Big Garden Birdwatch #SteppingUp

It's that time of the year when I nag again!

The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend is coming up on the 28th/29th January.

If you are a UK resident you can take part, and it is completely free!

All you need is:

1. Chair/ Sofa/ Beanbag
2. One Piece Of Paper
3. One Pen/ Pencil
4. One Set Of Eyes (minimum)
5. One Hour Of Spare Time
6. Mug Of Coffee/ Tea/ Chocolate

You can get your Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend pack free from the RSPB website simply by clicking this link and registering. You can print out your sheet for recording what you see from the same link.

It really is simple, and gives the RSPB masses of data on how our garden birds are fairing around the country. You simply record the maxima of each species you see in a given hour in the garden.

It will be an indication of how this exceptionally mild winter, compared to last years Arctic one has affected numbers. How will birds that traditionally do badly in cold winters, such as the Wren have bounced back this winter?

It helps the conservation organisations such as the RSPB and BTO plan their conservation efforts over the coming months and years, all this for an hour of your time.

Social science is great fun, you can get the kids involved, you can learn what actually visits your garden. You never know, you may get the odd surprise. As well as the usual Blue Tits, Robins, Blackbirds that are quite common, you may get something a little different like this Female Reed Bunting, or the occasional Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

I have put a few vids up I took with the camera trap on Flickr.

Busy Feeders #1

Busy Feeders #2

Busy Feeders #3