David and Jamie do the Big Garden Bird Watch.

Jamie, my grandson, rang the RSPB on his own initiative to ask for an information pack to do the Big Garden Bird Watch. Bloke at the other end was most impressed at a 10 year old calling.. Jamie asked if I could do BGBW in Sefton Park with him. So we went on a rather wind-chilling day and saw lots of different birds to record. What took me quite by surprise was "Look Granddad there is a dabchick". He saw it before I did. I have never spoken with him about this bird, which I only ever refer to as a little grebe, so he must have got it from a book. 

Little grebe

The other surprise was I heard a noise in the trees above me and before my brain could even begin to process the sound, he said, "Starlings Grandddad". Apart from that, he continued to spot birds before I did and he had to point them out for me! One of the highlight sightings for him was the ring-necked parakeets which have now established themselves in this part of south Liverpool. There must have been 8 - 10 of them around although we never saw any more than three at a time. 

 

We sealed off this particular granddad - grandson experience on 55 thoroughly-chilled minutes with hot chocolate and chips from the park cafe. Perhaps next year we can do it with the whole family?

David

Parakeet

RSPB Liverpool's own Big Garden Bird Watch 2016

Sparrowhawk SPECIES NO’ OF GARDENS/PARKS SEEN IN TOTAL NO’S OF BIRDS OF SPECIES SEEN RANK BY NO’S SEEN RANK By GARDEN PARKS FOUND In Blk-hd Gull 3 507* 1st 14j Blackbird 28 85 5 1j Blackcap 6 8 22 joint 12 Blue Tit 28 58 9 1j  Crow 7 121* 4 11 Chaffinch 16 38 12 5 Coal Tit 8 10 21 10 Coll Dove 10 18 18 9 Dunnock 18 27 16 4j Feral Pigeon 12 60 8 7j Goldcrest 3 3 24j 14j Goldfinch 15 169 2 6 Gt Spt Wdpk 1 1 26j 16j Great Tit 24 41 11 3j Greenfinch 11 21 17 8j HSparrow 12 64 7 7j Jackdaw 3 8* 22j 14j Jay 3 3 24j 14j L-tailed Tit 11 55 10 8j Magpie 18 37 13 4j Mist Thrush 2 1 26j 15j Nuthatch 3 6 23 14j Pied Wagtail 1 1 26j 16j Reed Bunt 1 2* 26j 16j Robin 24 30 15 3j Siskin 2 17 19 15j Sng Thrush 4 8 22j 13 Sparrowhawk 2 2 25j 15j Starling 15 139 3 6j Woodpigeon 25 73 6 2 Wren 11 12 20 8j Moorhen 2 3* 24j 15j Rg nk parakeet 1 3* 24j 16j Coot 1 2* 25j 16j Bullfinch 1 3* 24j 16j Kingfisher 1 1* 26j 16j Mallard 1 32* 14 16j Little grebe 1 2* 25j 16j Heron 3 3* 24j 14j Herring gull 2 2* 25j 15j Pheasant 1 1 26j 16j Grey wagtail 3 3 24j 14j Grey squirrel 9 12 - - SPECIES NO’ OF GARDENS/PARKS SEEN IN TOTAL NO’S OF BIRDS OF SPECIES SEEN RANK BY NO’S SEEN RANK By GARDEN PARKS FOUND In Blk-hd Gull 3 507* 1st 14j Blackbird 28 85 5 1j Blackcap 6 8 22 joint 12 Blue Tit 28 58 9 1j  Crow 7 121* 4 11 Chaffinch 16 38 12 5 Coal Tit 8 10 21 10 Coll Dove 10 18 18 9 Dunnock 18 27 16 4j Feral Pigeon 12 60 8 7j Goldcrest 3 3 24j 14j Goldfinch 15 169 2 6 Gt Spt Wdpk 1 1 26j 16j Great Tit 24 41 11 3j Greenfinch 11 21 17 8j HSparrow 12 64 7 7j Jackdaw 3 8* 22j 14j Jay 3 3 24j 14j L-tailed Tit 11 55 10 8j Magpie 18 37 13 4j Mist Thrush 2 1 26j 15j Nuthatch 3 6 23 14j Pied Wagtail 1 1 26j 16j Reed Bunt 1 2* 26j 16j Robin 24 30 15 3j Siskin 2 17 19 15j Sng Thrush 4 8 22j 13 Sparrowhawk 2 2 25j 15j Starling 15 139 3 6j Woodpigeon 25 73 6 2 Wren 11 12 20 8j Moorhen 2 3* 24j 15j Rg nk parakeet 1 3* 24j 16j Coot 1 2* 25j 16j Bullfinch 1 3* 24j 16j Kingfisher 1 1* 26j 16j Mallard 1 32* 14 16j Little grebe 1 2* 25j 16j Heron 3 3* 24j 14j Herring gull 2 2* 25j 15j Pheasant 1 1 26j 16j Grey wagtail 3 3 24j 14j Grey squirrel 9 12 - -

*Figures – due to park counts included

Coal tit

Thanks to all who sent in their recordings. 

A total of 29 gardens and 5 park areas were scrutinised.

Included in our local count were contributions from 4 buddies out in  Rainford x2, Whiston and Newton Le Willows

Not included in our local count were  2 Scottish garden guest contributions from : 

Shetland with 105 mph winds: 67 starlings, 4 house sparrows. 

And a Snowy St Fillans, Perthshire : Great tit 4, Blue tit 3, Coal tit 3, Dunnock 2, Robin 3, Bullfinch 2, Wood pigeon 2, Jackdaw 7, Blackbird 4, Chaffinch 5, House sparrow 12, Pheasant 1

Once again the weather upset the apple cart for many, saturday being very windy and sunday wet.

Recorders were up on last year, and despite their varying locations, the same bird species were recorded. Rarities tending to be in the parks.  

Selection of comments from our watchers.

‘Sadly it was one of the quietest days in the garden for a while’,

 ‘ The birds were mostly staying away from my garden too’ ,

 ‘ They all decided to stay away despite all the lovely food’ , 

 ‘Mine was pretty pathetic,’  ‘Where did all our birds go?’ ‘ Did they know about the Big Garden Bird watch and went on a go-slow?’

‘No sign of the coal tit who is usually a frequent visitor, or the two nuthatches ditto’

‘ A wet and windy Sunday meant I only saw a solitary blackbird in my back yard.

 ‘Such a mild year, I have had less rarities’

‘ I was thrilled that the Goldcrest and the Great spotted woodpecker popped along while I was counting!’

‘ After an hour with only 3 birds yesterday I had another go today with much more success’

‘Got a glimpse of a goldcrest  but it was too short for me to be confident of the ID.’

‘Last week I saw a nuthatch the first new bird to the garden list since 2001 total now stands at 35’

‘It was a quiet hour for us – due to the weather and time of day (rather later than we would have wished but the only time we had available)

‘I think all the other birds were sheltering from the relentless rain.’

‘Disaster. Saturday the birds left town.  Even the black birds didn't appear for their cheese. Sunday slightly better.’

‘The usual gold finches didn't come, probably too much food around in other gardens, neither did the long tails or the woodpecker, but we were thrilled to see a black cap’ 

‘The best show was on Sunday’. 

Remember in a world bereft of birds even a magpie would be welcome!

For those of you who have enjoyed taking part in the big garden birdwatch and would like to record more, please consider joining the BTO garden birdwatch , this will involve you recording your birds every week and uploading them to the BTO. The count includes other nature sightings such as insects & mammals and also records the type of food you put out, more recently they have included your sightings of diseased & dead specimens.

 http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw

Laura