NEARLY 600,000 people across the country who took part in a bird watch weekend spotted more than 8.5 million birds, revealing fewer finches are visiting our gardens but the number of wrens, robins and blackbirds has increased.

A total of of 585,000 people across the country spent an hour on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday 25, watching their garden during the Big Garden Birdwatch, as part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Giving Nature a Home campaign,and recording any feathered friends that made a flying visit.

Overall more than eight-and-a-half million birds were spotted, which is close to a 100,000 increase on 2014, and sightings of every bird that featured in this year’s top 20 increased on the numbers recorded in 2014, apart from the three finches; chaffinch, goldfinch and greenfinch. 

In South West England 64,622 people took part and  the average number of robins seen visiting gardens was at its highest since 2011, and blackbirds became the UK’s most widespread garden bird after being spotted in more than 90 per cent of UK gardens.

Despite being the UK’s smallest garden bird, twice as many people saw wrens in their garden this year than in 2014, consolidating its place in the top 20 most popular garden birds.

The results also showed a drop in finch numbers this year, which continues a long term decline of 53 per cent since 1979, which is likely due to the trichomonad parasite which lives in the upper digestive tract of the bird, and its actions progressively block the bird’s throat, making it unable to swallow food, and dying from starvation.

Tony Whitehead, speaking for the RSPB in the South West, said: “It’s wonderful that so many people enjoy watching the birds in their gardens. And getting our gardens in tip-top condition to welcome birds can make a real difference.

"When the weather is cold, additional food is always welcome, but there’s so much more people can do. Why not make your garden a welcome home for wildlife all year round?

"For example planting nectar rich native flowers attracts insects on which birds can feed in spring and summer. Leaving patches of grass a little longer also helps the bugs.

“And don’t forget; think about how you can work within your community to improve your whole neighbourhood for wildlife – bigger, better and more connected."