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This is the 85th annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, incorporating the report of the Nest Record Scheme and covering work carried out and data processed in 2021. In 2021, 105 Constant Effort Sites submitted data for the year. Long-term (1984–2020) declines in abundance were observed for five migrant, one partial migrant and five resident species, while long-term increases in abundance were recorded for two short-distance migrants and seven resident species. Ten species are exhibiting significant long-term declines in productivity, while only Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs shows a significant long-term increase. Long-term trends in survival indicate increases for 12 species and declines for seven. Short-term trends, which compare the current year to the five-year mean for 2016–20, show that the abundance of seven species increased significantly in 2021, with one species, Treecreeper Certhia familiaris, being recorded in higher numbers than in any previous year of CES monitoring. Significant decreases in abundance were recorded for four species. Productivity decreased significantly for seven migrant and 11 resident species in 2021, with six species recording their lowest breeding success since CES monitoring began; no species recorded a significant short-term increase. Significant changes in survival rate were observed for two species in 2021 compared to the five-year mean, with Song Thrush Turdus philomelos increasing and Chaffinch both declining and recording its lowest survival rate ever. The Garden CES trial continued in 2021, with 60 sites submitting data. The new winter ringing project also continued in 2021, with submissions received from 126 sites. The number of Retrapping Adults for Survival projects that were able to run and submit data in 2021 was 192, with data from one more project submitted too late to be included in this report and another four active projects unable to operate. In total, 60 species were monitored, with Starling Sturnus vulgaris (21 projects), House Sparrow Passer domesticus (20 projects), Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (19 projects), Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus (nine projects) and Sand Martin Riparia riparia (nine projects) the species most studied. A total of 900 131 birds were ringed during the year, comprising 146 458 nestlings, 438 342 first-year birds, 291 127 adults (birds in their second calendar year or older) and 24 204 birds whose age could not be determined. In addition, there were 210 147 recaptures of ringed birds at or near the ringing site. In total, 42 328 recoveries (birds found dead, recaptured or resighted at least 5 km from the place of ringing) of BTO-ringed birds were reported in 2021. The Appendix highlights a selection of recoveries that have extended our knowledge of movements, as well as longevity records established during the year. A total of 41 096 NRS submissions were received in 2021. Mean laying dates for 2021 were significantly later than the average for 13 species and only one species significantly advanced its laying date. Five species displayed a significant change in fledglings per breeding attempt, with two recording increased productivity and three reduced productivity. Permits or licences to disturb breeding birds on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) were prepared and issued to 602 ringers and nest recorders in 2021. During 2021, 2588 marking endorsements, 868 sampling endorsements and 214 trapping endorsements were issued in the UK and overseas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the 84th annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, incorporating the report of the Nest Record Scheme and covering work carried out and data processed in 2020. An analysis of Curlew Numenius arquata ringing records was carried out to investigate recent declines. Results showed that survival rates are high, so current population declines are more likely to have been driven by low productivity. To reverse the recent population declines, breeding success would need to increase and effective conservation strategies will be needed to maintain the high levels of survival. We examined the potential opportunities and challenges of using winter ringing records to produce survival estimates, as well as other outputs such as age ratios and recruitment, by analysing 2 641 352 encounter records from the winters of 2007/08 to 2017/18: winter-to-winter survival analyses on adult birds were undertaken, initially on 44 species. Results indicated that fortnightly ringing sessions should yield sufficient data to produce useful survival estimates. This research identified a number of potential analytical and methodological options for future development. Covid-19 restrictions limited the amount of fieldwork carried out in 2020; consequently, only 72 CE sites submitted data for the year. Long-term (1984–2019) declines in abundance were observed for five migrant, one partial migrant and four resident species while long-term increases in abundance were recorded for two short-distance migrants and six resident species. Six species are exhibiting significant long-term declines in productivity while only Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs shows a significant long-term increase. Long-term trends in survival indicate increases for 10 species and declines for nine. Short-term trends, which compare the current year to the five-year mean (2015–19), show that the abundance of 10 species increased significantly in 2020, with three species being recorded in higher numbers than in any previous year since CES monitoring began. Significant decreases in abundance were recorded for only two species. Productivity decreased significantly for one migrant and five resident species in 2020; no species recorded a significant increase. Productivity was lower in 2020 than in any previous CES year for Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Great Tit Parus major. Significant changes in survival rate were observed in two species in 2020 compared to the five-year mean, with Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula increasing and Blackbird Turdus merula decreasing. A new habitat was added to the suite of standard CES habitats in 2020 in the first year of a Garden CES trial. Submissions were received from 92 