Thousands of local bird lovers flocked to take part in survey
ALMOST 20,000 people in the
North East took part in the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey earlier this year.
In the RSPB’S Big Garden Birdwatch in January, the house sparrow was the most common bird seen across the region.
The blue tit came second in Northumberland and County Durham and the starling in Tyne and Wear and Tees Valley.
The extent to which the woodpigeon has established itself in urban areas was highlighted by the fact that it was the third most spotted bird in Tyne and Wear gardens and was also fifth in the rest of the region.
The magpie’s similar move into urban parts was evidenced by its seventh position in Tyne and Wear but it did not feature in the top 10 in Northumberland or County Durham.
Big Garden Birdwatch has been running since 1979, with the citizen science project helping the RSPB to get a snapshot of the health of the UK’S bird populations.
The charity said it is a good way to reconnect with nature after official statistics show that a million fewer people are spending time in it compared to during the pandemic.
Gardens are an increasingly important habitat for many species. These places are often overlooked but cover an estimated 4,330 square kilometres.
In England, the land area given over to gardens is more than four and a half times larger than that of our National Nature Reserves.
The RSPB’S chief executive Beccy Speight said: “Last year’s State of Nature report laid out a grim picture finding that there’s been no let-up in the decline of our wildlife over recent decades, with one in six species at risk of being lost.
“However, with seven out of eight households lucky enough to have access to a garden, it is the place where many of us can make a positive difference.
“Gardens and community green spaces can both give a lifeline for struggling species by providing a huge patchwork of potential homes for nature.”
Nationally, the house sparrow was the most spotted bird, followed by the blue tit, starling and woodpigeon.