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Hi i would like to suggest that you invite someone who is a regular contributor to send a count for a week or month , giving the same information in more presice detail.the birds do not know they are being counted on any hour and are invariably absent at such times. I cannot report the fact that I regularly see flocks of around 15 long tailed tits or Goldfinches or field fares that have stripped my berry trees a few weeks ago.
I am willing to be such a volunteer and can give sightings that may be interesting to the RSPB if required.
As a twice weekly angler who sits quietly by the river or lake i have seen many interesting and dramatic event in the seventy years i have been doing this.
Thank you for reading this long comment I am yours sincerely,
John Bryan

Ps please add me to your email news letter again.

In a 1 hour period 10am to 11am we have had the following birds enter our garden.

Sparrows (2 at the most) Blue Tits, Great Tit, Robin, Wagtails, Blackbirds, Starlings.

Apart from the 1 hour period above, we regulary have the above birds visit everyday. Also we have seen a Greenfinch, a Magpie (if we put meat out) and 3 visits from a Woodpecker, which we think is a green woodpecker, who feeds on our hanging peanut holder. We do put out Fat Balls, also meal worm feeder, wild bird seed, bread, to attract birds to our garden.

We appreciate the efforts of the RSPB in conducting this survey, and receive information as to which species of birds are actually in decline. From our own recent experience we have noticed a decline in Sparrows and Starlings and an increase in Magpies. In our area of Newport we have an abundance of Jackdaws, although they do not enter our garden at all.They gather in the trees early evening making quite a noise.

In the one hour birdwatch (13.15 'till 14.15) on Sunday 31 Jan 2010. I saw, in my garden: 3 blackbirds (2 male and 1 female).
2 Blue tits. 3 House sparrows. 2 Robins. 2 Song thrushes.
2 Woodpigeons. 2 seagulls. 1 Moorhen.
We live in East Sussex about 200 yards from the beach at the front of the house and have a dyke at the back, dividing us from open fields. We feed the birds everyday and regularly see a wide variety.

Although I regularly feed the birds in my garden, and enjoy seeing them through my kitchen window, I would like to thank the RSPB for making me sit and watch for 1 full hour. Maybe I should do it more often. Between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, I observed Blackbird, blue tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Robin, Starling and Wren. We also get Woodpigeons on a regular basis, however they did not appear this morning.

At 8.30 a.m. on Saturday 30th January, I saw 2 male bullfinchs, and 1 female. 4 blackbirds, 2Pigeons, 5 sparrows, 1 bluetit, and 1 robin

I love to see the birds in our garden and I feed them regularly. It has been a harsh winter this year in the highlands so I have taken extra to care to give the birds that little bit extra. Sitting down today for my hour they all started to flock in I was amazed when I counted just how many visited the garden. I had 47 chaffinches, 6 greenfinches, 6 goldfinches, 3 blackbirds, 2 great tits, 2 blue tits, 1 robin and 1 house sparrow. With the ground full of snow it gave an advantage when trying to count them all. What joy they bring us.

I love watching the birds and regularly feed them, it was lovely to see all the redwings and field fares when we had the snow, this afternoon I watched etween 2pm and 3pm and saw 2 blackbirds 1f 1m, 2 blackcaps 1f 1m, 1 dunnock, 1 bluetit, 1 great tit, 1 thrush, 5 goldfinches, 2 chaffinches, 5 house sparrows,4 woodpigeons and too many pigeons. There were many magpies in the trees in the field behind the garden and when I walk the dogs I can see up to atleast 12 house sparrows sunning themselves in the low bushes. I have not seen my goldcrest since the snow came a few weeks ago.

I would just to like to record which birds I noted today at 12.30 to 1.30

3 Goldfinches, 3 Woodpigeons, 1 Bluetit, 1 Blackbird, 2 Robins and 1 Dunnock

We often get more blackbirds, have also had a Heron (eat all my fish from the pond) a fieldfare last week in the snow and a sparrowhawk which often lands on the garage roof.

This the first time I have been on this site and I was sorry to see after each piece written, complain about this comment, what a pity we have to use this phrase and not just, any comments.

Happy bird watching
Sue

I dont have a garden but out of my front window there is a plie of rubbish that is open and the following birds visited it between 13.00-14.00 today.
5 seagulls, 2 crows, 6 pidgeions

hi my hour count this morning was very buisy blue tits,blackbirds,wren,robin,and a very agressive thrush who bombed every bird in the garden hope they all come back when hes not looking i will keep my eye on him. Happy bird watching ang

Birds seen in the rear garden yesterday afternoon 2pm , we live in rural Bedfordshire:

Collar dove x 1, Dunnock x 3, Blue tit x 2,
Caffinch x 4, Blackbird male x 4, Blackbird female x 3,
Woodpigeon x 1, Long tailed tit x 3, Great tit x 3, Robin x 4,
Starling x 2, Willow tit x 1.

We have a resident Wren as well in the front garden along with approx 3/4 house sparrows seen at the feeders, a Robin also.Occasionally we see a Heron fly over, and in the summer what could be a Buzzard cruising thorough the sky above us.

We feed the birds same time everyday at 8.30 am with chopped apple, bread, mixed wild birdseed, peanuts, cake and feeders are hung in the apple tree, and home made fat balls.

Happy birdwatching x
jo

Back in the recent snow spell, havoc erupted in the rear garden for a few moments one morning, when we were visited by a hunting Sparrowhawk....not sure if he caught anything it all happened so fast.
But it was a very fast impressive bird.

