Top 3 birdspotting tips 1 2 3
than forage for food alone, Great tit couples often forego food in order to stay close to their partner – on whom they rely to raise young.
There are 620 species of bird on the official British list and the birds you will see in your garden all depend on where in the country you live.
As bird populations differ regionally,
Birds are most visible when the sun rises and sets because that is when they are on the hunt for food, so try to concentrate on these times of day to observe your garden when it becomes aflutter with feathered life. to some extent, we’ve all got our own idea of what “garden birds” are, depending on which are most common to the area we live.
For instance, green woodpecker populations have been increasing in the South East areas of the UK but not in Scotland.
Bullfinches have been seen to increase in western parts of the UK, including Ireland, and the same goes for swallows.
Goldcrests and coal tits have shot up in number within the Scottish
Watching from inside your home can be really relaxing but bird sounds are a great way to lead you to sightings you may miss when you are just looking from the window — plus their song is always lovely to hear. regions, whereas you’re most likely to see Great tits in the Midlands.
To find out what you’ve got in your plot, sign up for the RSPB’s Garden Birdwatch 2020.
It will open you up to the world of
Birds will often return to the same garden once they know there’s a reliable source of food, but they can take some time to spot it. So get into a routine of putting out food and water every day, if need be.
winged wonders. The idea is to get counting the birds that visit your garden and make a note of what you see. Involve the whole family or observe them on your own – you’ll be joining over half a million people who take part every year.
All you have to do is sign up via
and they’ll send you a pack with everything you need.
Last year’s survey results confirmed that the top three birds sighted in gardens in 2019 were house sparrows, starlings and blue tits.
It’s vital this work continues so we can better understand our local bird populations and how they’re changing.
How about treating yourself to a new bird bath this spring? Not only will you be helping your feathered friends – plus insects – by providing a source of fresh water for drinking and bathing, a bird bath can be an attractive garden feature, too. Providing water throughout the year will help attract birds to your garden and a bath or feeder in plain view will help you enjoy their company. This Onefold “twist” bird bath hand-finished in cast stone is ideal. I found it for £66.70 via amazon.co.uk.