TAKE PART IN THE RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH FROM 27th-29th JANUARY 2018

As all of the equestrian and country properties for sale with Equus have around 1 acre or more so there are numerous opportunities to go ‘wildlife spotting’ literally on your own doorstep.  Between Saturday 27th January – Monday 29th January as it’s the annual ‘RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch’. 

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By just sparing an hour of your time you will join around 600,000 other people from around the UK taking part in what has become known as the World’s largest garden wildlife survey – where it is likely that over eight million birds will be counted.  All the information accumulated gives the RSPB a comprehensive snapshot of how our garden birds are doing.

It’s more than birds though! The survey is also about learning about the other wildlife you see throughout the year, so look out for badgers, foxes, grey squirrels, red squirrels, Fallow, Roe, Muntjac Deer, frogs and toads.

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You don’t need to be an expert to take part as the RSPB have got lots of fascinating facts, tips and advice on their website www.rspb.org.uk to help you to tell your garden birds apart and to spot something more unusual when it turns up while learning about the different colours, shapes, beaks of all the birds.

The survey allows the RSPB to monitor trends and gives an indication of how our garden birds are doing, offering an excellent snapshot of numbers across the UK.  Results help to identify any problems within the garden bird population and more importantly offers a chance to react to reasons why a particular species of garden bird may be declining. So play your part in this valuable research if you can.

Your step-by-step guide to taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2017

  1. Register online to receive your FREE RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Pack: www.rspb.org.ukregister-for-the-big-garden-birdwatch-2018.aspx
  2. Choose a good place to watch the birds at your property for an hour on Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th or Monday 30th January. It may be from a window inside your home or a good vantage point from your stable yard, outbuildings or land. Wherever you choose to do your ‘bird count’ make yourself as comfy as possible and arm yourself with a few essentials – A pair of binoculars (if you have them), somewhere to jot down what you see and of course a nice hot drink and your favourite biscuits. The Big Garden Birdwatch is not just restricted to the birds you see – also make a note of any other wildlife you spot.
  3. Now all you have to do is to relax and watch the birds for an hour. If anyone disturbs you, you can tell them you're busy being a ‘scientist’! Count the maximum number of each species you see at any one time. To help you track what you see the RSPB website have got a nifty counting tool you can make use of.
  4. Once you have completed your Big Garden Birdwatch simply log on to the RSPB website and report what you’ve seen. Or use a paper form, available to download from the website which is FREE to post back to the RSPB.
  5. That’s it! By taking part and recording what you see, you will have become an RSPB citizen scientist helping to provide valuable information about garden wildlife.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2018 VISIT: www.rspb.org.uk