This weekend, 28, 29 and 30 January, is our Big Garden Birdwatch.
You can still download a participants pack from our website and from the 28 January, you'll be able to upload results over the weekend and right through to Friday 17 January.
The survey is hugely important for us as it's not only the biggest survey of its kind, it's also the only one to report on the birds commonly found in private gardens. The number and spread of the UK's native birds is in constant flux with the seasons and the climate, but the long term change in our climate is also reflected in their populations and behavior changes. By studying your results, we have witnessed a slow but steady drift northwards of many species and the decline of a number of key native species. Monitoring these changes arms us with insights into how we can better manage that change and help nature be more resilient.
We rely on birds to help manage our environment in a number of ways, whether it's pest control, seed dispersal, cleaning habitats or even pollination. The eco-services provided by nature contributes a huge sum to our national economy and without it the cost of our food, land management and many other goods would soar. So please spare us an hour of your time this Saturday, Sunday or Monday. all you need to do is sit by a window and note down the largest number of each species you see on the ground or in your bushes and trees at any one time during the course of your sixty minute vigil. If you're quick enough to snap some photo's, we'd love to see them, so please do share images on social media labeled #BigGardenBirdwatch.
This year, we're also asking what other wildlife you see from your vantage point over the course of the year, including slow worms, hedgehogs and stag beetles.
Taking part is easy, relaxing and revealing, after all, how often are you encouraged to spy on your neighbours?