RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019
This weekend (26-27th January 2019) saw the 40th RSPB Birdwatch, an annual survey that charts the rise and fall of UK bird species across the UK. Bird watchers all around the country spend an hour counting their local species and submitting their crowdsourced results to produce the aggregated results. I started the weekend doing my count in the local park.
According to 2018’s results Blackbirds and Robins were down, tits and magpies were up in great numbers, and although this year’s countrywide totals won’t be out until April, my count felt like it reflected those trends. Here’s a few of my favourite shots of the birds I counted this weekend.
A Very Cold Day At RSPB Rainham Marshes
After narrowly missing the rain on Saturday in the park, Sunday turned out a much brighter day so I headed out to my favourite nature reserve, RSPB Rainham Marshes. Whilst it didn’t rain (apart from a flash 2 minute mini hail storm at the end of the day) it was bitterly cold with temperatures zero celsius for most of the day.
Rainham Marshes is a wide open space right next to the Thames estuary, and the wind off the water made it feel like it was way below freezing. Most of the birds where tucked deep in the hedgerows and trees, although there was enough wildlife out and about to get a few nice shots.
Just before I finished up for the day and headed towards the reserve cafe for a well earned hot cup of tea and a cake, I spotted a pair of ducks doing a merry dance circling in the water together. A later Google search seems to suggest that the clever little things work together to whirl up algae and plants from below the water – teamwork makes the dreamwork…
