Lyn and flowersintherain, I can see where you're coming from with your comments above, but you are mistaking the point of the count. It's not a competition to see as many species as possible in your local area. The methodology is designed to achieve information about garden birds which is comparable from year to year - it's as simple as that - and while the RSPB accepts that some people will not stick to the system, the best way to do this survey is to do exactly what they ask.
I was going to do the count yesterday, but got dragged away halfway through the hour by which time I'd seen a Dunnock. The fine but windy morning seemed to have sent all the birds into hiding. So I did 8 till 9 today and there was quite a lot of activity. The slight drizzle with windless conditions suited the birds much better.
However it's not just garden based, you could sit in your local park if you so wish. The aim is still to gauge the state of our birdlife and l stand by my belief that this will not give a true picture. I know what birds frequent my garden on a regular basis.....and they were not around yesterday! So as we don't really have neighbours as such ( 1 ) how can this portray a true reading for our area . I'm just saying that it's a great shame as we live in a wildlife enriched area, surrounded by farmland, woods and with beautiful lakes that have been made (many years ago) from a disused clay quarry. So vital information will go unrecorded.
I've done survey work for the last three BTO Atlases, flowers, and been a member for many years. The Garden Birdwatch is simply a different animal, not an inferior one.
Apart from anything else, I think the Garden Birdwatch is a useful consciousness-raising exercise - getting people interested in the birds in their garden - many just didn't realise what they could see from their own windows - lots more people feed the birds (and join the RSPB) than used to - which has to be A Good Thing
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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Lyn and flowersintherain, I can see where you're coming from with your comments above, but you are mistaking the point of the count. It's not a competition to see as many species as possible in your local area. The methodology is designed to achieve information about garden birds which is comparable from year to year - it's as simple as that - and while the RSPB accepts that some people will not stick to the system, the best way to do this survey is to do exactly what they ask.
I was going to do the count yesterday, but got dragged away halfway through the hour by which time I'd seen a Dunnock. The fine but windy morning seemed to have sent all the birds into hiding. So I did 8 till 9 today and there was quite a lot of activity. The slight drizzle with windless conditions suited the birds much better.
I've done my count - more than I expected given the paucity of garden birds around lately.
2 woodpigeons
2 starlings
1 robin
2 blackbirds
4 blue tits
1 coal tit
1 Gt tit
1 Jay
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I know its not a competition!
However it's not just garden based, you could sit in your local park if you so wish. The aim is still to gauge the state of our birdlife and l stand by my belief that this will not give a true picture. I know what birds frequent my garden on a regular basis.....and they were not around yesterday! So as we don't really have neighbours as such ( 1 ) how can this portray a true reading for our area . I'm just saying that it's a great shame as we live in a wildlife enriched area, surrounded by farmland, woods and with beautiful lakes that have been made (many years ago) from a disused clay quarry. So vital information will go unrecorded.
If anyone is really interested in collecting more indepth data for their area, then I suggest registering with the BTO, this is what I do.
pouring with rain and blowing a gale here ,so not many around.
Have you taken this up with the RSPB, flowers?
No won't bother, I give feed back for my area via the BTO.
I've done survey work for the last three BTO Atlases, flowers, and been a member for many years. The Garden Birdwatch is simply a different animal, not an inferior one.
Each to their own , I've been with the BTO for along time too. I am not making an augment out of this, hey ho ....just my own personal viewpoint.
I'm feeling poorly so don' t have a go at me ( on tablet so can't give you a smiley face, but would if I could)
Apart from anything else, I think the Garden Birdwatch is a useful consciousness-raising exercise - getting people interested in the birds in their garden - many just didn't realise what they could see from their own windows - lots more people feed the birds (and join the RSPB) than used to - which has to be A Good Thing
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.