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‘Feed the birds’, a project set up in collaboration with Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Telford & Wrekin Council, has been using a love of birds and nature to tackle social isolation. A team of 30 dedicated volunteers have been visiting people who are housebound, isolated or lonely to help them clean and fill bird feeders and chat about the birds they have seen.

While the social and nature benefits of volunteers’ weekly visits are clear, those involved with ‘feed the birds’ are keen to have an even bigger impact and are taking part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch this year. 

Up to half a million people are expected to watch and count their garden birds for this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch in January – a nationwide survey which has been running for four decades. During that time, hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered their time, providing the RSPB with nearly nine million hours of monitoring garden birds.

The RSPB launched a partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council grounds contractor idverde to help protect nature in Telford and Wrekin, with a dedicated member of the RSPB team based in borough to work with idverde, the council and local people.

With the RSPB keen to encourage participants to share their own Big Garden Birdwatch stories this year, the involvement of the group behind the ‘feed the birds’ in Telford comes as a welcome addition to the charity’s survey, which has given an astonishing insight into how our wildlife is faring since records began in 1979. idverde has also donated £100 worth of bird food to the Feed the Birds project, to mark the occasion of the Big Garden Birdwatch.

Rebecca Munro, RSPB Director of Communications, said: “With nearly half a million people now regularly taking part, coupled with 40 years’ worth of data, Big Garden Birdwatch allows us to monitor trends and helps us understand how birds are doing. With results from so many gardens, we are able to create a 'snapshot' of bird numbers across the UK.”

Feed the Birds volunteer John said: “I signed up to help with the local scheme because I feed the birds anyway and wanted to help others do the same. I was matched with Ewart who shares my enthusiasm, but just needs a bit of help. We talk for hours about the birds we’ve seen and we’re both keen to support the Big Birdwatch Survey.

“We were only talking the other day about how common house sparrows used to be when we were younger, but today they are on the list of birds most in decline. Whereas wrens, which are quite a shy bird, are on the up.”

The RSPB has hopes to include even more wildlife lovers in its efforts this year, with the event running on the 25, 26 and 27 January 2020. Asking members of the public to spend just an hour watching and recording birds in their garden or local green space.

Those looking to attract more birds to their gardens ahead of the survey are encouraged to provide high-energy (high-fat) foods as birds look to maintain their fat reserves as a defence against cold winter weather.  Clean water is essential too, especially when alternative water sources can freeze.  By helping birds in the local area, it is hoped that members of the public will be able to see even more birds in their Shropshire gardens in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch.

Rebecca continues: “The popularity of Big Garden Birdwatch shows just how passionate people across the UK are about their wildlife. Everyone has a role to play in saving nature and protecting our wildlife. This event is an enjoyable, easy, inclusive activity that anyone can do and a great opportunity to connect with nature.”

To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2020, watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour at some point over the three days. Only count the birds that land, not those flying over. Record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not the total you see in the hour.

For your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch pack, which includes a bird identification chart, plus RSPB shop voucher and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden, text BIRD to 70030 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch. Follow @RSPBNews for the latest news.

The top 20 birds in the 2019 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch were: