A battered Big Garden Birdwatch

Well the Big Garden Birdwatch proved to be a bit of battle for our resilient counters. The chosen weekend with it high winds, heavy rain, hailstorms and thunder and lightning, was atrocious, the RSPB couldn’t have picked a better weekend...not.

Laura from Liverpool RSPB undertook a mini scouse birdwatch count, 17 households across Merseyside and Warrington sent in their counts which you can see on the tables below. 

Adjectives used to describe results and experiences read - disappointing, poor, awful, missing, nothing unusual, arrived later  and down. According to twitter and the on BBC's Winterwatch we weren’t alone, the feeling was nationwide and the count was further exasperated by the RSPB website crashing, hopefully just overwhelmed by the response! 

I’m sure you’ll draw your own conclusions from the table, and certainly the weather appears to have affected the counts, as many people stated they had regulars missing and numbers even halved from a more usual winters day count.

I was not surprised to see goldfinches at the top as these birds have been in ascendancy in recent years, indeed from our table the finches were more prevalent in gardens than our poor sparrows and starlings

Neither was I surprised to see wood pigeon in the top 10 either , these birds moving in to suburbia from their more traditional farmland habitat.

Once again House sparrows and starlings showing a worrying trend with only 5/6 households out of 17 having them visit. 

Blackbirds were top of the list for presence, followed by bluetit.

Not a sniff of mistle and song thrushes anywhere, with only fieldfare arriving in our Warrington garden. Perhaps the weather is too mild, I usually only get the thrushes when it snows!

A little comparison count was included, sent in by our BTO friend Bob who lives in Shropshire.  I was expecting to see more farmland birds than rook, jackdaws and fieldfare, but he did have a great count of 32 H sparrows – apparently 60 arrived after his count! Obviously the rural habitat suits this flock and maybe it will give us a few pointers on what we should be doing in town. Bob rings his sparrows as part of the BTO's bird survival project: 

http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/ringing/surveys/ras/about-ras

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

Many thanks to all those who took part in my little survey, I hope you find it of interest, please free  to add you comments, observations  on our blog.

`Bob’s Shropshire			Total seen	Of 17 Mersey gardens/green spaces
3		Blackbird	42	16 Gardens
		Blackcap	1	1
5		Blue tit	22	13
3		Chaffinch	15	8
		Coal tit	4	3
2		Collared dove	5	3
		Crow	6	2
2		Dunnock	9	7
9		Fieldfare
6		Goldfinch	65	9
		Greenfinch	10	6
		Grey wagtail	1	1
		Gt spotted woodpecker	2	2
4		Gt tit	14	10
32		House Sparrow	31	5
3		Jackdaw
		Long tailed tit	8	3
1		Magpie	17	10
		Pied wagtail	1	1
		Pigeon feral	22	4
		Redwing	5	1
2		Robin	13	11
1		Rook
		Sparrowhawk	1	1
3		Starling	34	6
		Wood pigeon	29	12
		Wren	1	1

	Top 10 2014	Total seen	% of 17 gardens
1	Goldfinch	65	53%
2	Blackbird	42	94.%
3	Starling	34	37.5%
4	H sparrow	31	31.25%
5	W pigeon	29	70%
6	Blue tit	22	76%
7	Feral pigeon	22	23%
8	Magpie	17	62.50%
9	Chaffinch	15	47%
10	G tit	14	62.50%

Merseyside 2013
1	Merseyside	Blackbird
2	Merseyside	House sparrow
3	Merseyside	Starling
4	Merseyside	Blue tit
5	Merseyside	Woodpigeon
6	Merseyside	Goldfinch
7	Merseyside	Collared dove
8	Merseyside	Magpie
9	Merseyside	Robin
10	Merseyside	Feral pigeon

Time to witness a wildlife spectacle to remember at Parkgate

The high tide in December was accompanied by atrocious weather high winds and rain and alot of the wirral coastline sustained damage. Parkgate promenade was submerged, cars were carried away, and many creatures were drowned  hopefully it won't be  a repeat performance on  the weather front.   

Water rail

Enjoy a date with nature at Parkgate this weekend and join the RSPB toexperience one of the best wildlife spectacles in the region.Many local people are familiar with the phenomenon of the high spring

tides flooding the vast saltmarsh of the estuary, but few have been there to witness it and the activity that follows.

In a bid to encourage people to experience the wildlife spectacle forthemselves, free events will be held by the team from RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserves from Friday 31 Jan to Monday 3 Feb with telescopes and binoculars available for public use.

Dan Trotman, Visitor Development Officer at RSPB Dee Estuary reserves,said:  The high tides in early December and January were some of the biggest and sadly most destructive in many years. Seeing the incoming tide reach the sea wall at Parkgate is unimaginable on a normal day due to the extent of the marsh, but in December the tide even came over the wall onto the promenade.

These infrequent natural events are something we like to celebrate because it is a chance for people to see this part of our nature reserve on the estuary at its most impressive. The Dees saltmarsh is home to hundreds of small mammals which are flushed from their homes by the incoming tide, attracting magnificent birds of prey including short-eared owls and hen harriers to feed.

With thousands of wetland birds trying to keep on the edge of the water, large flocks can be seen shifting around trying to find drier ground. Other predators take advantage too   foxes will be more than happy to snatch an easy meal, whilst even herons and gulls have been seen helping themselves to voles and small birds.

It’s not easy watching the voles desperately fleeing for their lives in December dozens were scrambling up the sea wall and running across the road   but it s a great reminder of how much wildlife is thriving on the marsh and the value of the RSPB protecting such a vast wilderness.

The RSPB will be hosting the free events at Parkgates Old Baths car park and at the Donkey Stand on the four days of upcoming high tides; Friday 31 January, Saturday 1, Sunday 2 and Monday 3 February.

Dan added:  The extent of the spectacle is dependent on the weather conditions on the day low pressure and a strong northwesterly wind are the best to drive the tide in fully, which is quite likely with the weather we’ve had so far this winter. Obviously thats something we won’t know for definite until closer to the time; it’s a case of keeping an eye on the weather forecast, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed and be present at Parkgate regardless.

Car parking is limited on Parkgate promenade and at the Old Baths car park, but the RSPB has arranged for extra free parking to be available for visitors at Marsh Nurseries on Boathouse Lane (CH64 6RD) and the

Wirral Country Park car park on Station Road (CH64 6QJ).

The events are fully supported by Cheshire West and Chester council and are part of the Wild Wirral  Date with Nature , which is showcasing the outstanding wildlife of the Wirral Peninsula and its coastline through

a series of events in partnership with Wirral Borough Council this winter. Full details and dates of further events can be found on the RSPB website, here: www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/327690-wild-wirral-

For more information on the RSPB Dee Estuary reserves and activities,please call the reserve on 0151 353 8478, or check out the website.

www.rspb.org.uk/deeestuary

**** Liverpool RSPB Event Sunday 02/02/14 The Wirral Wander 

 http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/Liverpool/events/

Stormy Wirral

Counting the birds that are counting on you in Merseyside

Buntings and finches

Big Garden Birdwatch   25 and 26 January 2014

More than half a million people are expected to be watching their garden birds at the weekend (25-26 January), for the RSPB s Big Garden Birdwatch.

And with many of the UK's most common garden birds and other creatures in steep decline, the charity needs participation more than ever.

The weather plays an important role in the number of birds in gardens each winter and experts are interested to see if the helter-skelter conditions around the country so far this year mean birds seem scarce, or they appear in their droves.

Whatever happens with the weather this weekend, the results will be compared with those from winters in the past, stretching back to the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979. Any changes alert experts to track 

the winners and losers in the garden bird world and long-term trends stand out even when year-to-year differences in the weather are taken into account.

And this year, for the first time in over thirty years, participants are being asked to log some of the other wildlife they see in their gardens too. The RSPB also wants to know whether people ever see deer, squirrels, badgers, hedgehogs, frogs and toads in their gardens.With the charity s new Giving Nature a Home ampaign meaning even more people than ever before are providing their wild creatures with new habitats, the RSPB will be able to help build an overall picture of how important our gardens are for giving all types of nature a home.

