On your marks, get set....
Yes, the moment has come yet again to take up your prime position, next to the patio doors or peering out from the kitchen window, eyes peeled, feeders full, recording sheet at the ready.
It's time to count your birds, along with half a million other folk who take up the challenge in what I think must be one of the best bits of citizen science anywhere in the world. Big Garden Birdwatchers, are you ready?!
In fact, I've been having a healthy discussion with a wildlife-mad friend who says she doesn't do the Big Garden Birdwatch because so many other people do it. My response is that is exactly why she should do it - the very strength of the survey is that, with so many people taking part, the results are all the more meaningful. Science is all the better the bigger the sample.
It is only by so many people taking part that we can break down the results by county and in some instances by city to identify the trends where you live.
And think of the signal Big Garden Birdwatch sends out to the country, too. It says that caring for your garden birds is not a niche activity, it is something a caring society does, one that is passionate about saving nature.
Then there's the pleasure bit of the Birdwatch too, and the anticipation. I'm hoping that my Long-tailed Tits come through during my hour, as they did last weekend. It was almost dusk when they arrived, so the photos won't win any awards, but I just adore their tameness:
But what I'm really hoping for is a House Sparrow. A male visited the garden last week, only the second record this winter. Come on, Mr Sparrow - make my day, and give me another box to fill on my recording form!
I'm sure you all know what to do to take part, but - just in case - here is the link to everything you need this weekend, bar the cup of coffee.
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
Ah,if only you'd put a few fish on the bird table, Rob - that would've been the herons, cormorants, kingfishers and goosanders sorted for starters ;-)
But your point shows how gardens have their own very particular suite of species - we need gardeners to help save sparrows and starlings while, with our members support, the RSPB can look to save wildlife in the wider countryside and on nature reserves.