It's also a great way to get children interested in the wider world. My older daughter loved 'bird watching' in our garden when she was very young, and she still loves birds now. To the extent that - the other day, she brought home two dead blackbirds that we think had flown into the bus shelter where she gets off for work. She'd mentioned it last weekend when I picked her up. They've had a proper burial in the back garden. Her sister said 'I wonder what the other people on the bus would have thought if they'd asked her what was in the bag!' I expect the decline in things like greenfinches in many areas has been useful. When we lived round the corner, the most common bird, by far, was chaffinch. They're rare in this garden, but I've had a few coming in now and again, so that's great. They were prone to that disease which affects their beak, and therefore eating. There's also the option to add the other birds you see - we have wrens and goldcrests, but they don't appear very often. I can still add them. I wonder if any of the houses nearer the farm will be able to note hedge sparrows this year due to the chap and his sin and their work nearby
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm beginning to wonder whether the RSPB shouldn't advertise the Watch quite so widely next year. The birds ( or at least "ours" ) seem to be well aware of the dates and chosen hour and congregate in the Churchyard opposite. As it gets towards the final few minutes, they then send a scout into the garden which carefully watches until the Send button has been pressed, flies back to the others and tweets " OK folks, time to pile in ". Little wretches
It's 'KitKat panda' syndrome @philippasmith2 I did mine earlier, but I thought the form was slightly different in the way it was laid out. I'm sure you used to be able to just add other birds you'd seen in your garden, even if they weren't present in that hour. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it didn't appear to have that option - just the one for adding birds not on their list. I'll have to look back at the previous years' submissions.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl Aye !! I too think the format has changed slightly - I do recall last year having to add GS woodpecker. Had to add that again as well as wagtail. I did manage to do it in the end but it seemed very time consuming to sort it. Not quite the hour I spent searching for birds but not far off
This is my 9th year of submitting my results and every year I have the same farce with the website. My password doesn't work so I ask to reset the password, it tells me the essential components that the new password needs (number, symbol etc) then when I type it in it tells me my new password can't be the same as my old password. It would be so much easier if they just gave the criteria on the login page
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I agree @wild edges - I had to do the same and I reckon my password was probably the same as the old one. I find that problem with lots of sites too - if they would tell you at the start that you need at least 8 letters, a capital, a number blah blah blah, it would save time.
I know what you mean @philippasmith2 - they'd probably navigate round the site more quickly
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't really understand the bird status either, how 'common' can also be red listed. Perhaps if they were classed as something between common and rare, people would appreciate them more when they visited, and be more inclined to encourage them.
@Fairygirl your daughter sounds like me, I've been known to stop traffic so I can rescue an injured bird from the road. I had good wildlife parenting too. 😊
I tried resetting my password twice, but never got an email, so I just did 'guest' status.. also I tried adding stock doves to the list, but nothing happened. It's not an easy site!
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To the extent that - the other day, she brought home two dead blackbirds that we think had flown into the bus shelter where she gets off for work. She'd mentioned it last weekend when I picked her up. They've had a proper burial in the back garden. Her sister said 'I wonder what the other people on the bus would have thought if they'd asked her what was in the bag!'
I expect the decline in things like greenfinches in many areas has been useful. When we lived round the corner, the most common bird, by far, was chaffinch. They're rare in this garden, but I've had a few coming in now and again, so that's great. They were prone to that disease which affects their beak, and therefore eating.
There's also the option to add the other birds you see - we have wrens and goldcrests, but they don't appear very often. I can still add them. I wonder if any of the houses nearer the farm will be able to note hedge sparrows this year due to the chap and his sin and their work nearby
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I did mine earlier, but I thought the form was slightly different in the way it was laid out. I'm sure you used to be able to just add other birds you'd seen in your garden, even if they weren't present in that hour. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it didn't appear to have that option - just the one for adding birds not on their list.
I'll have to look back at the previous years' submissions.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I too think the format has changed slightly - I do recall last year having to add GS woodpecker. Had to add that again as well as wagtail. I did manage to do it in the end but it seemed very time consuming to sort it. Not quite the hour I spent searching for birds but not far off
I find that problem with lots of sites too - if they would tell you at the start that you need at least 8 letters, a capital, a number blah blah blah, it would save time.
I know what you mean @philippasmith2 - they'd probably navigate round the site more quickly
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl your daughter sounds like me, I've been known to stop traffic so I can rescue an injured bird from the road. I had good wildlife parenting too. 😊
I've done that for worms
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful