Hi,
I've just submitted my numbers for the BGBW and am now worried that I've included some species which, while seen from my window, were noted just outside the boundary of my garden i.e. in the farmland which lies at the bottom of my garden. I saw a flock of Lapwing and a flock of Hooded Crows and four Ravens. If I counted the Starlings sitting on the telegraph wires above the garden, was it okay to count the birds a few feet (and I mean only a few feet!) on the other side of my fence? I look upon them as the usual birds I see when watching out the window (I was very happy to see the return of the Lapwings this year after their usual winter field was disrupted last year during the building of a new house...I am also doubly happy that they paid a visit during my hour!).
Veronica
Phew! Thanks Alan. I'll know better next time!
There is a lot to browse on the Forum; as my time is hardly my own these days, I may not be on it as frequently as I like, but it's now bookmarked. Thankfully, my hubby and four-year-old son both love the birds too so we can build on this and get more involved.
Already in hiding, ha ha!
I wouldn't worry too much. We counted birds that were in trees and shrubs adjacent, but on t'other side of, our garden fence. We consider that those are a part of our 'garden environment' if not strictly on our property, although the branches overhang to some extent. We did have an argument about a woodpecker that flew through our 'garden airspace' without landing, mind ! I was over-ruled and it was not counted. Boo !
Chris you should of sneaked it in, as my hubby says if it fly's over our garden count it lol : )
kind regards the little robin (gayle)
I have a small suburban garden overlooked by lots of neighbours' trees, and I'm happy to count the collared doves roosting in the evergreens just over my back fence (which do also come down to peck about in my garden in varying numbers). They "belong" to my patch, I've seen them, so I count them. On the other hand, I don't count anything "just passing by" like the seagulls, crows, jackdaws, heron and parakeets flying high over the garden, since these rarely or never actually visit my plot. I was tempted to include the sparrowhawk that passed by - but then it went past very quickly and might have been some other bird of prey, so I left that out.
Definitely do not count anything flying over. Just birds that actually land in yout garden. And you should only count those within your garden boundary as well, as someone else may count them if theyre on the other side of the fence...
Home again, home again.
Check it: http://sarahwestsblog.blogspot.co.uk/