21 2 - 95 18 487	Expenditure £’000 - - (7) - (39) (1) - (9) (13) (56) - (14) (38) (2) (11) (3) (20) (18) (45) - (1) - (1) - (16) (8) (67) (16) (32) (21) (1) - (130) (22) (591)	Transfers £’000 - - - - 13 - - - - - - - - - - (36) - - - - - - - (17) - - - - - - - (1) 14 2 (25)	Balance at 31 Mar 2022 £’000 10 1 44 2 47 30 8 22 79 60 1 14 21 25 82 43 29 56 95 33 2 3 22 - 15 45 59 2 4 - 1 - 59 51
					965

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

16. RESTRICTED FUNDS (Continued)

The purposes of the funds are as follows:

16. RESTRICTED FUNDS (Continued)

As at 31 March 2021

The Atlas Beyond the Maps Appeal continues to support research into Atlas data.

The Northern Ireland Fund has been set up to support the BTO in Northern Ireland. The Dilys Breese Fund is for projects relating to nesting birds.

• The Boddy & Sparrow Fund is for awards to the best amateur contribution(s) to either or both of the Bird Study and Ringing & Migration publications.

The Migration Fund is for research into migrating birds. £13k was transferred into this fund from general funds for work on Scottish Songbirds.

The Nightingale Appeal is to fund work on Nightingales and woodland birds.

The Swallow Appeal is to fund work on Swallows and migration.

The Young Scientists’ Fund is to support the career development of young scientists.

The Garden Research Fund is to support young scientists work on garden birds. The Out of Africa Fund is to fund work on African migrants. The Thrush Fund is to fund work on Thrushes.

The Farmland Birds Appeal is to support work on farmland ecology.

The Curlew Appeal is to fund projects on Curlews.

The Arctic Skua Fund is to support Arctic Skua work.

The BTO Wales Fund is to support the BTO in Wales.

The Sound Approach Fund is to support a number of specific projects.

• The Tasso Leventis Fund is to support a number of specific projects. A transfer of £36k was made to general funds with the agreement of the funder to contribute to core work of the BTO.

The Spotted Flycatcher Appeal is to support work on Spotted Flycatcher. The Chaffinch Appeal is to fund work on Chaffinches.

The Seabird Appeal has been raising funds for work on seabirds.

The Rhodes Training Fund is to support survey training courses.

The Migrant Swallows & Insect Feeding Paper donation is to fund a paper on Swallows. The Postcode Lottery Grant is for the Nunnery Lakes Reserve.

The Cuckoos & Nightingales Fund is for research on Cuckoos and Nightingales.

The EDF What’s Under Your Feet Fund is to support the What’s Under Your Feet survey. The balance of £17k on the fund was transferred to general funds with the agreement of the funder as this work has been completed.

The Bats Fund was set up from specific donations to support work on Bats and the development of the BTO acoustic work. The Short Eared Owl Fund is for work on Short Eared Owls in Scotland.

The Wader Project Officer Appeal Fund is for work on waders.

The Dulverton Trust Fund is to support a number of specific projects.

The Insect Decline Fund is to support work on the decline in insects.

The Eddowes PhD fund was established to support a specific PhD project. The Ringers’ Bursary Fund is to support ringing.

The Thorne Ringing Fund is to support ringing. The balance of £1k was transferred to Small Donations.

The Youth Engagement Fund has been set up to support our work with young people. £14k was transferred from General funds to support this work.

Small Specific Donations are small individual donations for specific purposes. Transfers of £1k from General funds in respect of donated ringers’ rebates, and the balance of £1k on the Thorne Ringing Fund, were made to contribute to specific ringing projects.

Atlas Beyond the Maps Appeal Northern Ireland Fund Dilys Breese Fund Boddy & Sparrow Fund Migration Fund Nightingale Appeal Swallow Appeal Young Scientists’ Fund Garden Research Fund Out of Africa Fund Thrush Fund Farmland Birds Appeal Curlew Appeal Arctic Skua Fund BTO Wales Fund Sound Approach Fund Tasso Leventis Fund Spotted Flycatcher Appeal Chaffinch Seabird Appeal Rhodes Training Fund Migrant Swallows & Insect Feeding Paper Postcode Lottery Grant Cuckoos & Nightingales Appeal EDF What’s Under Your Feet Bats Fund Short Eared Owl Fund Wader Project Officer Fund Dulverton Trust Fund Insect Decline Fund Ringers’ Bursary Fund Thorne Ringing Fund Youth Engagement Fund Small Specific Donations	Balance at 1 Apr 2020 £’000 6 1 66 2 15 30 8 19 77 35 1 19 25 61 29 88 46 37 19 - 33 5 3 21 17 11 34 105 17 29 1 1 - 53 914	Income £’000 2 - - - 36 1 - 19 8 36 - - 3 7 1 - 37 3 54 42 - - - 1 - 8 16 6 25 10 - - 3 318	Expenditure £’000 - - (15) - (17) (1) - (12) (1) (13) - (19) (28) (12) (4) (6) (1) (2) (14) (20) - (2) - - - - (7) (21) (24) (19) (1) - (14) (29) (282)	Transfers £’000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (10) - 11 5 1 - - - - - 2 5 10 - - - - 94 26 144	Balance at 31 Mar 2021 £’000 8 1 51 2 34 30 8 26 84 58 1 - - 56 26 72 82 49 64 23 33 3 3 22 17 21 48 100 18 20 - 1 80 53
					1,094

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

17. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

The Group and the Charity

The funds of the group and the charity include unrestricted funds comprising the following balances. The opening and closing fund balances for the group and the charity are identical.

