Topic: Birdwatch 2006

[Whippet]

Big Garden Birdwatch 2006

The 2006 Big Garden Birdwatch takes place at the end of January and all you need to do to take part is watch the birds in your garden or local park for an hour.

Go HERE for more details.

[rosebud]

THANKS for that whippet. ;D

[Whippet]

If you go to a park to do it, make sure you are well wrapped up - it would be freezing cold,  sitting still for an hour out of doors.

I wonder why they don't have this later in the year, when the weather is warmer?
 ::)

[Juliet]

I wonder why they don't have this later in the year, when the weather is warmer?
 ::)

Strange, isn't it? - I suppose they only want records of native British birds which are here for the winter.  But we've done the birdwatch for some years now & every year it seems to pour with rain here & the all the birds which we normally see in our garden stay away in droves ... I think it's a conspiracy & they are all sitting somewhere dry laughing at us  ::)

[Whippet]

Yes, you could be quite right.
Any sensible birds will be away in warmer climes now.
 ;)

I can just see them, Juliet, sitting up in trees - under their umbrellas.
 ;D

[Twospot Ladybird]

I wonder why they don't have this later in the year, when the weather is warmer?
 ::)

I think they do it at this time of year because more birds come into our gardens in search of food in the winter.

[Carol]

I count the birds all year because I am a member of the British Trust for Ornithology and do a weekly count.  You count the highest number of each bird and enter it on a form plus count the less popular birds.   Its an enjoyable pastime and I keep a notebook handy to note the numbers.  I also send my count 'on line' to the BTO. 

 ;)

[eileen]

SNAP!!! I do exactly the same as you do Carol.  ;D

[Gardengirl]

I do the bird watch each year - assume I will get a reminder email nearer the time, but thanks for the link Whippet :)

[Whippet]

I would be interested in doing that, too, carol.
I should be able to find the British Trust for Ornithology if I do a search - shouldn't I?

[Paulines7]

I will be joining in too.  The form will be available to download from RSPB on 28th Jan.

[Carol]

Whippet.  The British Trust for Ornithology cant be found on www.BTO.org and all the information is there for you to look at.  It costs about £12 a year to join and its good fun taking part in the weekly count.  You get a quarterly magazine and lots of other information also vouchers for C.J. Wild Bird foods.  The BTO can judge from their 'counters' on the decline of certain birds.  Oh.  you will find out all about it if you look at their web page.  Good luck.

 :D :D :D

[Whippet]

Thanks wardy and Carol.
I will enrol my husband, too.

[lynndan16]

I did this last year and the year before but will be away on that weekend in January -  Birdwatching in India ;)

[Whippet]

Well, at least you should be nice and warm there.
 :)

[Toadspawn]

I have done this for a number of years but because I can look out of the window into the garden at any time of the day I see lots of birds feeding. There are about 20 different sorts every day
My beef with this observation is being restricted to one hour because in any hour the species and number vary considerably depending on the time of day. Not all the species visit every hour but they all visit at some time every day. Yesterday for the first time ever I had 2 long-tailed tits feeding on a peanut feeder and today there were 5.

I would be happier recording the maximum number of a species at any one time visiting throughout the day rather than restricting it to the hour. Can this be done?   

[Whippet]

Yes, there are a lot of questions regarding this sort of thing - how do they know that the same birds are not returning several times - which they could do even if the watch was extended.
 ???

[Debs]

January 28 & 29th it is.

Maybe Dan could put a reminder in the 'calendar' - especially

for the more forgetful types such as myself  ;D

[busy_lizzie]

Good idea Debs, I would like to take part too.  :) busy_lizzie

[Val]

Its this Sat I think, I'll be doing it.