Ireland's 15th annual Garden Bird Survey starts on Monday, so dust off your binoculars and get outside to do a little birdwatching.
Over 1000 people participate in the survey each winter, recording the highest number of each species seen each week. This year you can register your findings online via the Birdwatch Ireland website (www.birdwatchireland.ie).
Boost your numbers by providing the birds with a much-needed source of food in winter. You'll find a range of bird feeders in our garden centre, plus energy-packed fat balls to keep them warm and specialist feeds like sunflower and niger seeds. You can record what types of bird food you're providing on the survey form.
Gardens are increasingly important to birds as the countryside changes and many of their traditional habitats disappear. They repay the favour by eating aphids, caterpillars and slugs for you – acting as a kind of built-in pest control.
With generous gardeners feeding them through the hard times, previous survey results show garden birds in Ireland are holding their own, with populations of robins, blackbirds, bluetits and chaffinches particularly healthy. You might also be lucky enough to spot less common birds, like siskins, bramblings or lesser redpolls: just keep your eyes peeled and those binoculars at the ready.
