The distribution of gardens was as follows:-

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. Conversely, the virtual absence of urban gardens may account in part for the decline in numbers of House Sparrow and Starling in our survey.

The total number of species recorded this year was 48, i.e. a decrease of 3 over last year and no doubt due to the decrease in the number of gardens. A garden in Whittle again recorded the highest number (35), and the typical count was again between 20 & 22.

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. Therefore, although seven species were recorded in all 19 gardens, this methodology enables us to establish a more accurate table, and gives a better indication of the species most likely to be seen at any given time. What the table doesn't show is abundance, and as last year, the most abundant species are still Starling and House Sparrow, although they only occupy positions 11 and 12 respectively. Four gardens failed to record either House Sparrow or Starling, which accounts for the continuing slide in the table of both species. Starlings roam around in fairly large flocks, but seem to spend less time in individual gardens than they once did. Furthermore, they seem to prefer bread and kitchen scraps, rather than the seed that is probably provided in most of our gardens. Can I suggest that if you wish to see Starlings in your gardens in winter, that you consider providing bread and other scraps as well as seed.

We have now been doing the survey for several years, so I thought that it might be of interest to compare this year's results with those of earlier years, in addition to last year's. I have therefore introduced additional columns showing the respective positions for 1996 and 1998 to try and identify trends over the period. Most noticeably, the much publicised decline of the House Sparrow is confirmed. It has dropped from 6^th position to 11^th over the period. The long term trend for the Dunnock also seems to be downwards, which confirms impressions from this particular winter when the species did not seem to be quite as obvious as usual. Also on the way down, which might be more of a surprise, is Magpie. Upwardly mobile are the finch species (Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch) and Coal Tit. This presumably has a lot to do with the proliferation of Sunflower seed as a bird table food item. Certainly, Bullfinch seem to have discovered this food source, and I would not be surprised to see them enter the top twenty in the next couple of years. Long -tailed Tits seem to have stabilised at around No. 14 over the last three or four years, and Song Thrush seems to be continuing its recovery.

Species which didn't make it into the top twenty were as follows:-

Great Spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch (8 gardens), Bullfinch, Carrion Crow and Mistle Thrush (7), Pied Wagtail (6), Goldcrest, Black-headed Gull and Rook (5), Blackcap and Fieldfare (4), Brambling, Redwing, Tawny Owl, Moorhen and Pheasant (3), Treecreeper, Mallard and Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Tree Sparrow, Jackdaw, Reed Bunting, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Feral Pigeon, Chiffchaff, Common Gull and Redpoll (all 1 each).

Thanks once again to everyone who took the trouble to complete and return forms for the survey.