DESKTOP SURVEY
An initial desktop survey can be extremely useful. Gathering data for Barn Owl records from a variety of regional and local sources can be used alongside a review of the geographical location although the absence of records does not mean the absence of Barn Owls as some areas may not be intensively or recently watched. Desktop surveys must be combined with other techniques to ensure a complete and thorough methodology is carried out. Desktop surveys will be carried out prior to site surveys. I utilise QGIS to provide an accurate geographical representation of the location and potential home ranges provided by available data. This can then be utilised to overlay the stage two and three survey results. It can also be used to identify areas for mitigation and potential biodiversity gain in any proposed development. I am a licensed drone pilot and footage can be extremely useful when preparing data for both desktop and site surveys.
