Did you take part in the RSPB's BIg Garden Birdwatch ove the weekend? Did you record the numbers of birds you would normally expect to see? This is a section of the press release that the RSPB issued,in response to the many people asking us where the garden birds have gone this year;
Big Garden Birdwatch bonanza!
The RSPB says this winter more people than ever are getting in touch about the lack of birds in gardens. So are they disappearing?
Blue tits, chaffinches and house sparrows are among those usually spotted in urban gardens at this time of year.
"The birds are out and about finding good supplies of natural food," says the RSPB's Abbi Jinks. "Berries, seed heads and insects are all very plentiful in mild weather, so birds are able to feed in the wilder countryside without turning to our gardens for help."
It is conducting its annual Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend, which should help establish figures. It estimates that more than half a million people will be taking part in the wildlife survey, which it says is the world's biggest.
Here at The Lodge we have been doing some supplementary feeding on the ground under the feeders and it's really drawing in good numbers of greenfinches and chaffinches. We keep looking to see if we can spot a brambling amongst them, but it's not been a good year for this species arriving in the UK. Maybe the easterly cold winds will draw some over from the continent this week?
Don't forget to send us your completed surveys, even if you saw very few , or even no birds! You can do this online at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch