The results of BTO surveys such as Breeding Bird Survey and Garden BirdWatch enable us to work out which bird species are becoming less common, but if we want to help these populations bounce back to their former glories we really need to know why they’re declining. Are fewer birds surviving to breed the following year, or is each bird producing fewer chicks?

The 500 volunteers currently taking part in the Nest Record Scheme help us to answer the second of these two questions by counting the number of eggs and chicks in any nests they find during the breeding season. Provided due care is taken to ensure the nest is not dislodged or exposed to predators, it is perfectly safe and legal to look inside – pages 8-9 of the NRS Handbook, which can be downloaded here, give more advice about how to monitor them. Of course, the safety of the nest is utmost, so if you’re in any doubt, don’t attempt to record it.

If you can look inside, then please do submit a nest record, whether it’s for a Blackbird in your garden or an Oystercatcher in a remote part of Scotland. We receive over 30,000 records a year from people who do and this information is absolutely vital to the UK conservation effort. You can find out more about the NRS and how to submit your record on the NRS web pages here or you can contact us for a Starter Pack here ( ).

Thanks for reading!