sites. A new winter ringing project was also launched in 2020, following a similar methodology to CES. Submissions were received from 111 sites. The number of Retrapping Adults for Survival projects that were able to run and submit data in 2020 was 146, from 200 that were registered. In total, 60 species were monitored, with Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (20 projects), Starling Sturnus vulgaris (19), House Sparrow Passer domesticus (18), Sand Martin Riparia riparia (10) and Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus (eight) the species most studied. A total of 930 091 birds were ringed during the year, comprising 98 500 nestlings, 523 777 first-year birds, 278 157 adults (birds in their second calendar year or older) and 29 657 birds whose age could not be determined. In addition, there were 212 414 recaptures of ringed birds at or near the ringing site. In total, 42 987 recoveries (birds found dead, recaptured or resighted at least 5 km from the place of ringing) of BTO-ringed birds were reported in 2020. The Appendix highlights a selection of recoveries that have extended our knowledge of movements, as well as longevity records established during the year. A total of 23 928 NRS submissions were received in 2020, far fewer than usual due to Covid-19 restrictions being in place during the height of the nesting season. As the seasonality of nest records was biased towards the end of the breeding season, after Covid-19 restrictions had lifted, it was not possible to generate meaningful NRS trends for 2020. Permits or licences to disturb breeding birds on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) were prepared and issued to 611 ringers and nest recorders in 2020. During 2020, the use of special methods was authorised for 1182 marking projects and 146 trapping projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the 83rd annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, incorporating the report of the Nest Record Scheme and covering work carried out and data processed in 2019. In 2019, 130 CE sites submitted data. Long-term (1984–2018) declines in abundance were observed for five migrant, one partial migrant and four resident species while long-term increases in abundance continue to be recorded for two short-distance migrants and four resident species. Seven species are exhibiting significant long-term declines in productivity while only Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs is exhibiting a significant long-term increase. Long-term trends in survival indicate increases for 14 species and declines for six. Compared to the five-year mean (2014–18), the abundance of eight species decreased significantly in 2019, with five species being recorded in lower numbers than in any previous year since CES monitoring began. Significant increases in abundance were recorded for six species. Productivity increased significantly for two migrant and six resident species in 2019 and decreased for only one species; Productivity rates were higher in 2019 than in any previous year for Chaffinch. Significant declines in survival rate were observed in one species in 2019 compared to the five-year mean; no species exhibited a significant increase. The number of Retrapping Adults for Survival submissions increased slightly in 2019 to 195. In total, 59 species were monitored, with Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (22 projects), Starling Sturnus vulgaris (17), House Sparrow Passer domesticus (16), Sand Martin Riparia riparia (11) and Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus (10) the species most studied. A total of 1 050 520 birds were ringed during the year, comprising 181 766 nestlings, 518 575 first-year birds, 318 390 adults (birds in their second calendar year or older) and 31 789 birds whose age could not be determined. In addition, there were 243 775 recaptures of ringed birds at or near the ringing site. In total, 45 610 recoveries (birds found dead, recaptured or resighted at least 5 km from the place of ringing) of BTO-ringed birds were reported in 2019. The Appendix highlights a selection of recoveries that have extended our knowledge of movements, as well as longevity records established during the year. A total of 41 367 NRS submissions were received in 2019, higher than the previous season but otherwise the lowest annual total since 2013. Mean laying dates for 2019 were significantly earlier than the five-year mean (2014–18) for 12 of 52 species analysed and five species displayed a significant increase in breeding success (fledglings per breeding attempt). Permits or licences to disturb breeding birds on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), were prepared and issued to 547 ringers and nest recorders in 2019. During 2019, the use of special methods was authorised for 613 marking projects and 158 trapping projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article problematizes the persistence of sexual inequality in Britain, by examining the intellectual work performed by judges as they sought to preserve men's paternal rights from new challenges in the nineteenth century. One set of challenges included changing understandings of childhood and male domestic authority, another derived from the peculiarities of British state formation. The article argues that the gender order was repeatedly unsettled by two processes of state formation: first, the efforts of reformers to rationalize the multiplicity of jurisdictions that characterized the ancien régime ; second, the process of bringing within one polity the separate bodies of law found in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Judicial efforts to reconfigure paternal rights in the face of these challenges produced a more severely patriarchal model of paternal rights than had existed before, but this proved short-lived. At the end of the nineteenth century, conflicts within the legal elite unravelled this patriarchal settlement in favour of a new model, which endured until the 1970s. This body of law was still profoundly inegalitarian, but used a more expansive definition of child welfare to place new limits on paternal power. Exploring this story reveals the extent to which the fragmentation of the juridical state created a double standard between rich and poor, with the rights of rich fathers enjoying much greater legal protection than those of the poor. The article argues