DURING MY WATCH I SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR MANY MONTHS 2 LONGTAILED TITS, AS WELL AS THESE I HAVE A PAIR OF NUTHATCHES AND THEN THE USUAL BLUE TITS, GREAT TITS COAL OR WILLOW TITS I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

APART FROM THESE THE NUMBER OFBIRDS IN THIS VALLEY HAVE DETERIORATED BADLY. THE ODD BLACK BIRD, NO THRUSHES, THE MISTLE THRUSHES LEFT AFTER MANY YEARS, NO OTHER HEDGEROW BIRDS, YELLOWHAMMERS ETC. I WONDER WHY. WE HAVE NO CATS IN THE DISTRICT AND I FIND IT SAD THERE ARE SO FEW. THERE IS A LOT OF CHICKEN FEED AVAILABLE WHICH MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT IT IS IN THE LAST 3/4 YEARS THEY HAVE DETERIORATED SO MUCH. wE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF MAGPIES, JACKDAWS WHICH OF COURSE DO NOTHING FOR THE ;POPULATION AND ALSO THE ODD SPARROWHAWK. IN THE SORT OF AREA I LIVE IN, WE SHOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER SHOWING.

i have tried to sign in it will not take my pass word i no it is right but hay i thought i say i forgot it but no email back from you i have tried on several occasions why no answer i am tring to take part in garden watch

Well a sad turn out on Sunday afternoon
12:45 - 13:45 and only one sweet dunnock in my small garden at NE7 7AL Newcastle upon Tyne.

Not a regular bird feeder and am ashamed as I used to be in Y.O.C. and was mad on our little feathered friends.

Aim to improve this from now though - worrying turn out!

During my hour watch 11am-12noon on Sunday 31st January, I spotted Blackbird x 6 of which one had a completely white head.
Blue Tit x 4
Carrion Crow x 2
Collared Dove x 6
Feral Pigeon x 2
House Sparrow x 18
Herring Gulls x 6
Magpie x 4
Robin x 4
Rook x 4
Song Thrush x 6
Starling x 20
Wood Piegon x 2

I do have a bird table and also a bird feeder, which I did not have last year.

Over the past few days I've been fortunate to see - in our rear garden in rural Essex:
2 x sparrows
2 male + 2 female blackbirds
1 x wren
1 x robin
1 x pied wagtail
2 x field pigeons
2 x collared doves
1 x fieldfare - He was eating windfall apples on front garden gravel. He'd managed to 'hide' in the apple tree by the time I found the camera but I got a couple of shots.
1 x male pheasant
1 x green woodpecker - I managed to capture him on video but the stills weren't so good as was at the limit of the camera's zoom (garden is 175').
These were seen just from quick glances out of the kitchen window - a max of 1 hour in total and I'm now hooked! The binoculars are now kept on the window sill!! Anyone any ideas for a bird table which will encourage the garden birds whilst 'discouraging' the big fat pigeons!! Sorry to discriminate but they 'muscle in' and the shy birds don't stand a chance. It also needs to be 'cat proof' as next door's often lurks in our garden.

i must have the entire house sparrow population in my garden every day at 0800 there are approx 40 waiting in my bushes to be fed.between 0800-0900 30 01 10 i had the above sparrows 6 blacvkbirds(3 male 3 female)2 greenfinch 2 chaffinch 2 robins 1 dunnock 1 wren 8 feral pigeons 4 collard doves 12 starlings 4 bluetits 2 coal tits ijackdaw 6 crows>i do have a large garden and 3 feeding stations the sparrows tend to use one while all other use the other 2

I'm not sure the one hour slot does the survey justice as i regularly see a Pied Wagtail in my small garden, along with Crows and other visitors who seemed to disappear come the RSPB weekend! Still, i recorded 5 x House Sparrows, 3 x Collared Doves, 6 x Starlings, 1 x Blackbird (the female, who's almost always accompanied by her better half, but not on this day) and a nice surprise, 1 x Song Thrush. No tits or finches, no Robin or Wren. Also had a Sparrow Hawk and a Grey Heron come through last year too. Just rejoined the RSPB as a result of this - saw the Big Birdwatch seg on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ news before work, so well done Auntie. Family membership for £6 a month (can cancel at any time) brings free entry to all 200 RSPB reserves, a free UK wildlife book and seasonal Birds magazine. My lad gets a birthday card too. Money well spent, as they lobby for other related good causes i.e. the recent Marine Conservation Bill. Recommended - if you appreciate our wonderful countryside, go join.

Chaffinches down 27%, Starlings down 79%, Blackbirds down 18%, House Sparrows down 62% since 1979! I wonder what the perecentage increase for Birds of Prey is since 1979? It doesn't take a genius to work out where these birds are going. 26,000 nesting pairs of Sparrowhawks alone, need 52,000 songbirds a day that is close to 19 million a year! (Thats not even including the Peregrines, Goshawks and other birds of Prey. This is biggest reason these poor songbirds are being decimated. Several articles have appeared recently in National newspapers highlighting this and now the Garden Watch is providing the proof! We need to start opening our eyes otherwise the days of looking out of window at seeing blue tits, chaffinches and wrens will sadly be over!

Hello, I live in a rural area, and I have been listing to the birds, I regularly take the dog for a walk, and I see and hear 2 bird of pray they are called marsh harriers, I also hear but don't see as is very dark are lapwings my partner thought they were owls but I have been on the RSPB website and confirmed on there that it is lapwing I hear, they have a very distinct call.
I would love to help more in anyway I can.
Thank you for your time, Yours sincerely Stephanie Pearson

I have a bird box with a camera to view the birds.
I have now got a blue tit nesting on ELEVEN eggs, is this normal and will they all hatch.\i am very exited that i can see all that is going on in the nest box.
As this is the first time i am witnessing the event how long will it taker the blue tit to hatch any of the eggs.