Big Garden Birdwatch

[alan refail]

Coming round again next weekend - 29-30 January

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

It will be interesting to see how results compare with last year's after such an early cold spell.

[Elle's Garden]

It will be interesting Alan, we shall be taking part and our primary school is also going to do their bit for our area!

[PLUMPUDDING]

We take part every year, but usually the Sparrow hawk decides to visit in the middle of the allotted hour, so everything hides for ten minutes or so. It isn't really cheating but we add on sparrow hawk time at the end.

Also I've noticed that an hour isn't quite representative of what visits the garden, as some birds come early and others like colared doves, greenfinch, long tailed tits and the wren are a lot later.

[alan refail]

Also I've noticed that an hour isn't quite representative of what visits the garden, as some birds come early and others like colared doves, greenfinch, long tailed tits and the wren are a lot later.

Hi PP

That's why I tend to do two half hours.

[Primrose]

Birdwatch is a sure sign in this neck of the wood that every single bird will clear off for the duration of the week-end ! We've learned to try and time our sessions for early mornings or late afternoon when the birds seem to have a more regular visiting pattern.

I suspect our numbers will be down this year though after the snow and icy weather. We've already noticed fewer chaffinches. The feisty robins though seem to have survived well. We're seeing more than ever.

[DiG]

As we get quite a number at our feeding station and they move so fast, the biggest problem we have is actually counting them. We usually set up the digital camera on a tripod and take pictures during the hour. We can then download them on to the computer, zoom in on the photos and count them much more easily. It also helps with identification if you have a confusion of different small brown birds.

Diane.

[Monika]

We did our count yesterday and a most of the regulars turned up, as expected. I filled up the feeders and just as I was doing it, a treecreeper flew up to the tree, right next to me, and worked up the trunk, almost near enough to touch it, so that was quite thrilling!

[PLUMPUDDING]

My treecreeper likes cheddar cheese pressed into the pear tree bark. It isn't too keen on Red Leicester though!

We got 19 species on Saturday and 16 on Sunday. Saturday's tally included 11 long tailed tits which was lovely, but the Brambling only turned up today so didn't get on the list.

[Monika]

Plumpudding, our bramblings were the most numerous birds yesterday with long-tailed tits second. Unfortunately, neither reed bunting, nuthatch or goldcrest which do visit sporadically, turned up, but I suppose that's the luck of the draw.

[glallotments]

Our birds lie low during Bird Watch weekend too although this year we didn't do too badly although each species numbers seemed down on what we normally can see. I bue tot when usually there are several at a time. I think something tips them off!

The biggest problem is counting sparrows as they flit around all the time. Once you get more than about 10 it's impossible. The other problem is identifying the birds sitting in the trees that are silhouetted!