National Nest Box Week 14-21 February

National Nest Box Week 14-21 February

National Nest Box Week starts today. This is when the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) encourages everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area.

National Nest Box Week - all the information you need with links for ideas on how you can take part.

The British Trust for Ornithology publishes a free Information Pack with advice on making and buying nest boxes, siting them, how many to use, reducing the risk from predators, cleaning and maintenance. For your free copy fill in your details on the form or call the BTO on 0800 072 0130.

Big Garden Birdwatch: Count the birds!

If you have time,take an hour out this weekend (29 or 30 January) to help the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to count bird numbers in your garden or wherever you like - your local park for example.

Once you've finished the count, submit your birdwatch results to the RSPB.

You can also chat with others about the birdwatch on the RSPB forum.

Big Garden Birdwatch

This is my result from watching my garden during an hour this morning:

1 Blackbird
3 Blue Tits
1 Chaffinch
1 Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch
3 House Sparrows
1 Magpie
2 Pigeons
9 Starlings

It's rather more than I expected to see in an hour but I was watching after I had refilled the feeders and the bird table so that might have something to do with it!

Bird is the Word: "Surfin’ Bird" this year's Christmas number one song?

RSPB joins Radio DJ to support Christmas number one campaign
You'd expect a conservation charity just to get involved in campaigns to save our seas, trees and bees.

But here at the RSPB, we're branching out and adding our support to a campaign for this year’s Christmas number one song.

We're backing a movement by a member of the public, Birdman Jack, to get The Trashmen's 'Surfin' Bird' track to the number one spot.

To show our support, members of staff at our UK Headquarters in Bedfordshire have taken to the dance floor to share some unique moves with the help of our gardener and a giant bird.


Bird is the word from The RSPB on Vimeo.

The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment.

A Blackbird called "Swoops" attacks people in San Francisco

I saw a report on the news last night about this blackbird: SF Bird Attacks Causing Big Flap A blackbird in San Francisco's Financial District has gained international attention and is attracting crowds in the city for repeatedly swooping down on unsuspecting passersby. (link via News10.net) A website called Attack Bird Chronicles has even been set up! It's amusing to see how one bird can terrorize so many people and become a world-wide attraction in the process.

Robinson's Be Natural 'Bird House' Advert

I love this advert! It's full of so many amusing details such as bird-feet shaped wellies, a human cuckoo clock, and worms in the fridge. Robinsons Bird House Advert

Big Garden Birdwatch results: Which birds made the 'top ten'?

The Big Garden Birdwatch results are in: For the first time in the survey's 30-year history, the long-tailed tit has flown into the Big Garden Birdwatch top ten. The 2009 garden top ten looks like this: Position Species Average per garden 1 house sparrow 3.70 2 starling 3.21 3 blackbird 2.84 4 blue tit 2.45 5 chaffinch 2.01 6 woodpigeon 1.85 7 collared dove 1.44 8 great tit 1.40 9 robin 1.36 10 long-tailed tit 1.34 (link via rspb.org.uk) Related post from my blog: RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (UK)

National Nest Box Week 14-21 February

Today is the second day of National Nest Box Week. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) provide a list of which birds use boxes and what type of box they prefer. If you would like to know more, you can send away for a free information pack from the BTO. Related Internet Links: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds British Garden Birds

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (UK)

The Big Garden Birdwatch, 24th - 25th January If you love birds, you probably already know about helping the RSPB this weekend by participating in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. If you forgot about it today or you were too busy, you can still do the count tomorrow. Simply record the highest number of each species seen in your garden (not flying over) at any one time. Top 10 tips to help you get the most out of your Big Garden Birdwatch. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Plan to save London sparrows: turn parks into meadows

Parks plan to boost London's house sparrows Conservationists have launched a scheme to turn parts of London's parks into meadows in an attempt to reverse the decline of the once-common house sparrow. (link via independent.co.uk) Seeds and bugs experiement to save London's sparrows (link via the RSPB) House sparrow Red status - Red is the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action.

Rare snowy owl spotted in Cornwall, England

Hundreds of birdwatchers have gathered in a Cornish village to catch a glimpse of a rare snowy owl. The bird, which is a native of the Arctic Circle, and is usually found in Greenland, Canada and Russia, has been seen at Zennor, near St Ives. It is the first time in 60 years one has been seen in Cornwall. (link via telegraph.co.uk) Well it has been snowy in England recently!

British couple breaks bird-watching record!

Alan Davies and Ruth Miller, from North Wales, are definitely devoted birders or more correctly, they are twitchers*: A British couple have broken the world record for the number of bird species spotted in a year, after they sold their homes to fund a round-the-world twitching trip. (link via telegraph.co.uk) Read more about their obsession on their website: The Biggest Twitch and their blog: The Biggest Twitch Diary *those who travel long distances to see a rare bird that would then be "ticked" off on a "list". I'm very impressed! I love bird watching but I can't imagine selling my home like they did and travelling all round the world to see so many different birds.

