Get involved in this weekend’s Big Garden Birdwatch

The RSPB is looking for folk to get involved in this weekend’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

Now in its 38th year, the survey involves spending just one hour watching and recording the birds in a garden or local public space.

According to the RSPB, the annual birdwatch provides valuable information about garden wildlife during winter, enabling conservation scientists to monitor trends and declines.

More than half a million people across the UK are expected to watch and count their garden birds for this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch from  Saturday, January 28, until Monday, January 30.

Even if participants see nothing during their Big Garden Birdwatch hour, this information is important too and still worth submitting.

The most frequently spotted birds in Orkney, during last year’s survey, were starlings, house sparrows and blackbirds. This year, visitors may include redwings, fieldfares and waxwings travelling from Scandinavia in search of berries.

For further information on how to take part, see rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. Paper forms are available in the Kirkwall and Stromness Libraries.

Families can also join in with a group Big Garden Birdwatch at Woodwick House, Evie, on Saturday.