that we should not see the law as a stable patriarchal monolith but as a gendered system that was continuously being reconstructed at the point of use by actors with considerable freedom of manoeuvre. Any history of the law must therefore also be a history of judicial mentalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the 74th annual report of the British Trust for Ornithology's Ringing Scheme, covering data received and work carried out in 2010. Analytical work in the year concentrated on considering how we can improve demographic monitoring, an increasing focus for the Scheme. A broad review of the availability of demographic and count data for terrestrial-breeding species was carried out. This work will be further extended in 2011. To inform conservation we need to build population models for species with a range of ecologies and occupying different habitats. Reports of ringed birds make a large contribution to our understanding of two key demographic parameters – survival and dispersal. An analysis of Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita recovery data from across Europe suggested they are tending to migrate south later and north earlier over time. There is also a suggestion that the migratory journey is shortening. Analysis of biometrics of birds wintering in Britain showed that they are largely from the breeding populations of the nominate race in Britain and the near Continent. Constant Effort Sites (CES) data showed that, for seven of the 24 species monitored, there was a significant decrease in adult abundance compared to the mean of the previous five years. As six of these species were residents, this may have been a result of the second severe winter in succession, although there was a short-term increase for Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus, which is usually affected by cold winters. The adult abundance of several long-distance migrants also increased. A long-term decline (1984–2000) is, however, still evident for five migrants and three residents, although for Willow Tit Poecile montana and Linnet Carduelis cannabina the sample sizes are low. The abundance of the short-distance migrants, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Chiffchaff, has increased, possibly as a result of climate change. Productivity was higher than the mean of the previous five years for 12 species with the long-term trend increasing for eight species – four migrants and four residents. The only significant decreases were for Blackbird Turdus merula and Long-tailed Tit, possibly as these species breed early and were affected by the severe winter. Dry summer weather is also likely to have contributed to the low productivity of Blackbirds and increasingly dry summers may be implicated in the long-term declines in productivity for both Blackbird and Song Thrush Turdus philomelos. Long-term trends in survival rates were produced using CES data for the first time in 2010. These suggested that the cold winter weather in 2009–10 reduced the survival rate of resident ground-feeding insectivores such as Dunnock Prunella modularis, Blackbird, Wren Troglodytes troglodytes and Robin Erithacus rubecula. Survival rates of migrants were relatively high, particularly for Garden Warbler Sylvia borin and Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, possibly as a result of good conditions on the wintering grounds or passage sites. Data for 129 Retrapping Adults for Survival (RAS) studies covering 39 species were submitted. For the first time we were able to calculate good or moderate annual estimates of survival for 18 species. A list of priority species for RAS was developed and promoted to volunteers. The total number of birds ringed (1,096,533) was the highest ever recorded, as well as being the first time the annual total has surpassed 1 million. It was 28% higher than the mean of the previous five years and 17% higher than in 2009. However, the total number of pulli ringed in 2009 (193,554) was only 12% higher than the preceding five-year mean, while that of fully grown birds (902,979) was 32% higher. The recovery total (17,315) was also the highest ever. This is partly due to changes in the way that records of colour-ringed and other specially marked birds are stored, but also reflects the increasing number of birds being ringed by a growing number of ringers. The number of recoveries of foreign-ringed birds (2,427) was higher than the mean of the preceding five years; this figure was influenced by varying response times of different ringing schemes, but was also partly as a result of multiple sightings. Recovery details for 221 individual birds are given in the final section of the report. They include movements that confirm suspected or known migration patterns, unexpected movements and longevity records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy is likely to play a key role in decarbonising the energy system. The versatility of bioenergy as a transport, heat or electricity fuel is one of its key strengths but can add to the complexity of policy design. Polices aimed at stimulating bioenergy use in one end use sector should consider the impacts of use and uptake in the others. This paper details a methodology for an integrated bioenergy and heat policy decision support tool that is being used to inform policy in Ireland. The previous literature has focused on individual supply chain optimisation, plant sizing and plant locations from an operator’s perspective. The BioHEAT model is a techno-economic model that accounts for the co-dependencies between the end use sectors. It extends the approach to supply chain specification in the literature to incorporate a novel representation of consumer decision making in the heat sector and the flexibility to model various policy types in heat, electricity and transport sectors from a policy making perspective. Three scenarios are examined to demonstrate the functionality of the model, including the interaction between separate policies targeting the Heat and Power sectors. The results demonstrate how the model can be used to examine policy impacts against a range of metrics including the contribution to renewable energy and carbon reduction targets; cost to the exchequer and the marginal cost of carbon abated. The model has helped to inform the development of a renewable heat policy instrument in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]