Beautiful Birds (19): RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch ii

Welcome to my post for the carnival, 'I and the Bird'
hosted by Duncan at 'Ben Cruachan'

This is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend.

Dawn broke over Swansea Bay.
It was a cold, snowy morning.

The first birds arrived.

We noticed a flock of Starlings,

then a Blackbird...


... and a Robin.
(Notice those small bud signs of Spring!).

Other birds began to perch on the roof and the larch,
forming flocks of mixed species.

We sat at our window for the specified hour,
with the RSPB bird form to hand,
a pair of binoculars each
and mugs of hot coffee.

We recorded the highest number of a single species seen at a time.
Birds were only recorded if they landed.
Birds who passed over our garden in flight were excluded from the survey.
Each species could only appear once in the list.

We were quite surprised at the range of birds.
These were are results:

1. 26 Starlings
2. 4 Chaffinches
3. 4 House Sparrows
   
4. 3 Blackbirds
5. 2 Bluetits
6. 2 Magpies
7. 1 Blackheaded Gull
8. 1 Dunnock
9. 1 Feral Pigeon
   
10. 1 Goldfinch
    
11. 1 Great Tit
    
12. 1 Herring Gull
13. 1 Robin
14. 1 unidentified bird, slight, a long tail, cream-pink chest, slender bill. This bird perched in a tree.
    

The RSPB will collate the statistics that have been submitted, and will publish the final results of the Big Garden Birdwatch survey 2010 in March. The survey will include the sightings of half a million people in the UK, representing 28,000 gardens surveyed. The results will give a 'snapshot' picture of bird numbers in each region, alerting the RSPB to species with declining numbers. I was surprised to find that Starlings, the most numerous birds on our form, are listed as 'Red Status' on the conservation list. The mixed flock syndrome we witnessed may have been largely due to the cold weather.

I wonder if you took part? Do leave a link or a comment if you have posted your results.

See also:

• Paul at Little Brown Job - don't miss the Meerkat!
• The Guardian
• The Interrupted Gardener
• Midmarsh Jottings

P.S. Tuesday 2 February is World Wetlands Day!