Dust off your binoculars – it's birdwatching time again! The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is about to hold its annual national count of the country's bird populations, and it needs your help.
The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch has become something of an institution in the three decades since it started. Nearly 600,000 people took part last year and counted 8.2 million birds. It's not difficult to join in: just go to the website (www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch) and register, then set aside an hour of your time this weekend (25-26 January) to write down which birds you spot in your garden. You don't even have to write it down nowadays, as there's a new app you can download for your laptop or smartphone allowing you to record your results direct online.
Food is scarce for birds at the moment so it's an important time of year to support them (and perhaps invite a few more into your garden to come in and be counted!). Stock up on bird feeders packed with high-energy foods like fat balls and sunflower seeds, all available in our garden centre, and don't forget to supply a saucer of water too, so they can enjoy a splash while they're with you.
