I write my contributions to 10000 Birds in my east-facing examine: it has double glass doorways, searching onto my backyard. It’s not simply the backyard it overlooks, as there are additionally 4 chook feeders, a chook tub and a small pond, too. Because of this as I write, there are at all times birds to distract me. Looking now, I can see a number of Blue Tits, a few Nice Tits, a Coal Tit and a single Woodpigeon, however somewhat earlier there was a pair of Robins (clearly already paired up), a number of Home Sparrows a small flock of Greenfinches. Nothing uncommon or surprising, simply my regular guests.
Thirty years in the past, the British Belief for Ornithology (BTO) launched a serious new mission, referred to as Backyard Birdwatch. I wrote about it on the time for The Day by day Telegraph, one in all Britain’s biggest-selling newspapers, and I’m happy to say that my article generated loads of curiosity and gained numerous observers, serving to getting GB off to a very good begin. At this time the intention and format of Backyard Birdwatch has modified little, besides that everybody now notes their information on line, fairly than on a bit of paper. Data are entered on the finish of the recording week (Sunday to Saturday) on a guidelines, the place you might be requested to notice each presence and numbers (essentially the most seen at anybody time through the day).
Dunnock, photographed within the ivy-covered backyard hedge
To make the weekly surveys extra informative, it’s also possible to enter information for mammals, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies and different bugs, say whether or not you got here throughout any sick or useless birds, and be aware what meals, if any, you present. It’s all easy stuff, and takes only some minutes to finish, so there’s no actual excuse for not doing it each week of the yr, or at the very least the weeks if you end up at residence. I’m afraid I failed to do this final yr: an e-mail I obtained as we speak from the BTO reveals my Backyard Birdwatching efforts throughout 2024.
It tells me that I submitted weekly lists on 22 events, recording 32 chook species, eight mammals, one amphibian and 15 bugs (primarily butterflies). In accordance with the e-mail, 2024 was my fifth yr recording for Backyard BirdWatch at this location (I moved right here 5 years in the past) and my longest recording streak was eight weeks. The message thanked me for my efforts, as “We worth all the info you’ll be able to submit, because it helps us perceive extra about how chook populations use backyard habitats.”
I dwell on the sting of a village, and although I’ve a big half-acre backyard and am bordered to the west by open farmland, my backyard isn’t notably chook wealthy. My earlier home was in a extra rural state of affairs, and I’d usually report over 50 species throughout then yr, and significantly extra in case you depend fly overs (Backyard Birdwatch doesn’t). Thus my present backyard is somewhat disappointing, however in keeping with the e-mail, “in comparison with different rural gardens in East England, your report of 32 chook species places your backyard within the prime 30% of gardens by way of chook range”, so I suppose that it’s not too unhealthy. It clearly helps that I’m a practised observer, so know what I’m taking a look at.
The round-up of my yr did inform me that my prime species (seen in fewest gardens) have been Brown Argus (a butterfly), Banded Demoiselle (a dragonfly) and Reed Bunting. Final summer season was a poor one for butterflies, so the Brown Argus, which appeared fairly late (on 21 September) was a satisfying sighting. Banded Demoiselles are engaging dragonflies that favour slow-flowing rivers. My nearest river is almost a mile away, however these are bugs that wander, so it’s a species I count on to see within the backyard yearly. As for the Reed Buntings – they’re backyard regulars, showing in March, on the finish of the winter, and visiting day by day till the top of April.
Reed Buntings seem reliably within the backyard on the finish of the winter. This feeder is positioned near my examine window
My most recorded birds have been Blackbird, Blue Tit, Nice Tit and Woodpigeon, recorded in 100% of surveyed weeks.
Blue Tit – seen day-after-day of the yr
A Woodie on the birdbath
A wintering Blackcap, seen in January, was a notable report, and one which sadly hasn’t been repeated this winter. In Might there’s often a cock Blackcap to be heard singing from one in all our hedges, and there was final yr. Although I heard him day by day, I didn’t see him typically, as he sang from deep cowl.
The 2024 wintering Blackcap
Maybe essentially the most uncommon backyard report for 2024 was a Kestrel killing a Woodpigeon. I see the Kestrel steadily, and it often drops on voles which might be interested in fallen seed underneath my feeders. I didn’t witness the Kestrel kill the pigeon, and solely heard about it as a result of my neighbour had noticed, and photographed, the hawk on its prey. I assumed the killer was going to be a Sparrowhawk till I noticed my neighbour’s {photograph}, which clearly depicts a feminine Kestrel. It was taken on her iPhone, however sadly not appropriate for reproducing right here. In accordance with Andrew Village, writing in his e-book The Kestrel, “I’ve seen Kestrels consuming Woodpigeons, however by no means truly killing them, and it’s probably that they often take solely useless or dying adults, or immatures.” I believe that the unlucky pigeon was an immature.
This Kestrel was photographed by means of the kitchen window
The BTO does attempt arduous to encourage its observers: “Annually of knowledge is extremely helpful, revealing how backyard chook populations are altering over time. We really recognize your participation. Don’t neglect to comply with us on Bluesky, Fb and Instagram, and share your wildlife sightings with us and your fellow Backyard BirdWatchers.” Properly, I don’t do Bluesky, Fb or Instagram, however I’m completely satisfied to assist Backyard Birdwatch, and can attempt to submit information for fairly greater than 22 weeks this yr.