Half a million joining in garden birdwatch

Bird-loving families in the Black Country were today keeping an eye out for feathered friends in their gar-dens as part of the RSPB's annual survey.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the survey which has yielded valuable information about British birdlife.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place this weekend with the society asking people to spend an hour looking for birds in their garden or local park either today or tomorrow and to record the highest number of each species they see at any one time. Half a million people are set to take part.

Among those getting their binoculars ready to join in the survey today was John Edwards, of Oak Road, West Bromwich. The 65-year-old Sandwell councillor and housing consultant said: "We often put some food out for the birds and they are used to flying down to munch on something. I've got a pair of the biggest binoculars you've ever seen ready to keep an eye out for birds this weekend."

The Big Garden Birdwatch has seen some marked changes in the species of birds spotted by members of the public since 1979.

While some birds such as sparrows have suffered falls in numbers, others including wood pigeons have become much more frequent visitors.

And though this year's survey could see birds such as redpolls and bramblings forced into gardens in search of food in the cold weather, climate change has been affecting the activities of birds in winter in recent years, the RSPB said.

Last year's results showed house sparrow numbers down by almost two-thirds and starlings down by more than three-quarters since the survey began.

Blackbirds, chaffinches and robins were all recorded in lower numbers last year than in 1979, but there was a 664 per cent increase in numbers of wood pigeons and a 412 per cent increase in collared doves.

This year the RSPB is expecting unusual visitors to people's gardens, including redpolls, yellowhammers and bramblings which normally spend the winter in the countryside but may have had difficulty finding food in the recent cold weather.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's director of conservation, said today: "There's no denying that the timing of our seasons is changing.

"Despite the recent cold spell, UK winters are significantly warmer than 30 years ago. Through Big Garden Birdwatch we can all see the effect this is having on the birds in our gardens."

To take part in the birdwatching event visit the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch