Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s largest garden wildlife survey. It’s been running since 1979, and every year, around 700,000 people take part. It takes place over the last weekend in January each year. In 2024, Big Garden Birdwatch will be back on the 26th to 28th January.
If you are interested in getting involved you can sign up and register with the RSPB.
On the weekend of the Big Garden Birdwatch itself, taking part is really easy. You just spend an hour watching the birds in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park, and record what you’ve seen. If you see very few birds or none at all, that’s also really useful information for the RSPB, so please do let them know.
Big Garden Birdwatch is important citizen science. It provides a vital snapshot of how the UK’s garden birds are doing. This gives a good impression of the birds that are doing well, and the ones that are struggling. As the first Birdwatch took place more than 40 years ago, the RSPB now have a wealth of data to look back on.
The UK has lost 38 million birds in the last 50 years, so it’s crucial we do all we can to look after our bird life. Big Garden Birdwatch helps to monitor how garden birds are getting on.
Also, people taking part in Big Garden Birdwatch for the first time often find it sparks their interest in nature, especially in children. And then we hope they’ll start giving nature a helping hand through feeding their garden birds, putting up nestboxes and gardening in a wildlife-friendly way – actions that can make all the difference to nature.
So how do you take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch?
Visit the RSPB website for full info and instructions: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.
RSPB Dorking and District Local Group covers the local area (including Dorking, Leatherhead, Bookham, Epsom and Ewell). We offer regular walks, both at weekends and midweek and meetings in person and online to provide the chance to learn more in a friendly way.
Check out our activities on Facebook @RSPB Dorking and District or the website ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/dorkinganddistrict/.
