BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH SURVEY BREAKS NEW RECORD

In January events were held around the UK to get more people to take part in the 30th Big Garden Birdwatch.
The figures: More than 552,000 people took part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch, counting over 8.5 million birds, recording 73 species in 279,000 gardens across the UK.
The facts: Blue tits made a massive comeback in the North West after we saw a worrying fall in numbers during last year’s event. In fact, in some parts of the region, more than double the number of this delightful little garden-dweller were spotted during Big Garden Birdwatch weekend.
In Merseyside – 1.99 per garden compared to 0.71 in 2008; and in Lancashire, where garden-watchers logged an average 2.25 per garden (1.45).
And the trend continued in Cheshire with a more modest increase – 2.28 compared to 1.68 last year – and Cumbria, with 3.25 this year compared to 2.64 in 2008.

Last year’s poor showing by blue tits might have been down to wet weather making the 2007 breeding season the worst ever for the garden favourite.
Heavy rain washing away caterpillars and the later emergence of these creatures are likely to have caused a food shortage for blue tits.
Matthew Capper, who helps get people involved in Big Garden Birdwatch, said: “Thank goodness we’ve seen more blue tits in our gardens this year. Big Garden Birdwatch is a great barometer of the fortunes of our garden birds and it’s always worrying when we see sharp declines in a particular kind of bird.
“But we know from years of experience – and from the information we have gathered over 30 years of Big Garden Birdwatch – that it takes a number of years’ results to see real trends emerging. It looks as though 2008 might just have been a blue tit blip.”
Matthew added: “We’re thrilled to have well over half a million people taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch this year. This is a great way for people to get closer to nature and enjoy the benefits of feeding their garden birds.“
Nationally, the house sparrow retained its top spot for the sixth year running with an average of 3.70 seen per garden. The starling, which is a former number one, came in at number two with an average of 3.21 per garden. The blackbird completed the top three with 2.84 per garden.

Keep checking for the Merseyside top ten.

Chris