24th/25th January Great British Bird Watch

lindalegs

I'm reminding everyone (as I do every year) that if you can spare an hour of your time this weekend why don't you join the Big Garden Bird Watch?

All you have to do is sit for an hour where you can see your garden, or go to the local park and just count the maximum number of bird species that land there over the course of an hour (in trees counts as well as on bird tables and, of course, on the ground). For example, if three sparrows land at the same time in the hour the answer is three. If one sparrow lands, flies away, then two sparrows then the maximum number would be two …..see what I mean?

If you go onto the RSPB website, link below, you can download a form that helps you to identify and carry out the survey. Then you just submit your results on line.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/how-to-take-part/

It's great to do with children and grandchildren or just on your own.

Hope you get a chance to join in.

dreamdaisy

Thank you for your reminder, Legs, I will sign up. DD

theresak

Thanks for that - seems a nice way to spend an hour, watching the garden.

barbara12

Linda I was thinking about you when they mentioned this for the weekend..we have put up more bird feeders this year so here hoping for a few more..xx

stickywicket

I shall give it a go, Legs.

lindalegs

Thanks everyone the more the merrier!

Love,

frogmella

I'll be doing it to, Legs! Mr F always tells me it isn't a competition but I am always disappointed when the usual 20 goldfinches all disappear!

We miss you on the book club, btw, legs!

mig

Have signed up . Mig

applerose

I'm doing it. Not sure exactly when. I'll have to let the dog out in the garden for a while, then put the bird food out and keep the dog in as the birds and the dog argue about whose garden it is.

lindalegs

Hello fellow bird watchers,

Mr Legs has just loaded the bird table ready so I'll report back later!

Hope the dog helps Applerose.

frogmella wrote:

I'll be doing it to, Legs! Mr F always tells me it isn't a competition but I am always disappointed when the usual 20 goldfinches all disappear!

We miss you on the book club, btw, legs!

I know what you mean Frogmella we have a good variety of bird visitors until we do that one hour of National Bird Watch then all we get are wood pigeons and blackbirds! (I blame John up-the-road for the bird-banquet he puts out compared to my paltry peanuts and niger seeds! )

(PS I'll have a look at the Book Club thread as I used to get some decent suggestions for a good read from there.)

Love,

applerose

Doing mine tomorrow. Hope I get a few birds. Didn't have a single one last time. Will be locking the dog in the house. Unless I can quickly teach him to round up the birds instead of chasing them.

dreamdaisy

Well, I spent my hour gazing out of the windows and not a great deal happened compared to usual events - I wonder if someone in my locality put out a veritable feast to tempt more visitors? I had my usual seeds, a winter bird mix and suet balls and recorded one blackbird, two robins and a fat wood pigeon who picked up their crumbs. DD

mig

It was the same in my garden i blame the kids up the road. Mig

lindalegs

Same for me ....a million wood pigeons .....or was it 9? 2 blackbirds, 2 magpies and 1 robin!!

Today, all the tits are back and even the wren ....traitors!

Love,

applerose

At first when I put the food out, there was nothing. I thought someone else had put out better food than I had but after about quarter of an hour, most of my birds landed. 2 blackbirds, 4 sparrows, 2 blue tits, 13 starlings, a crow and a wren. All that was missing was a wood pigeon and a robin. Much better than last year when not a single bird landed or even flew past.

lindalegs

Sparrows and starlings you lucky thing Christine and the wren is my favourite little bird plus I can definitely say that all the wood pigeons were at my house! :roll:

Love,

pot80

If you enjoy recording birds in your garden why only do it on one day in the year? I record mine mine weekly and send the counts into the BTO - (The British Trust for ornithology). All done on line so no bother with paper and going to the post. Their magazines are very informative as are their identification videos. Give it a go !

lindalegs

Thank you for this Pot80, it's worth knowing.

Love,