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Big Garden Birdwatch 2014!

Ben A
14/01/2014 20:59

Register for Big Garden Birdwatch 2014!

  • Big Garden Birdwatch 2014 is taking place over 25-26 January.  Last year an incredible 589,000 people took part in the Birdwatch, submitting records from almost 300,000 gardens and parks! 
  • Register now to receive your free guide and £5 RSPB shop discount.  You’ll also get an email reminder just before the weekend itself so you don’t forget to take part!  (NB you don’t have to register to take part in the Birdwatch)
  • This year, we've made it even easier for you to send in your results – using our new online bird counter, you can simply record the birds as you see them (even on a tablet or smartphone!).  The bird counter will be live on the Big Garden Birdwatch website over the Birdwatch weekend.  
  • Alternatively, if you simply want to input your results online after taking part, this option is still available.  And of course you can still send us your results by post if you prefer. 
  • This year, we are also asking you to tell us about other garden wildlife species, such as badgers, hedgehogs and frogs.  We’re not expecting you to see these creatures in your hour watching, but we’d like to know if any of them visit your garden, and if so, how often.  We’ll be sharing these results with our conservation partners, including People’s Trust for Endangered Species and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.

  • 16/01/2014 00:05

    Hi Ben,   I'm already registered and raring to go  !!   stock-piling freshly made raw pastry and off to the seed/nut store in a couple of days to get new supplies   lol

    _____________________________________

    Regards, Hazel 

  • 16/01/2014 01:55

    I am being sent to Beijing with work that weekend... Can I do an hour on the 28th instead?

  • 16/01/2014 14:36 in reply to John R

    Not a problem at all John R.

  • 16/01/2014 22:44 in reply to Ben A

    I will be stock piling for our birds.  I tried the recipe in the magazine last week, and the starlings loved the lard/seed mix.

    J

  • 17/01/2014 13:54

    hi ben,we have got fully stocked up as allways,the female woody is already showing her face so that's good news.looking forward to the bird count again.

  • 17/01/2014 15:14

    I have at least two Song Thrushes and two Redwings in my garden and see them often. What if I don't see them on the day? They're both on the Red List so it's important you know they're around. I also have Long-Tailed Tits but they're shy and I usually see them only when it's very cold.

  • 17/01/2014 15:19 in reply to Rosie

    Sounds good everyone, lets hope for an interesting weekend!

  • 17/01/2014 16:47 in reply to Ben A

    Hi Rosie,

    With statistical analysis the time period is important as, when you consider the number of participants, the actual rarity of the birds you see will be taken into account.

    For example, house sparrows may be common, so a greater percentage of participants will see them. However a woodpecker should be less common and less recordings will be made in the 1 hour period.

    Also birds move around thus counting the number you've ever seen in your garden does not give a fair indication of how many birds there actually are.

    I hope this makes sense, sorry my explanation is a bit poor!

  • 18/01/2014 02:54

    Hi Everyone.

    I have taken part in the BGBW for the past two years. One of my greatest pleasures is watching the different birds that visit the feeders in my garden. I work in a primary school (teaching assistant) and last year I had a casual discussion about birds with a class of Year 2 children and I was surprised how many of them were interested, or became interested after I told them about the RSPB and the BGBW.

    So this year I thought I would get even more children involved, early enough for them to get organised before the survey takes place ie. start putting food out for ten days or so before next weekend so that they are more likely to get a bit more "traffic".

    I did a short assembly in front of 180 children, with little video clips of different garden birds, information about feeding and the importance of continuing feeding in winter once you've started, and things like that. They each took home a letter explaining all this to the parents with the internet link to the Big Garden Bird Watch so I'm hoping you will have a bigger response than ever from the Reading area next weekend!

    Everywhere I go around my school children are excitedly telling me that their parents are buying seed or about a particular bird they've seen. It's brilliant!

    Deb.