Birdwatch survey is a big success
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date published: 27 January 2009
TWITCHERS were out in force across Oldham to help the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) with the biggest bird survey of its kind on a special anniversary.
The charity celebrated 30 years of its Big Garden Birdwatch at the weekend and there were two events to help Oldhamers hone their identification skills.
Visitors to Tandle Hill Country Park, Royton, were able to enjoy a guided walk while learning how to spot their feathered friends.
And there was further help and advice, as well as fun activities, at Brownhill Visitor Centre, Dobcross.
Up to half-a-million people across the country take part in the survey.
And with more than three million hours expected to have been clocked up at the weekend, it has made a major contribution to tracking garden bird numbers over the winter.
Anyone can take part by simply counting the birds in their garden or local park and submitting the highest number seen.
The RSPB’s director of conservation, Dr Mark Avery, said: “As well as contributing to our understanding of the changes in bird numbers, Big Garden Birdwatch does a fantastic job of inspiring adults and children about nature.
“It allows hundreds of thousands of people each year to enjoy wildlife in their own gardens and that’s priceless.”
Back in 1979, the song thrush was a firm fixture, but now its numbers are less than half. The house sparrow and starling have also seen alarming declines, but the number of collared dove and wood pigeons have increased.
Birdwatch has also charted the effects of climate change with significantly warmer winters meaning some species haven’t flown south and others are more likely to visit.
