COUNT THE BIRDS

Forget mid-winter blues

Count the birds from your window

The BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH

will soon be here...

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You probably already know this is happening and are all prepared with binoculars, cups of tea/ coffee and seats by the window - this is just a reminder.

THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH is taking place at the end of this week on:

Friday 29th January

Saturday 30th January

Sunday 31st January

(just one hour on any of these 3 days)

TO TAKE PART go to rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

• You will need to sign up with the RSPB, and you can join in from your garden, balcony or park for one hour between 29th and 31st January.

• There's also a guide to download and an identification chart to help you.

• All the information is provided on how to make the count

• Later you can send in your findings so that these can be added to the big overall count.

Ronnie Hek has kindly provided some of his lovely photographs of birds which he took in his garden in Norham, which I hope will inspire us .

On the left is a Greenfinch

and on the right, a Nuthatch

and this - the aptly named Gold crest

and below a Goldfinch

Why does the Big Garden Birdwatch matter and how can taking part help?

This is the 42nd year that the survey has taken place. It helps us to find out what is happening to garden birds.

• Are some birds increasing or decreasing over the years?

• Why are these changes happening?

• Are there differences in different parts of the country?

The Birdwatch has collected the information for different counties in the country.

Here are the top 10 Birds found in gardens in Northumberland in 2020.

(BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2020)

Northumberland’s Top Ten Birds

1. House sparrow

2. Starling

3. Blue tit

4. Blackbird

5 Woodpigeon

6. Chaffinch

7. Goldfinch

8. Great tit

9. Robin

10. Jackdaw

This is coming to you from the Norham Natural Environment Group - we would like to thank Ronnie Hek for the photographs he has allowed us to use here.

Let us know if you have recorded any unusual bird visitors