A NATIONAL charity is urging Islanders to spend an hour bird watching next week to “connect with wildlife” and help monitor species.
The world’s largest garden wildlife survey is returning, aiming to engage nature enthusiasts and look into how climate change is affecting biodiversity.
Over 600,000 people took part in the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ Big Garden Birdwatch across the British Isles last year, counting more than nine million birds.
Five hundred people took part in the Channel Islands, with the house sparrow the most commonly seen bird. However, numbers have dropped by 60% across the British Isles since the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979, the RSPB said.
The goldfinch and wood pigeon were also regularly spotted across the Channel Islands.
And the blue tit and great tit have seen their average numbers rise by 24% and 61% respectively, according to national figures.
This year’s event takes place from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 January, and Islanders are being asked to spend an hour watching and counting birds over the three days.
The RSPB said Islanders did not need to have a garden to participate, as birds counted in local parks or from balconies would count.
Birds flying overhead should not be counted, only those that land, the RSPB said, and participants should note the highest number of each bird species at any one time, not the total seen in the hour.
The results will then be analysed by the charity.
Beccy Speight, the RSPB’s chief executive, said taking part in the survey was an opportunity for people to “connect with wildlife on their doorstep”.
She added: “At its heart, Big Garden Birdwatch is an opportunity for people to spend an hour watching, enjoying, and connecting with the wildlife on their doorstep. From chirpy house sparrows to acrobatic blue tits, the entertaining antics of our garden birds can brighten even the dullest day and bring a welcome dose of nature into our everyday lives.
“By taking part in the Birdwatch, you and hundreds of thousands of other nature lovers across the UK play an important role in helping us understand how garden birds are doing. With the nature and climate emergency threatening even our most familiar birds, every count matters. It’s good for wildlife and evidence shows it’s good for our own wellbeing.”
Registration is free and open until 26 January.
Participants will receive a how-to guide, a bird identification chart, an RSPB voucher and advice on how gardens can be made more bird-friendly.
