Counting the birds for national statistics

[retroHelen]

This is something we enjoy doing every end of January. It's the big Garden Birdwatch here in the UK. The figures from thousands of householders/families are collected by the Royal Society For the Protection of Birds. They provide a list with pictures for families to use to tick off how many they see of the most common birds seen at this time of year in the UK. It provides useful information as to the state of the population of our little feathery garden visitors. I put a variety of seeds and leftovers out on my bird table and wait to see who comes with my list.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/takepart.aspx

http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/bgbw_sheet_2012_tcm9-259825.pdf

We get a lot of big beautiful Herring-Gulls, some folk don't like them and call them sky rats, but the same Herring Gulls have been keeping warm among our chimneys for at least 15 years, raising a chick each year. Blackbirds nest in the holly bush by our window where next door's cats fear to tread. Sparrows nest under our eaves and the blackbirds have a robin friend and a thrush. Do they do anything similar where you are?

I saw some beautiful coloured little birds I'd never seen back home when we went to Shenandoah National Park Virginia in 2007. Other countries have such different birds all making different nests and eating different diets and even little birds are quite intelligent - fascinating wonderful creations.

Our peach-faced lovebird Timmy originates from Africa and he is nearly 14 now. Previously, we had 2 sky blue budgerigars, originally from Australia. The story goes that British explorers asked the Aboriginal peoples what these little birds were called and the Aboriginal folk didn't understand the English question and thought they were being helpful by informing them with the reply: "Budgerigar", which in their language means "good to eat", so the Brits misunderstanding the answer, named it that, and that's what the little bird was stuck with in UK, though they tend to get called 'small parakeet' elsewhere.

[Samberr74]

you should travel to the philippines in Balanga city Bataan Philippines they have a wetlands nature park where they have a gorgeous facility to watch the birds.

http://cityofbalanga.gov.ph/ click on the wetland and nature park link ( picture)

[Astrid]

I love birds, we feed them every winter and I like to watch them eat.

I just checked what "Kohlmeise" means in English, and I don't want to write it.... How could this word could also have such a different meaning? http://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/great+tit.html

Anyway, there are many Kohlmeisen, Blaumeisen, sparrows, blackbirds, robins, throstles, and very seldom an Eurasian jay, which are so beautiful. http://www.google.at/search?q=eichelh%C3%A4her&hl=de&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=hukwT93BKM7xsgbmuOGrBA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBEQ_AUoAQ&biw=1269&bih=896

[Patti Dillard]

Hi there my feathered friends..... Sorry I was thinking about the birds!! Hi there my Brothers & Sisters!

I also enjoy watching the birds, as I feed the ones here year round! I owned a Quaker Parrot for 6 yrs. & last May I sent her to a new home where she could enjoy flying & being free more so outdoors than being in a cage inside. I really miss her. But my love for birds will never cease. I have Inca Doves & Mourning Doves, Sparrows, Titmouse's, Chickadee's, & a few other species that come to feed each day. I especially enjoy looking for new ones I've never seen before that will pass through on their migratory travels! It never ceases to amaze me how Awesome & Talented Jehovah is in His Creation. I see birds I've never imagined with such beauty & it takes my breath away! I can't wait for the New World.....I think I'll want 1 of each species as a personal pet!! Or at least what is available for me to have! And to think that we'll have endless years to watch & learn from each one is truly something to look forward to.

[retroHelen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titmice So KohlMeise = German - so Anglo-Saxons(German invaders and rulers to England 600-1000 AD/CE) in England called them Coal titmice or Coal Titmeise and modern English dropped meise as the Anglo-Saxon word for bird and kept Coal 'tit' = old English for small. Same for German Blaumeise, which became in Anglo-Saxon English Bluetitmice/titmeise and later just Blue tit. Americans heard the birdsound and called the same little bird chickadee. So we are all seeing the same little birds of the Paridae family migrating and calling them by different names.Interesting. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/coaltit/index.aspx