Blyth Valley and Southwold Wildlife Group: September report

Garden BirdWatch

The Southwold and Blyth Valley Wildlife Group welcomed speaker Susan Jones to our first autumn meeting this year. Susan, of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), gave us a fascinating account of how the Garden BirdWatch works. It is a survey of birds and other fauna in British gardens that takes place week by week throughout the year. Gardens are a wonderful resource for wildlife, but by nature they are private, and so the BTO enables volunteers to join an online survey that records their garden visitors, principally birds, but also mammals, amphibians and other wildlife. This is then submitted weekly. As volunteer numbers have increased over the last 30 years, knowledge and understanding of the state of birdlife has been helped significantly. The rapid decline in greenfinches through disease was recorded and investigated, and the latest advice on bird feeding, and the type of feeders, is one result. The decline has been arrested, and the future for these birds looks brighter. Other diseases affecting great tits and blackbirds are being monitored.

Non-native species are also noted. The first ring-necked parakeets have been seen in Suffolk gardens, and the tree bumblebee recorded. The BTO has not found these species to be detrimental to our native breeds, but monitoring will continue. Trends in other insects such as pollinators are noticed, and this has been a butterfly ‘Painted Lady’ year.

This is Citizen Science at an accessible, inclusive and flexible level, and the BTO website has full information on how to become involved.

It was a lively and informative evening, which we all enjoyed.

Our next meetings are at two venues:

Wednesday, 7th October, at Wenhaston Village Hall, when Rob Spray will talk about the marine life of Scotland’s west coast.
Thursday, 12th November, at Southwold Arts Centre, when Alex Bass will talk about the wildlife of the Brecks.

Talks start at 7.30pm. Entry is £5, to include refreshment, under 25s free.

Penny Mansfield