[Talon 1]

My Wife has been sent details on a scheme for which you pay £12 and you get a Magazine 4 times a year and I think a In-Depth bird ID book.

She has to say whether she is a rare watcher (washing up look out of the window) a medium-rare (does a bit of Gardening at weekends , sits out there for odd coffee) , anyway you get the idea.
She then counts who and what is in the garden there and then as soon as she sets eyes on it for the FIRST time.

I know there is a section below but was not sure whether it was the same?

Does anyone participate in this on here?

[Gill Osborne]

Yes, I've been doing the BTO's Garden Birdwatch since we moved up here last October.

For just £12 it's really good value for money and, I find, it adds an extra interesting dimension to my birding.
The forms that you fill in are really easy to do on a weekly basis and I've been thrilled to bits with each 'new' species that I can add to my Garden List.

I'd recommend it to any birder - or anybody interested in the natural world - as not only is it fun to do but it all adds to our scientific knowledge of birds in general.

http://www.bto.org/gbw/gbwhome.htm


Gill

[TSM23]

Agree with all Gill has said but i find it a lot easier to complete forms online, also saves on paper/postage etc.

[Gus Horsley]

I also do the garden birdwatch for the BTO. Do it online. All information gratefully received.

Gus

[woodswan]

I have been doing the BTO's Gardenbirdwatch for several years now. I usually enter my results online.
I really feel it has enhanced my garden birdwatching, and it is really interesting to note what you actually see & then be able to look back and find out what you saw this time last year etc. - Go for it. both you & the BTO will benefit.

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Everyone,

I do it too, for years kept bird figures and was thrilled to bits to realise the BTO scheme existed and they were useful. People laughed at me previously now they don't and I seem to remember some years ago reading the figures are used as part of an environmental survey for the government "State of the Nation".

Anything that helps birds and gets people more involved is a good thing.

Ann

[terryeyre]

yes the bto garden birdwatch is well worth doing,i have done for the last 4-5 years it provides useful scientific information and the magazines are interesting to read.

[Talon 1]

Because Mrs Free and i are keen birders i thought it would be worth doing as we at different times of the day can spot what is going on out there.

but how does it work. (i have paid my £12 but just waiting for pack and ID number)
I will be sending information online so i am comfident of that but is it what and how many you see in the period you are watching say 5 minutes. Or is it what you see immediately you look into the garden and first see?
What about feeders, Food etc, can you put out as much or as little as you like and any food you choose?
I am sure this will be in the pack but i am curious already?

[Gus Horsley]

Free

You send in the information weekly. You count the maximum number of a particluar species that you see at any one time. ie if you 6 blue tits on monday and 5 on tuesday, the count is still 6, not 11, otherwise you don't know if you're counting the same bird twice. I'm not too good at explaining myself sometimes, so if you're confused ask someone else.

Gus

[edrick owl]

Mr & Mrs Free

I have been doing the BTO Garden Bird Watch for over 2 years. Above all it is entertaining, informative, fun and is of a great contribution to a variety of scientific research.

It does help you gain confidence in bird ID. You can feed whatever, and how much of it you like. All this is covered in the info sheets you will receive - in fact the survey results ask you what you provide for the birds. Simple tick box answers. I personally find it easier though to complete the survey on-line.

Once you have gained confidence, there are surveys you can take part in covering the mammals, butterflys and instects in your garden. It is entirely up to you to decide if and when you want to take part.

There are also a number of other surveys you can join, though some of them do need a little more experience. They are all covered in the excellent BTO website.

For just 25p per week, it has to be one of the best, if not the best, bird based activities you can ever get involved with!

Highly recommended.

Regards,

[Bridie]

undefined
I agree with everything that has been said, particularly the way it encourages you to get to know the individual birds who visit your garden daily. The magazine is great, this time it gave info. on a Tawny Owl survey that you can carry out again from your garden. I am looking forward to doing that. It is great to feel that you are doing your little bit to help wild birds and to increase the BTO's knowledge.

Originally Posted by edrick owl

Mr & Mrs Free

I have been doing the BTO Garden Bird Watch for over 2 years. Above all it is entertaining, informative, fun and is of a great contribution to a variety of scientific research.

It does help you gain confidence in bird ID. You can feed whatever, and how much of it you like. All this is covered in the info sheets you will receive - in fact the survey results ask you what you provide for the birds. Simple tick box answers. I personally find it easier though to complete the survey on-line.

Once you have gained confidence, there are surveys you can take part in covering the mammals, butterflys and instects in your garden. It is entirely up to you to decide if and when you want to take part.

There are also a number of other surveys you can join, though some of them do need a little more experience. They are all covered in the excellent BTO website.

For just 25p per week, it has to be one of the best, if not the best, bird based activities you can ever get involved with!

Highly recommended.

Regards,

[joser]

I agree with everyone that it is really worth doing.

Not only does it keep you interested in the birds that visit your own garden but it also means you can see the information you have collected (on the website) and get an overall picture of the birdlife in your own garden.

It shows you how often each bird has occurred, the average number of birds that visit your garden each week and the total number of birds that have visited the garden.

And ofcourse as has already been mentioned it adds to scientific research on garden birds so you get a certain sense of satisfaction knowing you are doing your bit to increase knowledge on this subject.

[Gus Horsley]

There's also WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) that is run by the BTO. We had a look at their records and found that nobody had done a survey of an important habitat down here for over thirty years. The middle of Goss Moor, a series of five lakes formed by gravel extraction, which English Nature has only rediscovered in the past year. When the last records were done it had breeding snipe and jack snipe, along with whimbrel, nightjar and woodcock.

It's worth getting involved with the BTO. Everybody who goes birdwatching should do it.

Gus

[Talon 1]

Its my third week and we both are enjoying it.Its not hard when you get into it.And the graphs and statistics you accumalate as you go along meets interesting viewing.

It is strange at times as well as The Blue tit is by far the most common bird in my area but i have not seen one. Great tit, Coal tit but not one of those little fellahs.

[edrick owl]

Free

That's one of the joys of taking part - to know that such a "common" (sorry Blue Tit fans) bird is missing from your garden, for whatever reason.

Hence the real sense of satisfaction etc when one finally appears, it really does help you appreciate things so much more.

I was chuffed to bits to read on the BTO website, and in the current edition of their excellent magazine, that I (and thousands of others) am now a "Citizen Scientist", though I'm not that sure how it would be taken if I added it to my CV!!

Keep going. The more you get in to it, the more you will get out of it.

Regards,

[Alf King]

It's worth getting involved with the BTO. Everybody who goes birdwatching should do it.

Gus[/quote]

Couldn't agree more Gus. If anyone on here isn't in the BTO Garden Birdwatch then join, now, this instant!!