RSPB NI Tis the season to be jolly… and to count birds

If you’re looking for something new, then I know the perfect thing to kick off a new year of learning – The Big Garden Birdwatch!

It’s one of my favourite weekends of the year, the chance to slow down and spend some time watching the birds that land in my garden. It helps me understand who my common visitors are, what food they like and their daily habits.

Like the Robin who visits me every morning just as I’m making my first cup of tea of the day, or the Blue Tits who line up eagerly every afternoon on my back fence; a small moment of joy in my day to watch them in the garden.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature and contribute to valuable scientific research. It’s a fun and easy way to spend an hour observing the feathered visitors to your garden, balcony or even your local park.

You can learn to identify different bird species thanks to the handy ID sheet from RSPB or for those particularly tricky species, the RSPB website lets you input some information and help determine what you might be seeing during your count.

Join the thousands of others in Northern Ireland who take part every year and discover the nature right there on your doorstep. If you're new to birdwatching, RSPB NI is hosting an exciting online event to help you identify common garden birds.

Learn to distinguish between Starlings and Blackbirds and get tips on how to participate in the Big Garden Birdwatch. You can sign up here: www.events.rspb.org.uk

Remember, it doesn’t matter if you do your birdwatch from the garden, balcony or local park. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in the Birdwatch. Every bird you do-or don’t- count will give RSPB a valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.

Sign up now and get your free guide: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch