Ups and downs

Did the RSPB Great garden birdwatch on Saturday

Blackbird 1
Blue Tit 2
Nuthatch 1
Great Tit 2
Robin 1
Dunnock 1
Coal Tit 1
Chaffinch 2

Quite pleased getting 8 species in the hour but disappointed with the overall numbers also I normally see obvious pairs of Coal tits and Dunnock but during the count only a single of each.

The negative factors were a ginger cat ( a new visitor never seen before ) at the start of my count. 5 individual dog walkers with 5 individual dogs passing the garden during the hour. Less of a negative but not countable as it didn't land was a Sparrowhawk which floated over resulting in only the Robin being spotted in the next 15-20 minutes.

Shame the RSPB website failed - it was quite an attractive website for counting live but I guess it couldn't cope with demand though I haven't seen an explanation.

The BBC Red button coverage seemed good though only watched part of it. I guess it would have been a great help to new birdwatchers.