RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2020

I decided to complete my RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch first thing on Saturday morning as the weather wasn’t looking good for today at all. I got up early and started my watch at 8am (yes I was one of the people bird watching from the kitchen window in my PJ’s!).

I was pleased to see two more species than last year, but numbers do seem to be down from three years ago. I am assuming it is the mild weather which is keeping them away? 

There had been woodpigeons and the occasional long-tailed tits showing; but not yesterday! It seems to be the theme that a lot of people have been finding; the birds know it is Birdwatch weekend and have gone into hiding! There has been a sparrow hawk in the garden in recent days which could also be a contributing factor as to why there are fewer birds around.

I didn’t take any photos of the birds this year as it was just too dark and gloomy 🙁

 

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Coal tit

 

 

 

1

2

1

Blue tit

1

2

1

2

2

3

Great tit

2

 

 

1

 

1

Long-tailed tit

 

 

 

 

 

1

Blackbird

2

3

4

7

4

2

Woodpigeon

 

 

4

4

2

 

Goldfinch

5

5

1

7

9

2

Blackcap

 

 

 

1

1

 

Greenfinch

 

 

 

 

1

 

Robin

2

2

 

1

2

2

Collard dove

 

 

 

2

3

1

Starling

2

 

 

3

1

1

House sparrow

2

2

 

3

1

 

Dunnock

2

1

1

1

 

1

Pied wagtail

 

 

 

 

 

1

Siskin

 

 

 

2

 

 

Chaffinch

 

 

1

 

 

 

Total no. of species

8

6

6

13

11

11

Total no. of birds

18

15

12

35

28

16

Weather

Overcast 7 °C

Light cloud, dry

Wind, rain

 

 

 

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch has crept up on me fast this year; I can’t believe it is the end of January already!  Maybe it is the mild weather that has fooled me into thinking we are not already one third of the way through winter! 

As always I like to compare my results from previous years, I wasn’t surprised that bird numbers were low again this year; only 6 species again.  We normally see some woodpigeon and feral pigeon but not today!  What I do know is we have had an increased number of cats in the garden, in particular new young ones that sit under the feeder.  I thought they sat there to attack the birds but today I noticed a wood mouse that appears from next doors garden to feed on the dropped food. 

On the up side there have been blue tits looking in the nest boxes and I think they have been using them as roosts. Unfortunately we don’t have cameras in the boxes so I don’t know for sure.  Fingers crossed they occupy both boxes again in Spring.

 

  2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Coal tit     1 2 1
Blue tit 2 1 2 2 3
Great tit     1   1
Long-tailed Tit         1
Blackbird 3 4 7 4 2
Woodpigeon   4 4 2  
Goldfinch 5 1 7 9 2
Blackcap     1 1  
Greenfinch       1  
Robin 2   1 2 2
Collard dove     2 3 1
Starling     3 1 1
House sparrow 2   3 1  
Dunnock 1 1 1   1
Pied wagtail         1
Siskin     2    
Chaffinch   1      
Total no. of species 6 6 13 11 11
Total no. of birds 15 12 35 28 16
Weather Light cloud, dry Wind, rain      

 

In the garden throughout the year we have still had regular visits from hedgehogs and the fox, hopefully their visits will continue this year as well 🙂

I took a few photos through the kitchen window of this year’s Birdwatch attendees…

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2018

So I had planned to do my Big Garden Birdwatch on Saturday morning, what I hadn’t expected was the rain! I have to admit I’ve done two counts this weekend and submitted the best! The reason being neither was a good representation of the normal garden visitors.  Saturday afternoon are the figures I have used.  Sunday morning only produced 3 individual birds and 2 species!!! As you can see this years numbers are well down on previous years.  The wind and rain really has affected numbers, if it had been last weekend I would have had all the regulars plus 4 greenfinches and a siskin too!!  Lets hope next year the weather is kinder.

  2018 2017 2016 2015
Coal tit   1 2 1
Blue tit 1 2 2 3
Great tit   1   1
Long-tailed Tit       1
Blackbird 4 7 4 2
Woodpigeon 4 4 2  
Goldfinch 1 7 9 2
Blackcap   1 1  
Greenfinch     1  
Robin   1 2 2
Collard dove   2 3 1
Starling   3 1 1
House sparrow   3 1  
Dunnock 1 1   1
Pied wagtail       1
Siskin   2    
Chaffinch 1      
Total no. of species 6 13 11 11
Total no. of birds 12 35 28 16
Weather Wind, rain      

In addition to the birds in the garden in the past 12 months there have been hedgehogs, a fox and a squirrel visit.  All of whom get fed – the fox helps herself to anything that has been left by the birds or the hedgehogs in the summer! 

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2017

Every year the first date that goes in my diary is the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. I always notice the birds in the garden, whether its the Woodpigeon’s squabbling over the grain, the Blackbirds digging around in the flower borders or the small charm of Goldfinches that are on the feeders.  But once a year I stop for a whole hour and really pay attention, counting them all.  

I perch myself on the kitchen counter to make sure I can see as much of the garden as possible and get as comfortable as I can! This year I felt more prepared. I invested in some binoculars last year which made identification quicker; its easy enough to complete the count without binoculars but there are loads of shrubs in the garden and the smaller birds hide in them, so with the aid of binoculars this time I could figure out who didn’t want to be counted 😉  In the past I have used a 500mm lens on my camera which gets a little heavy when holding it for an hour! This year I just used it to take some photos 🙂

I like to keep a table of what I have seen including previous years data for my own interest.

  2017 2016 2015
Coal Tit 1 2 1
Blue Tit 2 2 3
Great tit 1   1
Long-tailed Tit     1
Blackbird 7 4 2
Woodpigeon 4 2  
Goldfinch 7 9 2
Blackcap 1 1  
Greenfinch   1  
Robin 1 2 2
Collard Dove 2 3 1
Starling 3 1 1
House Sparrow 3 1  
Dunnock 1   1
Pied Wagtail     1
Siskin 2    
Total no. of species 13 11 11

 I had a surprise visitor today; the Siskin.  I have seen them in the garden before but only on one occasion, I was just lucky they turned up during my count 🙂  15 mins after I had finished counting I spotted a Greenfinch on the feeder! There have been Long-tailed Tits in the last few days but sadly none turned up today. I’m so glad the Sparrowhawk didn’t turn up or it would have really altered my count! When it shows it can be seen sitting on the fence waiting for the Goldfinches, we found a pile of feathers a few weeks ago!

The RSPB also ask what other animals you see in the garden throughout the year, we have: Hedgehog, Fox and Slow-worm.

Below are a few record shots of some of the birds I counted…