Every year in January thousands of householders across the UK take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, spending an hour in their garden recording what they see and sending us their results.
This year more than half a million people took part, counting more than 8 million birds. So collating the results is a big job, but once it’s done the newspapers, TV and radio are always keen to get their hands on the final figures to report on the ups and downs in the garden bird world.
This year the big story is the fact that small songbirds have suffered in the recent unprecedented cold weather. The BBC pointed out that the weather resulted in more sightings of less frequent visitors such as fieldfares, yellowhammers and bullfinches which were forced to feed in gardens due to a lack of available food in the wider countryside.
The Telegraph reported that there were 20 cent fewer small birds like coal tits and the long tailed tit dropped out of the top ten list. As well as covering the survey results the Guardian has also been collating its photographs taken by readers during the event on Flickr – take a look here. Our personal favourite has to be a great image of two goldfinches scrapping over who gets the prime spot on the feeder.
And if you’re a fan of figures, tables and stats then the Guardian has also covered the story on its data blog. And if you want to look at the results from a different angle then head on over to the Beaky Birdsearch website where some clever person has used the results to create a search programme which produces a map – just type in your favourite bird and you can see where its strongholds are across the UK.
Amazing news about one of Britain’s most incredible birds hit headlines this week.
Scotland’s oldest known breeding female Osprey returned to her nesting site again this week for the 20th consecutive year.
Having reached 25 years old – around three times the average lifespan of an osprey – and raised 46 chicks she’s probably done more for the conservation of this species than anyone, or anything, else.
The story was covered by the BBC, Times and the Independent amongst others so make sure you get clicking to read more about this remarkable bird.
The nation was called upon to help the RSPB safeguard the future of our exciting summer visitor, the swift, and as usual, you all delivered.
A nationwide plea for swift sightings resulted in data being gathered on a scale never seen before and revealed the critical role that Britain’s householders play in the future of this declining species. The story struck a real chord and was covered in the Independent, on the BBC and elsewhere – we are clearly a nation of swift lovers!
Thousands of people reported the unmistakable screams of swifts around their roofs last summer to the RSPB, or told us where they were actually nesting. We wanted to develop a detailed ‘inventory’ of specific locations that swifts are using to raise their families so it can focus efforts to help the species.
Almost all swifts recorded were found nesting on buildings and over three quarters of them (77%), found nesting in houses. The results from the first year of data collection show that the swift strongholds are in older parts of our cities, towns and villages, although they will use new buildings too.
Swift numbers have declined significantly in recent years. It’s not yet clear why, but we think that many suffer as a result of the loss of nest sites through building improvement or demolition.
Of course home renovations and maintenance often need to be carried out, but hopefully a heightened awareness of the possibility of nesting swifts means we can all improve our homes without destroying those of the swift.
Tweeting, chirping and warbling mark the start of the day outside - and it seems that many of us are opting for it to kickstart our day inside too.
As reported in Daily Telegraph today, a poll of PURE digital radio users has shown that birdsong is the most popular alarm tone after the traditional beep and I for one can think of no better sound to ease me into the day!
Numbers of people choosing birdsong to wake up to were more than double those of any of the other 365 sounds you could choose on a PURE Siest Flow digial and internet-connected bedside radio.
Second to birdsong were church bells, followed by balloon squeaking, alarm tunes, chimes, World War II sirens and dogs bakring.
Violin screeching and kettle whistling were among the least selected sounds. I can't imagine why...
The RSPB is delighted that more people choose to rise each morning to the gentle dawn chorus of birdsong and not at all surprised.
The charity uses birdsong as its own hold music for callers to its Headquarters in Sandy, Bedfordshire, and is complimented on the calming tones as opposed to the rock music and annoying talking that many organisations go for!
Birdsong is a cheerful, positive and relaxing start to the day, although be sure not to let it relax you too much in case you nod off to sleep again...