Set sights for giant birdwatch

If it came down to it, would you really know a Songthrush from a Dunnock? A Great Tit from a Chaffinch? A Jackdaw from a Carrion Crow?

Ashamedly, most of us would probably have to answer with a hesitant "maybe", or even an outright "no". For despite being surrounded by stunning, eye-catching birds in our everyday lives, the vast majority of us have only a basic knowledge of the different species that regularly visit our gardens and public spaces.

But we are being encouraged to wise up on all things feathery as RSPB Scotland embarks on its Big Garden Birdwatch next weekend - an event that has had the public marvelling at the beauty of our winged friends for more than 30 years.

"This is a hugely important event and a great piece of 'citizen science'," explains James Reynolds, a spokesman for the RSPB Scotland in Edinburgh. "The more participants, the better our results will be."

The principle is simple - the charity wants us to take an interest in who is visiting our gardens by spending an hour recording the different species that call by.

Armed with a pen and an RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch ID sheet, we should record which birds we see and then return our findings. Simple as that.

This year the charity has made it even easier for people to get involved by teaming up with the Royal Botanic Garden to create a giant public birdwatch, allowing people to arrive in their masses either next Saturday or Sunday to take part.

"In the last couple of years we have had some unusual winters and such long cold snaps can have an impact on birds, especially the smaller ones," explains James. "People will be helping us to see what the impact has been, which will then determine a lot of our conservation work.

"Although the great thing about doing this is that it's fun, it does serve a very real and important purpose."

Last year, the most popular birds to be spotted in Edinburgh were the House Sparrow, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Blue Tit and Wood Pigeon. The results were not too dissimilar across the rest of the Lothians, but the Goldfinch topped the rankings in East Lothian, while the Chaffinch stole the show in Midlothian. The House Sparrow was also the most popular in West Lothian.

Visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch to register and download an ID sheet.

The free event at the Botanics runs from 10am to 3pm on both January 29 and 30 and will also include advice from RSPB Scotland staff on how to make your own bird feeder, which visitors will be able to take home.

Craigie's Farm Deli and Cafe, in South Queensferry, will also be holding a free public birdwatch next weekend from 10am to 3.30pm. There, RSPB Scotland staff will be getting their hands dirty in helping visitors to make bird food while offering top tips on how to attract wildlife to your garden.

"This is a fun event for children and all the family," says James. "And every person involved will know they are doing their bit for conservation."