Also new for 2014 is the RSPB s LIVE bird counter, making it even easier to take part. The counter can be accessed from the RSPB website and doesn't even need to be downloaded - simply take your laptop, tablet or smartphone to the window, enter the birds you see as you see them, while the clock counts down your hour.

Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director says:  Winter has felt more like autumn for many of us and this could have a significant impact on the number of birds in our gardens.Birds come into gardens for food when they can t find it in the wider countryside but if insects and berries continue to be available long into winter, numbers visiting gardens may be down. The Big Garden Birdwatch will be really interesting this year and will be a good indication of just how much the weather affects their behaviour.

The key thing for the RSPB is that even if you feel you don t have as many birds in your garden compared to normal, we still desperately need your results. We will be able to compare results to other mild winter years and compare regional trends, so if you don t see many birds, we still need to know, it s really useful information."The more people that take part, the greater our understanding of the threats and the solutions will be."

Starlings hit an all time low in the 2013 Birdwatch with their numbers sinking by a further 16 per cent from 2012.Numbers of house sparrows,  which are of high conservation concern, dropped by 17 per cent in gardens, compared to 2012, whilst numbers of bullfinches and dunnocks were down by 20 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

House Sparrows

These worrying declines mirror the findings of the State of Nature report which was launched last year by 25 UK wildlife groups with the backing of Sir David Attenborough. The report revealed that 60 per cent of the wildlife species included are in decline, and one in ten of these could be the road to extinction in the UK unless something is done to save them The data gathered in the Big Garden Birdwatch on the mammal and amphibian species will be shared with conservation partners so they can add it to their own records and will be used to help the RSPB tailor its advice on giving nature a home, so people can help their wild visitors nest, feed and breed successfully.

Starlings

To take part, people are asked to spend just one hour at any time of the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend noting the highest number of each bird species seen in their gardens or local outside space at anyone time. 

They then have three weeks to submit their results to the RSPB, either online at ww.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch or in the post.

Participants don t have to actually count the other species like hedgehogs and frogs during the birdwatch hour; just tell the RSPB  whether they have ever seen them in their gardens, at any time of year.

Miranda Krestovnikoff, RSPB President, says:  So many of us spend time giving our nature a home, whether that's feeding garden birds, putting up nestboxes or planting the right things. This is the perfect opportunity to reap the benefits - it's so rewarding seeing creatures taking up your hospitality.

Sparrowhawk

It's easy to take part and great fun; I can't wait to settle down with my children and a cup of tea and we'll eagerly await some of our regular visitors. We're all hoping that our nuthatch and bullfinch pay a visit during our hour.

"The RSPB urgently needs as many people to take part as possible. The more people involved, the more we'll be able to understand which of our wildlife is most under threat and take action."

Schools can also get involved in the Big Schools  Birdwatch. Around 75,000 children and teachers take part each year and is a brilliant way of helping youngsters connect with nature in their school grounds or 

local green space. This year s schools  birdwatch will take place  from 20 January - 14 February and schools can pick any hour within these four weeks to join in. Find out more at:  www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

School bell rings in Merseyside to mark the start of world s biggest school wildlife survey

Big Schools  Birdwatch   20 January to 14 February 2014

From 20th January, children across Merseyside will be taking part in the world s biggest school wildlife survey.

They will be among around 75,000 students and teachers from 2,000 schools in the country counting the birds that visit their grounds as part of the RSPB s Big Schools  Birdwatch, running from 20 Jan -14

Feb 2014.

The survey, which has been taking place for more than a decade, encourages schoolchildren of all ages, and their teachers, to discover which birds they share their school grounds with and learn about their behaviour. Each school s findings help the RSPB s experts to build a picture of birds visiting schools and monitor any changes in population. The results also contribute to the conservation charity' s Big Garden Birdwatch, which is the world s biggest wildlife survey.

Last year, participants in the Big Schools  Birdwatch discovered that for the fifth year running, the blackbird is the most commonly seen bird in school grounds with 89% of schools seeing an average of six . 

