Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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National Birdwatch 2009 Results Published

Long-tailed Tit

The 30th year of the RSPB Birdwatch saw a record-breaking half a million people take part, making it the biggest bird survey in the world.

For the first time in the survey’s history, the long-tailed tit has made the top 10 with an average of 1.34 birds spotted per garden. The Island average was higher with 1.98 per garden but we didn’t see any in Ryde Cemetery. The house sparrow, despite retaining its top spot nationally for the 6th year running, has declined by 63% since 1979, and the starling by 79%.

 

The results for the Island show a slightly different picture from the national top 10 birds, with the greenfinch and jackdaw making the chart here but the collared dove and robin, 7th and 9th nationally, outside the Island’s top 10. In the cemetery this year we only spotted 6 out of the national top 10 birds, against 8 last year, although 11 different species were identified during our hour’s birdwatch.

73 different species were recorded nationally over the weekend with the two species of winter thrushes, redwing and fieldfare, found in three times as many gardens as previous years. Although some species have declined, over the 30 years there has been an increase of 825% for woodpigeons and 414% for collared doves.

Thanks to everyone who took part in the cemetery birdwatch.