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

Merseyside, it’s time to join in the world’s largest wildlife survey

Fieldfare and  Redwing on Pyracantha

Over half a million people expected to participate in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch on 30 and 31 January 2016

People in Merseyside taking part in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch will be helping to provide conservation scientists with valuable data about the changes in numbers of birds using our gardens in winter, enabling them to help protect our wildlife for future generations. 

More than half a million people are expected to watch and count their garden birds this weekend in what is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey.

For almost forty years, the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch has helped raise awareness of those species in decline like starlings and song thrushes, whose numbers have dropped by an alarming 80 and 70 per cent respectively since the Birdwatch began in 1979

There is slightly better news for the house sparrow, as its long term decline appears to have slowed and it remains the most commonly spotted bird in our gardens. However, its numbers have dropped by 58 per cent since 1979

Dr Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Last year’s survey was another great year for participation. More than half a million people took part and more than 8.5 million birds were spotted in gardens across the country. 

 “With so many people now taking part, the results we get from gardens are very valuable. And as the format of the survey has always been the same, this data can be compared year-on-year. The results help us create an annual ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK, which, combined with over 30 years’ worth of data, allows us to monitor trends and understand how birds are doing.”

With the last month of 2015 being reported as the wettest and warmest December on record but with temperatures since varying between freezing and unseasonable mild, the results from Big Garden Birdwatch will also help the charity understand how these unusual weather conditions have affected birds visiting gardens this winter.

Ben Andrew, RSPB Wildlife Advisor, said: “If the UK experiences a continuation of these milder temperatures, those taking part in Big Garden Birdwatch may notice their gardens quieter than in other years. The milder weather means that there is more food available in the wider countryside, with birds being less reliant on garden feeders. However, winter is a hard time for our garden wildlife so it’s still vital that people keep their feeders stocked up with a variety of energy-rich food so birds can find food whatever the weather. Either way, mild or cold, it will be fascinating to see how the birds respond this weekend.”

For the third year running, the RSPB is also asking participants to log some of the other wildlife they see in their gardens throughout the year such as hedgehogs, foxes, stoats and squirrels, to help build an overall picture of how important gardens are for giving nature a home. The RSPB will share the results with Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (ARC), People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The Mammal Society to add to their species databases. Results will help all the organisations involved build their understanding about the threats facing garden wildlife 

Dr Fiona Mathews, Chair of The Mammal Society, said: “Gardens can offer fantastic habitat for wild mammals, simply leave things a bit untidy and watch what happens.  For example, a bramble patch and a pile of fallen leaves can provide a good nesting site for hedgehogs, whilst bats will feed on night flying-insects attracted to blackberry flowers.”

Dr John Wilkinson, from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), said: "It's great to see that the Big Garden Birdwatch is again recording species such as grass snakes and slow-worms, whose habitats are declining in the wider countryside. Gardens are crucial habitats for much of the UK's pressured biodiversity and you can, for example, encourage slow-worms into your garden by having a compost heap which is left undisturbed over the summer so they can give birth there - they will repay you by demolishing your slugs! If you're lucky, grass snakes may even use your heap for egg-laying."

David Wembridge, Mammal Surveys Co-ordinator, People’s Trust for Endangered Species, said: “Mammals are a less showy lot than birds but their presence in gardens is just as important an indicator of the natural value of these green spaces. Recording wildlife as part of the Big Garden Birdwatch lets us see how rich, surprising and precious our wild neighbours are.”

The survey is part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the housing crisis facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. The RSPB is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces – whether it’s putting up a nest box for birds, creating a pond to support a number of different creatures or building a home for a hedgehog. The Big Garden Birdwatch is just one of the steps you can take to help nature near you. 

To take part, simply request a free pack from the RSPB website or register your details to save time on the weekend. 

The RSPB will be live blogging throughout the weekend and offering downloadable bird song on their website as a soundtrack for the bird watch. If you fancy a sweet treat whilst counting the birds, delicious new cake recipes from Frances Quinn, winner of the Great British Bake Off 2013, will also be available on our website. For more information, visit rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

The parallel event, Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place on 4 January- 12 February 2016. Further information can be found at rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

This table shows the top 10 birds seen in Merseyside gardens in 2015

Species	Average number per garden	Rank
House sparrow	3.02	1
Starling	2.92	2
Blackbird	2.66	3
Blue tit	2.44	4
Woodpigeon	2.06	5
Magpie	1.69	6
Robin	1.42	7
Goldfinch	1.42	8
Feral pigeon	1.35	9
Great tit	1.22	10

 

Love Art? An invitation

AN EXHIBITION OF 

BIRD PAINTINGS 

BY LIVERPOOL WILDLIFE ARTIST

ANTHONY SMITH

VIEW TWO GALLERY

23 MATHEW STREET

LIVERPOOL L2 6R

OPENING: THURSDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2016 (6 -9PM)

EXHIBITION open Fridays and Saturdays 12- 5pm 

from Friday 26th February - Saturday 26th March

Or by appointment - please call Bob Williams

07875060086

Anthony is a freelance Wildlife Artist living and working in Merseyside who specialises in paintings of birds based on sketches and observations made in and around his 'local patch', Merseyside…the Mersey Estuary for example, which  holds large flocks of winter Teal, Pintail and Shelduck as well as other waders. 

