Binoculars at the ready: the annual Big Garden Birdwatch kicks off this weekend, when gardeners and wildlife lovers get outside to paint a nationwide picture of the state of our garden birds.
The Big Garden Bird Watch
The initiative, run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is now the world’s biggest wildlife survey. Last year more than 519,000 people counted an incredible 8,262,662 birds. Their findings have helped build up a detailed picture of how birds are coping in a fast-changing world.
There are dozens of species to look out for, all still active even in the depths of winter: as well as familiar winter residents like robins and bluetits, you might be lucky enough to spot goldfinches, blackcaps, pied wagtails or even a woodpecker.
Get your garden ready for your feathery visitors by putting bird feeders in place now. The garden centre here in Newcastle upon Tyne has a great range to choose from whether you’re looking for bird feeders, nest boxes or feeding stations, plus a wide range of high-quality and nutritious high-energy bird foods like sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet balls and mealworms.
Stock Up for Your Wild Bird Garden
So stock up and settle down for a fun weekend’s birdwatching. Once you’ve finished, simply upload your results to www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch and put your garden on the map!