The RSPB wants to know what croaks, flaps, cheeps and snuffles about in Merseyside gardens in its summer wildlife survey.
Make Your Nature Count, running from the 4-12 June 2011, asks people to count the wildlife in their garden over the summer.
Not only is the RSPB asking people to record birds, it also wants to know about some of the other wildlife visiting Merseyside gardens, like badgers, toads, bats and snakes.
70,000 gardens were surveyed last year involving nearly 100,000 people. Results revealed more than 40% of Merseyside gardens have been visited by hedgehogs.
Carolyn Jarvis, the RSPB’s People Engagement Manager for Northern England, said: “Our gardens are teeming with wildlife at this time of year so it’s the perfect time to take a moment and enjoy it. The survey also helps to build an important snapshot of summer wildlife in our gardens so we can see which species are thriving and which might need our help.”
Last year’s survey also showed that the starling is the most frequent avian visitor with an average of 4.33 per Merseyside garden, followed by the blackbird with an average of 3.32.
At this time of year, gardens are alive with young birds and the RSPB is also asking people to look out for blackbird, robin and song thrush chicks. Counting young birds will help give an indication of how important our gardens are for these birds to breed in.
Similar to how our January survey, Big Garden Birdwatch, identifies trends among wintering bird populations, the RSPB hopes, in time, Make Your Nature Count will build a picture about the wildlife that visits gardens and how important they are for some of our breeding birds and summer migrants.
Carolyn added: “We hope thousands of people will step up for nature and donate a little bit of their time in June to take part in this simple garden wildlife survey.”
To take part, simply spend one hour during the week of 4-12 June, counting the birds and the other wildlife that visit your garden, and record the highest number of each species seen at any one time.
For further information about Make Your Nature Count visit the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/naturecount an online survey form will be available from 4 June.
Alternatively, ring 0300 456 8340 for a Make Your Nature Count survey form. The hotline number is operational until 10 June 2011.
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