Birdwatch survey now in its 30th year
BIRDWATCH Ireland are inviting as many people as possible to get involved in their annual Irish Garden Bird Survey, which began on Monday, December 3.
Every year hundreds of people take part in the survey, making it Ireland’s most popular citizen science research project.
Now in its 30th year, the survey is the longest-running citizen science research project in Ireland and it offers a fun way to discover more on the birds that visit your garden.
The survey runs from December to February - the coldest most wintery months, when birds are especially reliant on gardens for shelter, food and water.
Each week, participants record the species they see on their feeders or in their garden, and the highest number of each species they see at any one time.
The survey runs on a weekly basis, commencing every Monday. It doesn’t matter if participants don’t know all of the species in their garden yet as the survey is a great way to learn more.
Meanwhile, wrap up warm on Saturday, December 15 and join the Wicklow branch of BirdWatch Ireland for a jaunt along Greystones harbour and sea front.
This outing will provide participants with knowledge about how various different seabirds and wetland birds utilise structures made by humans. Expect to see Gulls, Auks, Divers and possibly Fowl. Scopes will also be on hand for spotting distant divers. The event gets underway at 10 a.m.
On Sunday, December 16, Join BirdWatch Ireland for a festive walk around the East Coast Nature Reserve, and celebrate the return of the winter migrants.
After a short jaunt you will have the chance to make a winter wreath and bird feeder. All materials are sustainably sourced from the site and the wreaths will be ready for the compost in the new year. Things run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.