Good news from RSPB Nature Count
The ‘Make Your Nature Count’ campaign received data from members of the public all over the UK, as part of the RSPB’s latest survey.
The results from over 50,000 gardens are now in and it paints a particularly pretty picture for robins, blackbirds and song thrushes.
Keith Morton of RSPB Scotland said: “It is fantastic that so many people have stepped up for nature and done the survey. On the face of it, despite the cold winter and wet and windy spring, this year’s effort suggests that most garden birds bred in good numbers.”
Top 5 most seen garden birds in 2011
• House sparrow
• Starling
• Chaffinch
• Blue tit
• Blackbird
More than half of the gardens surveyed saw baby blackbirds during June and a quarter saw robin chicks. Both are up on last year’s figures as were sightings of young song thrushes, who had previously been experiencing a bit of a decline and are still fighting hard to claw their way back.
Experts are speculating that the weather conditions have suited the chicks well this year and helped to boost their success both when they were in the nest and when they fledged.
Also seeing an increase in numbers at bird tables and in hedges this summer were adult blue tits, house sparrows and chaffinches.
Wildlife watch
As well as sightings of birds, the RSPB survey also recorded many insects, mammals and reptiles. Rural areas reported lots of bats visiting their gardens, whilst overall numbers of grass snakes and the great crested newt were down on last year.
You can see all the results from the 2011 ‘Make Your Nature Count’ survey, on the RSPB website.
