This weekend is the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch. There are events across the country but you can also just sit by the window for an hour and make a note of the highest number of each species that lands in your garden at any one time (or local park). That is what I'll be doing with a cup of tea (or three) and a sketchbook. This is the 30th year, with half a million people taking part and providing an invaluable 'snapshot' of the birds in each region: "We've lost more than half our house sparrows, and three-quarters of our starlings, and your results have certainly helped highlight these dramatic declines.These surveys, therefore, help us spot problems, but more importantly, are also the first step to help aid a species recovery. But we mustn't forget that Big Garden Birdwatch is also fun, easy and only takes an hour."
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
.jpg)
7 comments:
Hey Tracy!! OK is this a photo or is this a painting you've done?
Sounds like an interesting and fun survey to do. Hope you get lots of sketches too.
its a photo judy :)
Great idea to sit and look out of the window... I will take a leaf out of your book tomorrow Tracy! How many did you see BTW? Lesley
How exciting...wish I had the time to join this 'national' group affair today but will be working.
I did notice that there were lots of little tracks on my patio in the snow this AM and threw out some cereal for the little creatures. I think they were birds...I know bird seed is best but am fresh out of the good stuff.
Enjoy your tea and do share your results.
Oh yes do, lesley! I shall be watching tomorrow morning - it seems to be the busiest time at the feeders here and I got caught up with other things today.
Hi Marsha - I should have mentioned that this is for UK birds, although I'm sure there are similar events in the US? Whoever your little visitors were I bet they were pleased to see the cereal!
I think I would go absolutely stir crazy if I had to sit at a window for hours! It's all I can do to hold it together for a church service....and those are only 45 min. or so! Great photo.
Just the one hour deb :)
For some reason it wasn't very busy at the feeders when I sat to watch, frequent snow showers and the presence of a merlin in the fields nearby may have had something to do with that though. The count here between 10.30 - 11.30 was six species (if I can include the merlin who perched momentarily on the compost bin?); blackbirds(3), Robins (2), starlings(4), dunnock (1) and house sparrows (6).
Post a Comment