I think his paintings are stunning, here’s some of them on his website : http://www.anthonysmith.eu/Paint.html (New website coming soon!)

In the exhibition there will be approximately 30 paintings and they will all be for sale.

Big Garden Birdwatch - 30 and 31 January 2016

The countdown has commenced for the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey – and more people in Merseyside than ever before are being called upon to take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (January 30-31).

Now in its 37^th year, the popular event is fun for all ages and it’s easy to join in. Simply count the birds in your garden or local park for one hour over Big Garden Birdwatch weekend and tell the RSPB what you see.

The 2015 results showed an increase in most of the top 20 birds compared with 2014, thanks to over 585,000 pairs of eyes watching their gardens. The house sparrow retained top spot - who will be this year's hero?

And for the third time in the event’s history, participants are also being asked to log some of the other wildlife which snuffles and settles in their gardens and local parks, and this year there are two new additions to the survey list; slow worms and grass snakes.

To help you prepare for the Big Garden Birdwatch, there are plenty of events taking place in Merseyside throughout January – from discovering how to attract more wildlife into your garden to gaining tips on how to identify the creatures which live on your doorstep.

Go along to RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands on Saturday 23 January between 11 am-3 pm to make a tasty bird cake which you can take home and hang in the garden to attract our feathered friends. RSPB staff and volunteers will also be on hand to offer advice about what to feed garden birds during the winter months. The event is free, but donations are welcome to cover costs of materials.
Learn how to recognise a variety of different garden birds at the reserve’s feeding station. Friendly staff will be able to help you brush up on identification skills in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch, as well as sharing tips on how to attract birds to your garden. Normal reserve entry charges apply for non-members. For more information call 0151 353 8478 or email deeestuary@rspb.org.uk.

In the build-up to Big Garden Birdwatch weekend, head to Sefton Park’s Palm House on Sunday 24 January where members of RSPB Liverpool Local Group will be on hand to share plenty of tips and advice on how to make sure your Big Garden Birdwatch is a success. The free drop-in will run from 12 pm-4 pm. For more information, call 07831 352870 or email christtynan@aol.com.

“Last year, around half a million people took part and 8,546,845 birds were counted, so we are hoping even more people join in this year, as the more people involved, the more we can learn. So join in and be part of the world’s biggest garden wildlife survey – without having to leave your sofa.”

Participants can record the birds as they see them directly onto a laptop, tablet or smartphone with an online bird counting tool or send results in the post.

To help attract wildlife into your garden, there are plenty of tips for helping to give nature a home where you live on the RSPB website. No matter how big or small your outside space, there’s something you can do to make a difference. Visit www.rspb.org.uk/homes for more information.

Register to take part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2016 at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. Alternatively, call 0300 456 8330.

Twitter,  #BigGardenBirdwatch.

World’s biggest school wildlife survey celebrates 15 years, with children in Merseyside set to join in the fun
RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch, 4 January- 12 February 2016

Tens of thousands of schoolchildren across the UK, including Merseyside, will be peering out of their classroom windows this month to take part in the world’s biggest school wildlife survey.

 

Now in its 15^th year, the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch [note 2] helps to track numbers of birds in school grounds, giving the charity an insight into the wildlife which is doing well or not so well, and providing schoolchildren with a great learning experience.

 

Running from 4 January- 12 February 2016, the survey encourages schoolchildren of all ages, and their teachers, to count the birds in their school grounds for one hour of one day. Each school’s findings help the RSPB’s experts to build a picture of bird populations and monitor any changes, while carrying out the survey helps children to improve their observation skills.

 

Last year, a record breaking 90,000 pupils and teachers across the UK took part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch, which revealed the blackbird as the most commonly seen bird in school grounds, with 85% of schools seeing an average of five [see note 3].

Now the RSPB is looking forward to receiving this year’s school wildlife sightings, which also contribute to the results of the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch – the biggest wildlife survey in the world, taking place on 30-31 January.

James Harding-Morris, RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch Co-ordinator said: “This fun and educational activity is suitable for all ages and abilities and, best of all, it takes just one lesson or lunchtime.

 

“Research has shown that children are increasingly disconnected from nature [note 4], which is linked to poorer physical and mental health, so this event is a great way to get young people excited about the world around them. It also provides us with valuable information on how some of our familiar birds are doing and encourages the children to help give nature a home.”

 

There is 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, things to make and counting charts. To register to take part, visit rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch

The Big Schools’ Birdwatch and Big Garden Birdwatch are part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the problems facing the UK’s threatened wildlife. For more information on how to give nature a home, visit rspb.org.uk/homes