RSBP Big Garden Birdwatch 2015

NEARLY half a million people took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch last year; 91,000 of those were from northern England. This year on the 24th-25th January local people are being asked to take part in RSPB BGBW 2015.

In East Yorkshire, the 2014 results revealed that the house sparrow remained the most commonly reported bird, with an average of four in each garden. Starlings swooped in at number two, whilst the blackbird was the third most spotted bird, with the wood pigeon fourth.

The RSPB say that despite being at the number 1 spot locally and across the UK, the house sparrow remains on the ‘red list’ of declining species. Numbers have declined 62% since 1979 (the year of the first Birdwatch). Similarly, the number of starlings recorded has fallen by 84%.

Local people are being asked to take part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

“Why do it?

“The results of the Birdwatch help us to spot problems, but they also help us find ways of putting them right. The decline in house sparrows could be due to a lack of food or habitat, which is why we encourage people to feed their garden birds. But it’s not just birds that are facing tough times, it’s also other wildlife, such as hedgehogs. So a section of the Birdwatch form asks you about the other wildlife that you’ve seen in your garden.”

“Count the wildlife that’s counting on you.” – RSPB

It’s simple to take part. Just count the birds in your garden or local park for an hour on Saturday 24th or Sunday 25th January 2015. Record the highest number of bird species you see at the same time. Then let the RSPB know what you see by returning (by post or online) the bird counter form.

Find out everything you need to know at the RSPB website.

Visit: rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

If you want to share your findings from taking part in RSPB BGBW 2015 with the Hedon Blog – leave a comment below or e-mail us at hedonblog@gmx.com after your count. It would be interesting to discover the state of nature in and around Hedon based on residents’ observation.