Welshpool’s birds need your help!

In 2011, RSPB Cymru celebrates its 100th Birthday with the first event of the Centenary year - the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch - on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 January.

 

Over 27,000 people in Wales recorded 73 species in over 14,500 gardens across Wales in 2010 helping the charity to monitor the birds visiting gardens over the winter period.

 

As part of RSPB Cymru’s birthday celebrations it is looking for even more people in Wales to take part in the world’s biggest ever wildlife survey. Volunteers don’t have to be an expert as the more results received the clearer the picture.

 

Dana Thomas from RSPB Cymru said: “Big Garden Birdwatch is great for the whole family to do together. I’m convinced participation figures remain high because it’s so easy to join in.

 

“By giving up just one hour over the weekend, you can make a real difference to our knowledge of garden birds, helping us to distinguish the ones that are doing well from those that need help.”

 

And if you haven’t got children, use the birdwatch as an excuse to sit back and watch the wildlife outside your window for 60 minutes of your day.

 

Dana added: “You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your warm home to take part – in fact, we’d really rather you stayed indoors so as not to disturb the birds in your garden.”

 

Past Big Garden Birdwatch results have enabled RSPB Wales to embark upon studies to identify the cause of certain species decline as well as steps to help them recover. Most prominently, the house sparrow which despite continuing to top the chart, has shown a rapid decrease since 1979 dropping from an average of 10 birds per garden to just 4.9.

 

Results from 2010 provided a good understanding of how birds were coping with the prolonged cold spell. Unusually high numbers of countryside birds like fieldfares, redwings, bullfinches and yellowhammers were spotted in gardens. More usually found in fields and farmland trees and hedgerows, these birds visited our gardens for food when they couldn’t find enough in their usual haunts.

 

To do your bit for garden birds, simply spend one hour over the weekend 29/30 January 2011 counting the birds in your garden or local park and record the highest number of every bird species seen at any one time.

 

For further information and online resources to help you with your birdwatch, visit the RSPB website, www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. An online results form will be available from Saturday 29 January until 18 February 2011.