A group of us met in the community garden this morning for an RSPB Big Garden Bird Count. We did this from 8.15 to 9.15 am because birds are most active first (and last) thing. There is lots of birdsong at this time too.

The serious spotters were very strict with the scoring - the birds had to 'land or stop moving' in the garden so none of the very many that just flew over could be counted. We also just counted the total number we could see at one time. So if we saw a robin on its own 15 times it would only count as one.

The final scores were:

Blackbirds: 2
Blue tits: 3
Chaffinches: 2
Collared doves: 1
Dunnock: 2
Goldfinches: 2
Great tits: 1
Greenfinches: 4
Green woodpecker: 1 (not on the scoring list)
Long-tailed tits: 5
Magpies: 1
Robins: 3
Woodpigeons: 5

The only birds on the RSPB list we didn't see were: coal tits, house sparrows and starlings.

We also had an impressive count of hot drinks, biscuits, cakes and pastries - never endangered species at Nightingale Park.

We can post some photos of the birds soon...