Monday, January 08, 2007

End of year bird counts

We have just reached the end of the second year doing the Garden Bird Watch bird survey run by the BTO. Here is the summary data for our garden during this time. The percentages indicate how likely we are to see that particular bird species in any one week:

Species Reporting Rate
95% Collared Dove
95% Blackbird
92% House Sparrow
91% Great Tit
87% Robin
87% Chaffinch
82% Blue Tit
81% Greenfinch
65% Dunnock
60% Woodpigeon
59% Starling
40% Coal Tit
33% Long-tailed Tit
20% Goldfinch
8% Carrion Crow
6% Wren
6% Song Thrush
5% Jay
3% Jackdaw
1% Redwing
1% Mistle Thrush
1% Blackcap
1% Siskin

That makes 23 different species in total. The most we have seen in a single week is 16, and on an average week we see 10 different species. In order to be counted the bird has to be seen making use of the garden, not just seen from the garden. So we can't count birds just flying over (unless they are feeding on insects over the garden for example).