Bit new to all this.

I moved in last July from a place with a number of privett hedges and eaves with holes that accomodated 3 sparrow nests and a leylandii roost for 15 sparrows - which we miss here. Not a single sparrow has visited our garden even though we are under half a mile from previous home in NE Hampshire. We have a leylandii tree 80ft nextdoor and a well controlled hedge of same. So I have planted honeysucle and am getting some privett to grow but its a slow process. Now do I have to drill holes in the eaves? I think the 5 neighbours' cats is the real dfference.

Have just been to the BTO site, it looks like I need to pay £15 to take part in the surveys?

try local reserves and authorities under volunteering and should be lots or conduct your own with a flask and sandwiches in a comfy chair in the wood or fields

Well you get a book and 4 magazines aswell!! I may just make the effort myself to record what comes into the garden.  I have already challenged myself to get a photo of ALL the species that visit.

how do i unsubcribe to receiving all the threads there are just to many I would rather just look around the site and forum without prompting. hope you or someone can help

My husband doesnt go anywhere without his camera either and I get the exciting job of being the tripod carrier!  Worth it for the results though......  hopefully get some nice shots in the garden tomorrow.

Hi Maria, you can join BTO's Birdtrack for free.  www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack  I use it all the time.  It's not just the results recording, but the information you can view and download about all your sightings that's good.  I too work full time, but always do a list every time I go birding.  Good luck. :-)

Job done, results submitted. Having the only unfrozen water in the area helped, all the usual visitors that were missing yesterday were back today - though maybe I cheated a bit by counting the jackdaw sitting on the roof of the neighbour's garden shed?

I'm with te BTO and do their garden watch and birdtrack, with some of my records being used in the bird atlas research.