GARDEN BIRD SURVEY

The Garden Bird survey last winter took place between November 2003 and March 2004. A total of 24 completed forms have been received, which is an increase of four over last year. Nevertheless, approximately 50 forms were handed out, so if any members have not yet handed in completed forms, please could you let me have them as soon as possible. To those who have completed the survey and have returned the forms, many thanks, and please continue your excellent support of our survey, which over the long term helps us to monitor changes in the populations and species of birds using our gardens over the winter period.

The distribution of gardens was as follows:-

a) Location

Urban	Suburban	Rural
1	15	8

b) Size

Small	Medium	Large
9	12	3

The medium sized suburban garden remains the most numerous contributor. A good number of rural gardens helps to account for the diversity of recorded species.

The total number of species recorded this year was 45 - the same number as last year. The same garden in Coppull recorded the highest number (31). The average count per garden was 21.25.

The top twenty has been produced as previously by weighting the scores according to frequency of visit, i.e. 3 points for daily visitors, two for frequent visitors and one for occasional visitors. Blackbird remains firmly fixed in the number one spot, although five species - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin and Chaffinch were recorded in all gardens surveyed. In the top twenty, Greenfinch continued to climb up the table and House Sparrow continued to fall. Bullfinch was displaced by Siskin.

Noticeable by their absence this year were Redwing and Fieldfare. Not a single record of either was received, which was a reflection of the status of the two species in the area as a whole. Only two records of Brambling were received. Species which didn't make it into the top twenty were as follows:-

Bullfinch (10 gardens), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Carrion Crow (9), Mistle Thrush (8), Blackcap, Pheasant, Reed Bunting and Rook (5), Goldcrest and Pied Wagtail (4), Black-headed Gull, Grey Wagtail, Treecreeper and Tawny Owl (3), Mallard, Jackdaw, Moorhen, Heron, Brambling and Redpoll (2), and Kestrel, Tree Sparrow, Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon (one each)

Position				Species	Weighted score	Gardens visited
2004	2003	2002	1998
1	1	1	1	Blackbird	71	24
2	3	2=	2	Blue Tit	70	24
3=	1=	2=	4	Robin	67	24
3=	4	4	3	Great Tit	67	24
5	6	5	6	Chaffinch	65	24
6	5	6	7	Dunnock	60	23
7	9	9	10	Greenfinch	59	23
8	10	8	13	Coal Tit	55	23
9	8	7	9	Collared Dove	55	22
10	6=	10	5	Magpie	49	20
11	14	12	11	Starling	45	19
12	12	13	12	Wren	42	22
13	11	11	8	House Sparrow	39	18
14	13	14	14	Long-tailed Tit	38	21
15	16	16	17	Goldfinch	34	19
16	14=	18	15	Woodpigeon	31	14
17	18	16	16	Jay	29	16
18	20	20	19	Sparrowhawk	27	18
19	17	15	20	Song Thrush	27	17
20	-	19	18	Siskin	23	14