The starling took the second spot, with more than 40% of schools seeing an average of 4.2. 

And the black-headed gull came third, knocking the woodpigeon off that spot from last year.

Carol Bamber, RSPB Education Officer in Northern England, said:  For four weeks this winter, schoolchildren are encouraged to stare out of the classroom window for a good reason; to take part in the RSPB s Big Schools  Birdwatch.

 By keeping a look out and making a note of the different kinds of birds which visit their school grounds, children will discover much more about the wildlife on their school doorstep and become excited about the world around them.

They' ll not only improve their observation skills and enjoy a great learning experience, but the children will also be encouraged to want to help to give nature a home, which is fantastic.

There s still time for schools to sign up to take part in the Birdwatch. Teachers, helpers or children don t need to be experts to take part in the survey. Everything a teacher would need to plan a fantastic Birdwatch, and develop their children s knowledge and interest in the birds they see everyday, is available to download,

including guidance notes, recipes, things to make and counting charts.  Carol added:  There's plenty of flexibility for schools to run the survey as simply as they would like, or as the centrepiece of cross-curricular studies, project work or as part of work to improve their school grounds.

 It s fun, easy and simple to set up, it works for all ages, and even if it s a dull, rainy January day you can still gaze out of classroom and see a flash of colour. We hope as many schools as possible in Tyne and Wear will take part in this great event.

The RSPB has also introduced the Little Schools  Birdwatch, designed for 5s and under, and the Really Big Schools  Birdwatch, for 11-14 year olds.

For further information and to get hold of a free Big Schools , Little Schools  or Really Big Schools  Birdwatch teachers  pack, visit rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

The Big, Little and Really Big Schools  Birdwatches are part of the world s biggest birdwatching event; the RSPB s Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place over the weekend of 25/26 January 2014.

In defiance of the Weather Man!

Brent geese - Rhodie Blythe

At 8.30 on Saturday morning, 14 or so of us defied the weather man who said it would rain all day and walked to Hilbre Island for an Over Tide Watch. 

As we walked across Curlew, Turnstone and Redshank were spotted feeding on various bits of beach or rocks waiting for the onrushing tide to ruin their breakfasts.  One lone Grey Plover and one Little Egret was seen and some Common Gulls.  Plus Oystercatchers in their thousands.  Then we had the privilege of seeing Brent Geese flying overhead.  The Knot gave us their murmuration.  Wow!

 

Oycs - Rhodie Blythe

As you all know the tide comes in at a very fast pace and we watched in awe of its power, as it drove the waders up looking for exposed ground. 

We finally reached Hilbre Island and went to the north end.  Sean spotted Common Scoter giving us a flypast; eat your hearts out Red Arrows!  Then a harbour Porpoise was seen in the distance in the direction of Gronant.

 

Scoter - Rhodie Blythe

Pretty soon the tide had taken every bit of beach and we watched the water, to be rewarded by lots of Great Crested Grebe bobbing about in the swell.  They were soon joined by Common Scoter, Cormorant and Atlantic Grey Seal who had a lovely time watching us.  Then Purple Sandpiper came into view and the camera lens clicked away!

A real treat was a talk on the ringing which takes place on Hilbre and we walked through the Heligoland Traps which were empty.  A Wren was seen nearby making a lot of noise, then a Robin!  Back to the north of the island and 3 Common Scoter were feeding on the exposed rocky beach, they were so close you could see their amazing bills, and they were soon joined by the exquisite Brent Geese, such beautiful birds.

Then the weather man won!  We battled our way to West Kirby against a very strong wind with the rain washing our faces until we arrived, extremely tired, back to the cars.  What a day!

Rhodie

The Sentinel of the Marshes

Here's a little id  insight for you, look for the white wedges,  excellent photo for you to remember when looking thru you binos. Greenshank no white markings on wings & green legs!  

 Look for the W shape on back in flight.   Redshanks - N prendergast

Redshank -  N Prendergast

The so called  'Sentinel of the marshes'  as it's the first species to take to the air when flushed whilst making an awful lot of noise.

Very good identification video on Shank differences here:

http://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/bto-bird-id-common-shanks

Laura