Big Garden Birdwatch

Just in case you’ve not heard – it’s the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend.  

And why am I blogging about this?  Well, if the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that nature is pretty darn wonderful – and precious.  Also, most of us have discovered we quite like to do community stuff sitting from our armchairs – because we can’t really do much else.  This weekend’s birdwatch ticks all those boxes, and more.  

Jokes aside there is a serious point for taking part in this as well.

67 species of birds are now on a red list called the Birds of Concern Conservation list, using established ornithological criteria and assessed as ongoing work out in the field to gather qualitative data to create a detailed report of findings.

The 67 include well-known birds such as skylarks, puffins – event house sparrows.  Imagine a world without sparrows!

The birdwatch this weekend is like having eyes on the ground.  By counting the birds we see in places that we know really well, like our garden or local park, we can help create a picture of how well or not our more urban and suburban-based birds are doing.  

The birdwatching hour also has another important role.  It gives us an opportunity to just stop, sit down for a while and take in the view in front of us.  To perhaps engage with family over some binoculars instead of electronic equipment, or just observe on our own.  Maybe even participate in an online group birdwatch?  However it’s done we get a chance to enjoy watching nature play out in front of us.  And it’s always pretty impressive. 

Watching the birds busying themselves to find food and water, or joining in social groups on the ground to feast on some seed that’s been scattered.  To watch as they flit about, always on the lookout for predators.  Or as they take a bath, splashing water over the side of a dish or pond, carefully cleaning and preening afterwards.

And just to be able to listen to that beautiful bird song.  They are as excited spring is coming as we are, you just listen.  The calls and shrills they make determine whether they are happy or worried, annoyed or pleased and they communicate to each other in this way from the time they get flying in the morning to the time the sun goes down. 

Colour is another wonderful thing to discover with birds – so much colour.  Reds, yellows, blues and everything in between.  Nothing beats the iridescent feathers of starlings.  

The world of birds is just as magical as it is educational.  And the more you watch the more you’ll see.

You’ll see!

If you get a chance this weekend.  Have a go.  For you and for the birds.  Because no one wants a world without birds.

Thank you for reading.