rspb bird count 30-31 jan

[artdemole]

who is doing it in ther garden/are you a regular in the big happening/do you like the result.Should the list be bigger or sectioned for areas of the country

[AshLee]

I will be doing this

[Picidae]

I do it every year.

There's no need for a 'bigger' list in certain parts of the Country or for sectioning - there's space on the form to add extra species but the form does cover most regular garden species. The results give a pretty good estimate of both distribution and numbers of our garden birds - that's why it's restricted to just a one hour window and restricted to counts of birds you only see coming into garden at the same time
ie. 12.30: 3 Blackbirds (in garden at same time)
12.35: 1 Bluetit
12.38: 2 Bluetits, 3 Great Tits, 1 Songthrush etc etc

It's not a competition and people mustn't try and 'cheat' (in fact it's counterproductive to any potential conservation measures that need to be taken out if you do and may undermine the need for extra surveys which may have to be carried out if a species comes back as having a serious shortfall this year - so it doesn't do the birds any favors if you try and slip in an extra few minutes/birds!) If you record each visit/time of visit, then, at the end of your strictly timed hour, you just take the highest number of each species that visited for the survey result.
It will be hit and miss whether all of your regular birds even visit the garden during the hour surveyed. The chances are, during that same weekend, in your area (or even the same hour!), 'your' birds will be counted in someone else's garden so it avoids too much of a skewed result - that's why the 1hr window also needs to be properly observed.

Your results can be easily imputed online at the RSPB web page by ticking the boxes against the species and adding the totals seen at any one time of each species.

[tomw]

I'll be taking part. Very well thought out response there Picidae, thanks for the info. I'll make sure I follow your lead.

[SusieBee]

I'll be taking part too, really looking forward to it.

I recently gifted R.S.P.B membership to my daughter so she's really excited about it too.

I would recommend anyone with children to check the R.S.P.B kids page, there's loads of fun things to do & a great source of info.

[Monkey Orchid]

I'll be taking part, as I have done for the past ten or so years. It's nice to sit with a cup of tea and watch the birds for an hour. Wonder what the weather will be like that weekend - it can really affect the numbers of birds coming in to the garden.

[artdemole]

Good quote by Picidae.Hope others are enlightend as i am...

[SheffieldLass]

If you enjoy it and want to do more, there is the BTO Garden Bird Watch. Which you can do for every week of the year. No time limit, but best to have a similar time input each week though.

[shenk1]

Its usually the one day I can guarantee that I will see the sparrowhawk as the garden is unusually empty of birds untill 10 mins before the end of the hour and he appears from the trees.(this has happened 4 years out of the 7 I have done it)
Will still be doing it this year though

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

If you enjoy it and want to do more, there is the BTO Garden Bird Watch. Which you can do for every week of the year. No time limit, but best to have a similar time input each week though.

You have to make a payment of £15 a year for this though - you get count forms and a quarterly magazine