Big Garden Birdwatch is here!

The anticipation is over!

At Big Garden Birdwatch HQ, and all over the country, we’ve been working ourselves up into a froth of excitement, and finally it has arrived. This is a wildlife highlight of the year, and we’re so glad you’re here to share it with us.

How to take part

If you’ve not done Big Garden Birdwatch before and don’t know what’s involved, relax, it’s a piece of cake. Here’s how it goes:

1. Pick a time of day that’s ideal for you. You’re more likely to see more birds in the morning, but any time of day is fine.
2. Make yourself comfy and watch the birds in your garden for one hour.
3. Record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time.
4. Even if you see no birds, tell us – it’s still useful information.
5. Submit your results online, or fill in a paper form.

That’s it!

For more information take a look at our everything you need to know about Big Garden Birdwatch page. 

Some top tips

When it comes to your Big Garden Birdwatch, it’s the little details that count. While everyone follows the same rules (this is what makes the results scientifically valid) you can make the experience your own, with a bit of imagination.

• Where will you do it? You don’t have to do it in your own garden. You could do it at a friend or relative’s house. You could do it in both! Or you could go to your local park. It’s up to you.
• Birdwatch snacks. Make your hour of watching birds even more fun with a special snack for the occasion. Triple chocolate cookies, gooey flapjack, or a fresh-baked roll with butter… what is the most delicious, comforting food you can imagine?
• Remember to get your garden ready for the birds too. Make sure your feeder is topped up. Check your fridge for leftover scraps you can put out (you’ll find lots of tips on our bird feeding advice page), and if it’s really cold, break the ice on your bird bath – birds prefer bathing and drinking to ice skating.

Share the experience

Even though it might feel peaceful and quiet in your home, watching the blue tits in your garden flit from the cherry tree to the feeder, remember you’re doing it with half a million people. Make your Big Garden Birdwatch even more fun by finding out what other people are up to, and sharing your own experiences and preparations. Just use #BigGardenBirdwatch on social media and you’ll find everyone chatting. They're there right now in fact, go look!

Visit the live blog

We’ll keep you up to date with the latest news and sightings over the whole three days via our Big Garden Birdwatch live blog. There’ll be celebrity participants, last minute feeding tips, and highlights from social media shares from around the country.

Big Garden Birdwatch is here, let’s celebrate the amazing wildlife we share our gardens with!