Big Garden Birdwatch - How did it go?

Wow, this has been the most popular poll so far in terms of numbers of votes so a big thank you for all your votes and comments.

Great to see that 25% of the votes were from newbies to the Big Garden Birdwatch, thanks for taking part and we hope you enjoyed it. It seems that the majority of people either had more or the same bird activity when compared to last year. It may be possible to attribute this to the harsh winter we had which forced birds to head to gardens to seek shelter and food.

Keep an eye out for the results later in the spring and if you have not had a chance to submit your results just yet there is still time, closing date is the 18 Feb, you can use the link here.

I totally agree with Jenny Wren; an hour may be a snapshot and one day a year is insufficient for a true census, but if the the observation time can be spread over the daylight hours but totalling 60mins or thereabouts, then a more representative sample of species visiting the garden would be measured.  I don't believe it could be construed as a, "look what species I,ve seen" competition.  No matter, each to his/her own.

Jenny Wren said:

I certainly don't consider it a competition like that OldThingy....I'm just frustrated that I can't let the RSPB know that a mini flock of Long tailed tits are alive and well and living in my wee town in North Wales...........for that's the reason behind the count ;-)

Hi.

I have submitted my birdwatch count but wish to ad ones I would have exoected as regular visitors but did not see. Blackbird, collared dove, goldfinch, great tit wood pigeon and wren.

When i moved the camera from the bird feeder into the nestbox about 10 days ago I had to clean the inside of the camera tray. A blue tit had been squeesing vertically into the camera space. The box is Gardennature one. Whilst there is only one blue tit using it at night, during the birdwatch I saw a pair enter it for a short time.

I had more activity this year than last

Here in our Norfolk garden no birds appeared at all over the weekend of the count.  My near neighbour said the same thing. Where did they all go?  Usually tits/starlings/robin/collared doves/coal tits/chaffinches/pied wagtail/blackbirds.  So my result was NIL.

Jassy

Much less than last year

My count was alot less this year due to the wind gusts.

First time doing the BGB and was rewarded with a blackcap, first one I have ever seen! But even though this was my first year I watch the birds regularly in the garden and have noticed that have only had one or two finches this year. Numbers do seem low this year

Jo

This was my first time doing the birdwatch, and having sat for an hour with not one bird appearing in my garden, was slightly disappointed, but as I also live in Norfolk it seems I wasnt the only one not to see any, perhaps it was because of the snow!   Sandra