Do you watch the birds in your garden?
Would you like to contribute to a citizen science project which has been running across the Isle of Man for more than 20 years?
If so, the Manx BirdLife Garden Birdwatch Scheme could be just for you.
Since its launch in 2000, the scheme has helped Manx BirdLife track changes in some of our most familiar and cherished garden birds. Over the years, we’ve sadly seen the decline and loss of the Yellowhammer as a breeding species on the Island. Yet there have also been positive developments, including the rise in numbers of the Great Spotted Woodpecker and the Buzzard.
To date, participants have submitted more than four million records, documenting 157 bird species observed across the Island. And with your help, we can gather even more vital data.
To find out more about what the Garden Birdwatch Scheme has already told us you can read
20 Years of Manx BirdLife Garden Birdwatch (Bea-feie Son dy Chooilley Imbagh) - An assessment and compilation of more than 20 years of citizen science on the Isle of the Man written by Manx BirdLife Volunteer Ecologist Alexandra King.
What is Involved?
Participation is simple and flexible. You can start at any time of the year.
All you have to do is record the maximum number of a given species seen at any one time during each week. For example, if you saw two Blackbirds together on a Monday, one on each of Tuesday and Wednesday, none on Thursday, three on Friday and one on each of Saturday and Sunday, then your count for the week would be simply the three from Friday.
You can commit as much or as little time as you want each week and it’s OK if you miss the odd week.
Please only record a species as present in your garden if it was using it in some way. You should ignore birds flying high over the garden. However, if you judge flying birds to be using the garden, for example a Sparrowhawk hunting through your garden, it should be included.
Taking part in the garden birdwatch is completely free. If you’d like to support the scheme further, voluntary donations to help cover printing and postage costs are warmly appreciated.
We will send you a new recording form each quarter as well as updates and reports from time to time.
How do I sign up?
To sign up, please email your details (full name and postal address) to: enquiries@manxbirdlife.im and state 'Garden Birdwatch', or call us on 01624 861130.
Together, your observations—alongside those of hundreds of others—are helping to safeguard the future of our Island’s wildlife.
All of this is made possible by Manx Bird Club (formerly Manx Ornithological Society) who sponsor the scheme each year.