Why are the sparrows disappearing in Britain?

Mystery of the vanishing sparrow The Independent offered £5,000 for a convincing theory about why the house sparrow was dying out in cities. The answer seems to lie with falling insect numbers This excerpt from the article via the above link, further explains:

Dr Vincent, then of De Montfort University in Leicester, said: "This is one of the most mysterious and complex declines of a species in recent years. The study highlights that sparrow chicks are hatching but they aren't surviving. "This is partly down to the loss of green spaces within British cities through development on green space, tree removal and the conversion of front gardens for parking. The loss of deciduous greenery within urban areas may have made life much more difficult for birds like house sparrows that need large numbers of insects to feed their young."

I've noticed fewer and fewer birds (particularly sparrows) have been appearing in my garden this year even though I keep birdfeeders and birdbaths filled. I find it very sad and also quite disturbing. What about your garden (yard)? Have you noticed a decline in house sparrows and/or other birds where you live?

Parakeets destroying windmill that survived Blitz

Parakeets destroying precious windmill A windmill that withstood the Blitz and the worst of the English weather for 150 years is being destroyed – by parakeets. The grade II listed building has suffered £50,000 of damage courtesy of 12 rose-ringed parakeets, which are using its sails to sharpen their beaks. (link via metro.co.uk) The famous windmill is located in the London Borough of Croydon: Croydon's only windmill, Shirley Windmill is in Postmill Close, off the Upper Shirley Road, Shirley, Croydon, Surrey, UK. Built in the mid 1850's to replace an earlier post mill which was destroyed by fire in 1854, it worked until 1892 when it was abandoned. The mill is opened on the first Sunday of each month from June until October, between 1pm and 5pm. (link via geograph.org.uk) Ring-necked parakeets in the UK The ring-necked, or rose-ringed, parakeet is the UK's most abundant naturalised parrot - it became established in the wild in the 1970s after captive birds escaped or were released. (link via RSPB.org.uk)

Bright magpies 'recognise mirror image'

Magpies are beautiful birds but incredibly noisy and also known for eating other birds' eggs and their young, so they aren't exactly popular birds, however they are very intelligent and magpies have been shown to possess the intellectual prowess necessary to recognise themselves in a mirror – a feat that, until now, has only been seen in humans, apes, elephants and dolphins. (link via independent.co.uk) The RSPB: Magpie

Parakeets attack church spire in London

Hundreds of exotic birds have pecked their way through the spire of a south London church, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. The rose-ringed parakeets were initially welcomed by parishioners of St John's in Croydon - until they decided to hack away at the soft wood shingles, creating gaping holes. Now the church, built in 1836, faces a £5,000 repair bill. (link via telegraph.co.uk) It reminds me of the (truly frightening) Alfred Hitchcok movie, The Birds although these parakeets aren't actually getting inside the church and they aren't attacking people.

The Hummingbird Lady & "that" famous photo

I was very interested to read one of the latest articles on the Birds & Blooms website that explains how a famous photo was taken of Abigail Alfano (also known as as "The Hummingbird Lady"), feeding hummingbirds from her hand. After reading the article, I discovered Abigail has a website with photos.

Swan Upping: Time for the traditional count of swans on the River Thames

There are fears that the high water levels on the River Thames are stopping swans from breeding successfully. The concerns were raised by David Barber, the Queen's Swan Marker, as the ancient ritual of swan counting on the river was set to start on Monday. (link via BBC News) Swan Upping, the annual census of the swan population on certain stretches of the River Thames, takes place during the third week of July each year. The historic ceremony dates from the 12th century.

Blackbird mimics ambulance siren, car alarm, & ringing moble phone

Amusing story about a clever bird in Somerset, England: A blackbird has learnt to mimic the sound of an ambulance siren and has taken to waking families at 5am each day with the noise. The bird can also recreate the sound of a car alarm, a mobile phone ring tone and can even wolf whistle at passers-by. (link via telegraph.co.uk)

'Family Tree' to help identify British birds at risk of serious decline

Complete 'Family Tree' Of All British Birds Gives Clues About Which Species Might Be Endangered Next (link via ScienceDaily.com) The family tree, or 'phylogeny', covers over 93% of British birds. I notice the article mentions the greenfinch and states that it's, "not currently endangered but closely related to the linnet and bullfinch which are currently experiencing severe levels of decline." I used to see a lot of greenfinches in my garden but lately hardly any. Have any of my readers (in Britain) noticed this too?

Blue tits make nest in cigarette bin

This is a nice bird story from BBC News: A pair of blue tits made a nest and raised their chicks in a cigarette butt box located outside a hotel/restaurant in Devon, England. Watch the video.