Eye spy with my little eye

THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH IS BACK AND NEEDS YOUR HELP

With more of our UK garden birds needing help than ever before, your participation in the RSPB's 43rd 'Big Garden Birdwatch' taking place from 28th-30th January 2022, couldn't come at a better time. According to a report that came out at the end of last year (December 2021), more than a quarter of our UK's bird species are in need of urgent conservation action!

In all, 70 of the UK's 245 regularly occurring types of birds in the 'Birds of Conservation Concern 5' report are now of 'highest conservation concern' and have been placed on the assessment's Red List. These include the Swift, House Martin, Greenfinch and Bewick's Swan which according to the RSPB are mostly due to severe population declines.

'Birds of Conservation Concern 5' was compiled by a coalition of the UK's leading bird conservation and monitoring organisations reviewing the status of all regularly occurring birds in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. As well as 70 species being placed on the Red List, 103 are on the Amber List and only 72 on the Green List.

"This is more evidence that the UK's wildlife is in freefall and not enough is being done to reverse declines," said the RSPB's CEO, Beccy Speight. "With almost double the number of birds on the Red List since the first review in 1996, we are seeing once common species such as Swift and Greenfinch now becoming rare. As with our climate this really is the last chance saloon to halt and reverse the destruction of nature ... the coming decade is crucial to turning things around."

A fun activity for all the family During the Big Garden Bird Watch 2022 you'll be asked to count the birds you can see for one hour and then report back. Even if you see nothing let the RSPB know so they can build up a picture of how garden birds are faring. Last year over a million people took part and recorded over 17 million birds, which helped the RSPB create an accurate picture of how our feathered friends are getting on, as well as highlighting which species most need our help. The top 10 birds spotted in the 2021 survey included house sparrows, blue tits, starlings, blackbirds, woodpigeons, robins, great tits, goldfinches, magpies and long-tailed tits.

Click HERE for your Free Big Garden Bird Watch guide