Something weird in your neighbourhood? Eagle Owls, Himalayan pheasants and tropical sunbirds. It may sound like a list of birds that you saw on your last trip abroad but all these, and other equally unlikely species, have been recorded in British gardens. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey has been monitoring the weird and wonderful bird life of the UK’s gardens for 10 years and would like more people to report the strange things they see.

Big Garden Birdwatch: Can’t wait until next year? The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch is over for another year and, once again, thousands of people took part in this great event. If you enjoyed doing it and don’t want to wait another year for the next one then why not take part in the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey.

Early birds in the Wirral. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has had a report of a pair of Blackbirds already fledging young this year. Is this a bizarre one-off or is spring getting earlier? The BTO needs garden owners to let them know about early nesting birds.

Add some glamour to your garden. Results just published by the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch have revealed how one of our most glamorous songbirds has benefited from food put out by garden birdwatchers. Goldfinch numbers fell dramatically during the late 1970s because changes in farming practices reduced food availability during the winter months. However, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) research has shown that sunflower seeds and other high-energy seed mixes have provided Goldfinches with a lifeline, enabling the population to recover almost back to where it was before the decline began.

Breeding and Feeding. Winter may be almost over but garden birds still need our help. Having survived the winter they will now be thinking about breeding and this requires a lot of energy. So just because it’s getting warmer, don’t stop putting food out. The BTO is urging people to stock up on high energy seeds and to give their garden birds a helping hand and a fighting chance this breeding season.

Lonely Herts. Gardens are an incredibly important habitat for many of the UK’s bird species. They are used not only for feeding but also as a safe place to breed and raise a family and, as spring approaches, birds will be looking for that ‘special someone’ with whom to pair up with. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Survey is urging people to keep an eye out for these discrete liaisons and help them monitor the fortunes of Britain’s garden birds.

Big Garden Birdwatch: the results. Today sees the results released from this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. The results come from a staggering 470,000 people watching in over 270,000 gardens, an amazing achievement. Comparing these results to those from the year round BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey throws up some expected similarities and some interesting differences.

What’s going on in Scotland’s gardens? Scotland provides the focus for the new issue of Bird Table, the magazine of BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. Articles on Garden BirdWatch in Scotland and birdwatching in Fife highlight the diversity and importance of Scotland for many species. Gardens are a crucial habitat for birds and the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Survey needs your help to find out what is happening in Scotland’s gardens.

Bird Flu and Garden Bird Hygiene. With the recent finding of a dead Whooper Swan carrying the H5N1 type of bird flu virus in Scotland, people are understandably concerned about the risks from birds of bird flu and other diseases. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch have produced a free leaflet that provides much-needed advice on the diseases that may affect garden birds and how to minimize the risks of disease transmission between birds visiting garden feeding stations and ourselves.

Gardens: good for birds? The simple answer is yes they are, but what species use them and in what numbers depends on where you are in the country. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey is now in its 12th year and has been keeping a close eye on the comings and goings of Britain’s garden birds. The next step is to look at a local level so we can see which birds are doing best in different parts of the country. The BTO needs more garden owners to help record birds in private gardens in Shropshire.

Armchair Birdwatchers needed in Dorset - Can you tell a Blue Tit from a Blackbird? Gardens are an incredibly important habitat for many of the UK’s bird species. They are used not only for feeding but also as a safe place to breed and raise a family. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey needs people to keep a record of the birds that they see and help monitor the changing fortunes of Britain’s garden birds.

Armchair Birdwatchers needed in Somerset - Can you tell a Blue Tit from a Blackbird? Gardens are an incredibly important habitat for many of the UK’s bird species. They are used not only for feeding but also as a safe place to breed and raise a family. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey needs people to keep a record of the birds that they see and help monitor the changing fortunes of Britain’s garden birds.

Armchair Birdwatchers needed in Devon - Can you tell a Blue Tit from a Blackbird? The BBC’s Springwatch is in full swing in Devon and the Nation is tuning in to the fortunes of many of the county’s inhabitants. From Barn Owls to Great Tits, Devon’s birds are becoming real celebrities. Gardens are an incredibly important habitat for many of the Devon’s bird species. They are used not only for feeding but also as a safe place to breed and raise a family. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey needs people in Devon to keep a record of the birds that they see and, by doing so, help to monitor the changing fortunes of Britain’s garden birds.

Armchair Birdwatchers needed in Northamptonshire Visiting Red Kites add garden spice! The BBC’s Springwatch is in full swing and the Nation is tuning in to the fortunes of Northamptonshire’s Red Kites. We tend to think of birds of prey as inhabiting wild places but participants in the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey in Northamptonshire have reported Red Kites visiting their gardens! The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey needs people in Northamptonshire to keep a record of the birds that they see and, by doing so, help to monitor the changing fortunes of Britain’s garden birds.

Is all well in your garden? Diseases in garden birds, such as Salmonella and E.coli, usually occur during the winter months, so it is unusual that the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch office are continuing to receive reports of dead or dying Greenfinches, Chaffinches and (to a lesser extent) House Sparrows in peoples gardens.

Blackbirds, newts and tadpoles. Over the summer The BTO has received a number of reports of unusual feeding behaviour by Blackbirds, normally feeding mainly on insects and earthworms, birds have been seen to actively take newts and tadpoles from garden ponds.

EXPERTS PREDICT BIRD FREE GARDENS THIS WINTER. Researchers coordinating the British Trust for Ornithology’s Garden BirdWatch scheme are predicting a quiet winter for garden birdwatchers, as wild plants produce a bumper crop, encouraging birds to stay away from garden feeding stations.

All time high for Goldfinch. Goldfinches are feeding in more of our gardens than ever before. The latest results from the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey show that Goldfinches are now being reported from 55% of all gardens surveyed. This is up from 23% in 1995, when the study began. Why the big increase?

Parents lead young to fast food. Peanuts are fast food for woodpeckers. Results show that 83% of all Great Spotted Woodpeckers visiting gardens come to feed on peanuts, and it doesn’t stop there. Adult birds locate supplies of peanuts and bring their young back to feed on them