Make your Garden Count\u201d What did you do on the 28th and 29th of Jan 2017.\u00a0 Well done if you joined in the RSPB\u2019s Great Big Garden Birdwatch?\u00a0 But, you might consider gathering information about the birds in your garden on a more regularly basis, as advocated by David Hack our speaker in May.<\/p>\n
David is a key ambassador for the Suffolk branch of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and a renowned speaker on the importance of domestic gardens for wildlife.\u00a0 He explained that the 15,000 UK members run the Garden Birdwatch (GBW) scheme which is the largest ‘citizen science’ project of its type in the world.\u00a0 GBW members keep simple records of the birds and other wildlife which visit their gardens.\u00a0 Records are analysed by BTO scientists and results are published in leading scientific journals.\u00a0 The data collected is invaluable for wildlife conservation.\u00a0 Material is often used by TV programmes such as BBC\u2019s Spring Watch.\u00a0 Using photos and bird song recordings from his own suburban Suffolk garden, David described the rewards of observing many birds ranging from the common blackbird to the rarer siskin.\u00a0 He provided interesting information about bred populations, particularly those in decline. To this end we can help, because increasing pressure on countryside has led to many bird species using gardens for all or part of the year.\u00a0 UK gardens comprise around 10% of the total land area.\u00a0 David said the increasing importance of domestic gardens as a habitat for birds and other forms of wildlife cannot be overemphasised.\u00a0\u00a0 According to statistics, between 40% to 50% of British households provide food for birds in their gardens and its big business (approximately \u00a3200M pa).\u00a0 There are many varieties of bird food available but David\u2019s all season favourite are the sunflower hearts.\u00a0 He suggested that having several small well-made squirrel proof metal feeders dotted around the garden and positioned in unexposed areas close to hedges and bushes would get the best results.<\/p>\n
To find out more about Bird Watch, visit http:\/\/www.bto.org\/ or write to BTO, The nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IO24 2PU.\u00a0 Becoming a member costs \u00a317 and you receive an informative starter pack. Then bearing in mind that quality rather than quantity counts, the time you would spent on the GBW is up to you<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Make your Garden Count\u201d What did you do on the 28th and 29th of Jan 2017.\u00a0 Well done if you joined in the RSPB\u2019s Great Big Garden Birdwatch?\u00a0 But, you might consider gathering information about the birds in your garden … Continue reading