As at 31 March 2022

General funds: Birds in Trust fund General fund Designated funds: Welch fund Unrestricted funds excluding Pension reserve Pension reserve	Balance at 1 Apr 2021 £’000 2,596 370 2,966 - 2,966 (4,794) (1,828)	Income £’000 766 5,889 6,655 700 7,355 - 7,355	Expend- iture £’000 (263) (5,522) (5,785) (92) (5,877) (104) (5,981)	Other Gains/ (Losses) £’000 8 560 568 - 568 986 1,554	Fund transfers £’000 (439) 464 25 - 25 - 25	Pension reserve transfer £’000 - (135) (135) - (135) 135 -	Balance at 31 Mar 2022 £’000 2,668 1,626
							4,294 608
							4,902 (3,777)
							1,125

The Birds in Trust fund is to provide long-term funding for BTO projects. Income from legacies is credited to this fund unless the wills provide otherwise. £438k was transferred in respect of the JNCC Partnership and £1k was transferred in respect of specific projects from Birds in Trust funds to the General fund. The Welch fund has been designated for migration related research in accordance with the expression of wish of the legator. £25k was transferred from various restricted funds in accordance with the donors’ wishes. £135k was transferred from the General fund to the Pension reserve in respect of the pension deficit repair payment. Other pension reserve movements are disclosed in Note 22.

As at 31 March 2021

General funds: Birds in Trust fund General fund Unrestricted funds excluding Pension reserve Pension reserve	Balance at 1 Apr 2020 £’000 2,632 371 3,003 (4,287) (1,284)	Income £’000 859 5,010 5,869 - 5,869	Expend- iture £’000 (352) (5,373) (5,725) (120) (5,845)	Other Gains/ (Losses) £’000 43 52 95 (519) (424)	Fund transfers £’000 (586) 442 (144) - (144)	Pension reserve transfer £’000 - (132) (132) 132 -	Balance at 31 Mar 2021 £’000 2,596 370
							2,966 (4,794)
							(1,828)

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

18. ANALYSIS OF GROUP FUNDS ACROSS NET ASSETS

As at 31 March 2022

Unrestricted Funds General funds: Birds in Trust fund General fund Designated funds: Welch fund Unrestricted funds excluding Pension reserve Pension reserve Restricted Funds Total t 31 March 2021 Unrestricted Funds General funds: Birds in Trust fund General funds Unrestricted funds excluding Pension reserve Pension reserve Restricted Funds Total	Fixed Assets £’000 - 2,445 2,445 - 2,445 - 2,445 - 2,445 Fixed Assets £’000 - 1,898 1,898 - 1,898 - 1,898	Investments £’000 207 256 463 - 463 - 463 - 463 Investments £’000 199 246 445 - 445 - 445	Current Assets less Total Liabilities £’000 2,461 2,702 5,163 608 5,771 (3,777) 1,994 965 2,959 Current Assets less Total Liabilities £’000 2,397 3,020 5,417 (4,794) 623 1,094 1,717	Defined Benefit Pension Liability £’000 - (3,777) (3,777) - (3,777) - (3,777) - (3,777) Defined Benefit Pension Liability £’000 - (4,794) (4,794) - (4,794) - (4,794)	Total Net Assets £’000 2,668 1,626
					4,294 608
					4,902 (3,777)
					1,125 965
					2,090
					Total Net Assets £’000 2,596 370
					2,966 (4,794)
					(1,828) 1,094
					(734)

As at 31 March 2021

19. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS

19. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS
	2022	2021
	£’000	£’000
At the year end the group had outstanding lease commitments for future minimum
lease payments under non-cancellable leases, as follows :
Due within one year	46	46
Due within two to five years	28	73
	74	119

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

20. RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) TO NET CASHFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

22. PENSIONS

The Group and the Charity

Net income per Statement of Financial Activities Adjustments for: Items representing cash movements (Increase)/decrease in stocks (Increase)/decrease in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors Investment income Items not representing cash movements Depreciation (Gains)/losses on investments Expenditure on defined benefit pension plan liability Cash movements not appearing in the Statement of Financial Activities Pension deficit repair contribution Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities	Group 2022 £’000 1,288 (14) 212 41 (1) 29 (18) 104 1,641 (135) 1,506	Group 2021 £’000 155 54 (275) 539 (3) 28 (95) 120 523 (132) 391	Charity 2022 £’000 1,288 - 192 47 (1) 29 (18) 104 1,641 (135) 1,506	Charity 2021 £’000 155 - (344) 641 (3) 27 (95) 120
				501 (132)
				369

21. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The carrying amounts of the group’s and the charity’s financial instruments are as follows:

Financial assets Measured at fair value through net income/expenditure: Fixed asset listed investments (Note 10) Equity instruments measured at cost less impairments: Fixed asset unlisted investments (Note 10) Debt investments measured at amortised cost: Trade and contract debtors (Note 12) Amounts due from Group undertakings (Note 12) Accrued income (Note 12) Financial liabilities Measured at amortised cost: Trade creditors (Note 13) Other creditors (Note 13) Accruals (Note 13)	Group 2022 £’000 463 775 - 468 1,243 572 63 103 738	Group 2021 £’000 445 1,006 - 441 1,447 249 65 161 475	Charity 2022 £’000 463 - 673 446 379 1,498 533 60 93 686	Charity 2021 £’000 445
				-
				814 488 387
				1,689
				201 56 150
				407

Defined contribution pension plan

The Trust operates a Group Self-invested Personal Pension Scheme run by Aegon. Staff contribute to this defined contribution scheme at a minimum rate of 5% of salary, and the BTO contributes at a flat rate of 11%. The Trust made contributions of £389k during the year (2021: £387k).

Defined benefit pension scheme

The Trust’s defined benefit pension scheme, a ‘final salary’ scheme, is closed. The last triennial actuarial valuation of the scheme was carried out as at 1 April 2021. At that date the assets were valued at £11,722k and the liabilities at £18,104k, giving a net deficit of £6,382k and a funding level of 65%. A deficit recovery plan was subsequently agreed between the Board and the pension fund trustees, by which the shortfall would be made good by annual lump sum deficit repair payments spread over the years to 2044.

For the purposes of the group financial statements a separate valuation is carried out at the balance sheet date by a qualified independent actuary in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS 102). The amounts recognised in the statements of financial activities for the year and the balance sheets were as follows:

Recognised in the statements of financial activities: Expenditure: Interest income Interest cost on liabilities Net interest on net defined benefit liability Past service cost in respect of Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) equalisation Other recognised gains/(losses): Actual return on scheme assets (excluding interest income) Actuarial gain/(loss) on liabilities Recognised in the balance sheets: Fair value of scheme assets Present value of defined benefit obligations Defined benefit pension scheme liability at 31 March Reconciliation of funded status: (Deficit) at 1 April Employer pension deficit repair payment Net interest on net defined benefit liability Past service cost in respect of GMP equalisation Remeasurement (loss) (Deficit) at 31 March	2022 £’000 255 (359) (104) - (104) 372 614 986 2022 £’000 12,108 (15,885) (3,777) 2022 £’000 (4,794) 135 (104) - 986 (3,777)	2021 £’000 262 (372)
		(110) (10)
		(120)
		1,436 (1,955)
		(519)
		2021 £’000 11,689 (16,483) (4,794)
		2021 £’000 (4,287) 132 (110) (10) (519) (4,794)

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The British Trust for Ornithology Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Continued For the Year Ended 31 March 2022

22. PENSIONS (Continued)

Changes in the fair value of the pension scheme assets were as follows:

Changes in the defined benefit obligations were as follows: Present value of defined benefit obligations at 1 April Interest cost on liabilities Benefits paid Past service cost Actuarial gain/(loss) Present value of defined benefit obligations at 31 March Fair value of scheme assets at 1 April Interest income Actual return on scheme assets (excluding interest income) Employer pension deficit repair payment Benefits paid to members Fair value of scheme assets at 31 March	2022 £’000 (16,483) (359) 343 - 614 (15,885) 2022 £’000 11,689 255 372 135 (343) 12,108	2021 £’000 10,174 262 1,436 132 (315) 11,689
		2021 £’000 (14,461) (372) 315 (10) (1,955)
		(16,483)

The amount of each major class of pension scheme assets within the total fair value of the scheme assets was as follows:

Equities Bonds Annuities Cash The total return on scheme assets was as follows: Interest income Actual return on scheme assets (excluding interest income) Total return on scheme assets The principal actuarial assumptions used were as follows: Discount rate Inflation assumption (RPI) Inflation assumption (CPI) Rate of increase for non-GMP pensions in deferment Rate of increase for pensions in payment (RPI, min 3% max 5%) Expected future lifetime from age 65: Male – currently aged 65 Female – currently aged 65 Male – currently aged 45 Female – currently aged 45	2022 £’000 6,298 4,889 201 720 12,108 2022 £’000 255 372 627 2022 2.95% 3.95% 3.35% 3.35% 3.95% 2022 No of years 22.1 24.1 23.7 25.3	2021 £’000 6,219 4,628 206 636
		11,689
		2021 £’000 262 1,436 1,698 2021 2.20% 3.35% 2.70% 2.70% 3.70% 2021 No of years 21.8 23.4 23.4 24.7

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Inspired by birds, informed by science

British Trust for Ornithology The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU Tel: [phone] Web: www.bto.org Email: [e-mail] Twitter: @_BTO Registered Charity Number 216652 (England & Wales), SC039193 (Scotland)

COVER IMAGE: GREAT TIT : DAVID TIPLING / BIRDPHOTO.CO.UK