Historic Bird Records for Northamptonshire from Natural History Society Archives

Historic bird records extracted from the archives of the Northamptonshire Natural History Society under the National Biodiversity Network Data Capture Initiative 2014-15. The collection includes site-specific sightings, county-wide reports, and records from annual reports spanning 1961-1968. Records are provided by the Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre and include both accepted and 'not accepted' observations.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term changes in bird species frequency and abundance based on historic record cards and annual reports.
• Comparing past and present bird populations at specific sites like Harlestone Heath or Salcey Forest based on regular survey reports.
• Mapping historic bird distributions using applied grid references, though with noted spatial approximations for some records.

Strengths

• Includes records from multiple archival sources: miscellaneous cards, annual reports (1961-1968), and regular site surveys.
• Contains both accepted and 'not accepted' records, providing a complete view of historical observations.
• Records cover the Northamptonshire vice-county, with some data points extending beyond modern boundaries.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Spatial precision is variable as few early records included grid references, and some large or changing sites have approximate locations.

Provenance

Source

Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre, from archives of the Northamptonshire Natural History Society.

Collection Method

Extracted under the National Biodiversity Network Data Capture Initiative 2014-15 from record cards, annual reports, and site survey reports.

Time Range

Includes records from at least 1961-1968, with likely earlier and later dates.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-08 13:32:55.495084; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Northamptonshire vice-county, United Kingdom, with some records beyond the modern county boundary.