Notts gardeners asked to help with birdwatch

GARDENERS, bird watchers and families in Nottinghamshire are being called on to take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch.

Thousands of people in the county took part last year and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) is looking for even more volunteers in 2011.

The world's biggest ever wildlife survey aims to monitor the number of birds visiting gardens this winter.

Past surveys have enabled the charity to identify the cause of certain birds' decline as well as steps that can be taken to help them recover.

Anyone can take part in the hour long survey which can be done any time this weekend.

Andy Waters, of the RSPB, said by getting involved people can make a real difference to the charity's knowledge about garden birds.

"Big Garden Birdwatch is great for the whole family," he said.

"By giving up just one hour over the weekend, you can make a real difference to the knowledge of garden birds.

"The survey helps highlight which birds are doing well and which birds need extra help."

Last year in Notts gardens the house sparrow was the most commonly seen bird.

Despite this the survey also revealed there had been a rapid decrease of sparrows across the UK, with just 3.7 birds per garden being spotted compared to 10 per garden in 1979.

As well as numbers of birds, results from 2010 provided a good understanding of how birds were coping with the prolonged cold spell experienced at the start of the year.

As a result of the weather, unusually high numbers of countryside birds like fieldfares, redwings, bullfinches and yellowhammers were seen in gardens rather than fields and hedgerows.

Other members of the thrush family – including song thrush, mistle thrush and blackbird – were also seen in much higher numbers looking for food.

To take part in this year's Big Garden Birdwatch simply spend one hour over the weekend counting birds in your garden or local park and record the highest number of every species seen at any one time.

For further information and online resources to help with the bird watch visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

An online results form will be available from today until February 18.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503354/s/1236ae3f/l/0L0Sthisisnottingham0O0Cnews0CNotts0Egardeners0Easked0Ehelp0Ebirdwatch0Carticle0E31582180Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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