Aroundtown Magazine November/December 2022 Edition

FAMILY
Take a bird’s eye view
of your garden this winter
As wildlife prepares for the
winter ahead, get ready for
the Big Garden Birdwatch.
The world’s largest garden wildlife survey
returns on from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th
January 2023. And ahead of the event, the RSPB
share some top tips for birdwatching, whatever
your age
Whether you know your house sparrow from
your goldfinch or not, birdwatching at home can
be great fun as you watch and listen out for the
feathered friends who come to visit your outdoor
area.
Our gardens, countryside and even towns and
cities are full of amazing birds. From acrobatic
blue tits and charismatic robins to chatty magpies
and cheeky sparrows - birds are our most visible
and vocal wild friends.
No matter where you are, birds and their
unique behaviours make for fascinating viewing.
Find a comfy spot to perch at home looking out
of your window over your garden, neighbouring
park or even just the trees in your street and see
what you can spot. You might even notice birds
when out and about on a walk.
Birdwatching can even be a game, seeing
what types of bird you can spot or seeing how
many you can find within a time limit. Why not
play along with your friends and see who can
spot the most?
As soon as you start to spot the birds where
you live, you’ll be amazed at how many more you
notice. Try to tell them apart and wow your friends
and family with your identifying skills. Before
you know it, you’ll know your dunnock from your
dipper! And don’t forget the most important thing
is to have fun.
If you’re new to
birdwatching, the RSPB
has five simple tips to
get you started:
Start off small: Garden birds are a great way
to start your birdwatching adventure. They are
some of the easiest to identify and tend to hang
around long enough for you to take a quick snap to
look back at later if you need.
Look out for key features: Contrary
to popular belief, you don’t need expensive
equipment or expert knowledge to identify birds.
The most important tools are your eyes, ears and
brain. Look at its size, shape, colour and habitat.
What was its beak like? Or what was it doing?
The RSPB website has a handy tool called a bird
identification guide which uses key features to help
you find out what birds you’ve seen.
Put up feeders: Not only will it make them
stay for longer but if you feed them regularly, they’ll
learn that your garden is a great place to keep
coming to. Different feeders and food will attract a
variety of birds so feel free to experiment and see
who comes to visit. You don’t necessarily need an
all singing all dancing feeder – even a tray on a
table will make a nice start.
Best time to watch: Although birds are
around at any time, you’ll see more birds first thing
in the morning. As they say, the early bird catches
the worm so have a quick look on the way to
school or work.
Share what you see: Don’t forget, you
can share what you see on social media with the
hashtag #BigGardenBirdWatch – the team at
@RSPBEngland will be on hand to help if you get
stuck telling your garden visitors apart.
Six Sensational bird facts
• Feathers are made of something called keratin
- the same stuff as your fingernails
• A blue tit weighs the same as a pound coin
• Migrating swallows cover 200 miles per day,
mainly during daylight, at speeds of up to 65
km/h – and don’t even land when they eat
or drink!
• A group of sparrows is called a host or a tribe
• Starlings are outstanding mimics and
incorporate accurate copies of sounds of other
birds, frogs and mammals, and even mechanical
sounds like car alarms, into their song
• The robin is one of the few UK birds to sing
all year round. It’s one of the earliest birds to
start the dawn chorus and one of the last to stop
singing at night - it can easily be triggered into full
song in the middle of the night
All the latest updates, wildlife guides, and
family activity ideas from the RSPB can be
found here www.rspb.org.uk
60 aroundtownmagazine.co.uk