Big Garden Birdwatch reminder

[gen2]

Just a reminder that the annual great garden birdwatch survey takes place this weekend (Saturday or Sunday). It just takes an hour of your time to record the maximum number at any one time of each species of bird visiting your garden. Relax after your Sunday lunch sitting by the window observing nature (just don't fall asleep). On the RSPB website, you can download a form to fill in, and later enter your results online - all very quick and easy.

Help to find out if global warming is affecting bird numbers this winter. Mine are certaily down on the last couple of years. Use the link below to visit the RSPB site:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

[garner]

Thanks for that info, shall do this weekend.This morning was poor, but have since put more food stuff out, so hoping it will be better tomorrow.

[Cetti]

Thanks for the reminder gen2, but don't you dare post a list of all the ones you see.

Some things can be very hurtful for the less fortunate amongst us ;-)

[gen2]

OK Cetti, I won't mention the Norwegian Blue then.

[lankeela]

Wondered why we had such a good day on the market today (sellling wild bird food!)

[Jules001]

we did ours this mornind and we saw 3 green parakeets amongst other treasures!

[Robinia]

read this & weep Cetti.....

bedraggled pigeons.... 3
lost drunk in chicken suit.....1
erm, that's it really. :o(

I think they're all having a lie in around here today....I just know that the moment I look away to eat my kit-kat they'll all zoom in, clear the food & vanish!

[smudge]

Hi gen & twitchers - I filled up all our bird feeders on Friday afternoon in preparation, but so far have only seen the usual flock of Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Collared Doves & Wood Pigeons

My husband said he was watching a couple of Song Thrushes turning over some leaves looking for snails early this morning! So much for Wilkinson's wild bird seed & peanuts!

[Cetti]

I didn't even bother Robinia.

Buying a huge bag of no-mess- all-husks-removed-double-yummy- scrumptious bird seed from the RSPB was doomed to failure , and I was right.

One dishevilled blackie appeared for a nibble on an apple, that's all. I'm sure the birds are hiding somwehere killing themselves laughing

[WendyS]

Thanks for reminding everbody as I think these records are really important. We have done this for several years now. Last year our count was disappointingly low. I did my hour yesterday and this year's results were even worse - just one robin, one dunnock and one blackbird. Not being able to believe that such a low count was representative my husband did a repeat session today around breakfast time when the birds are usually very active and the results were equally dismal. If these results are reflected elsewhere in the country I think we should start to be really worried about our wildlife.

[scubadiver]

I did my hour first thing yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by how many birds there were compared to last year. I think I counted a total of 49 "qualifying" birds, including 11 goldfinch, 10 starlings, 6 blue tits and two robins. However, greenfinch were noticable by their absence!

[Cetti]

You're right Wendy, the whole of this winter has been abysmal.

All I hope is that thanks to the abundant food in the wild they are able to find all they need without coming into our gardens .... or perhaps they've given towns the thumbs down and gone back to the countryside.

[Robinia]

The really annoying thing was that most days I've been topping up the feeders for a lovely assortment of visitors - but today, nothing. (Apart from the 5 blackbirds that queue up for raisins from dawn til dusk & a few feral pigeons)

It would be better if the survey could be done sometime during the whole week.....Little horrors! - they're going to have to show up to feed soon & they'll have to do tricks before they get any...! :o)

[Cetti]

I'm hoping for great things in our new house...or else :-)

[gen2]

Hi Cetti & Robinia,
Sorry to hear you had such disappointing numbers of visitors. Mine weren't quite as bad but I still recorded fewer than in the last three years.

It is just as important to send in these low or nil results as they help to show realistically what is happening. If only high numbers were sent in then the RSPB would get a biassed picture of the current poor state of affairs.

[smudge]

Ah, I forgot our 'resident' Robin. He seems to follow my husband everywhere, even popping into the garage when he's working in there - assuming it is the same one of course!