You don't need to be an expert to enjoy the presence of birds in your garden. The Irish Wild-bird Conservancy publishes in the current issue of Wings, its journal, the results of its Garden Bird Survey for winter of 1997/98, in which 570 people participated. Some casual watchers, not IWC members, of course, may be surprised at the long roll that is given, for in all, 46 species are listed. This year, by the way, the survey was modified to include birds that came to the garden but not necessarily to the feeders.
Here are the first 20 in order: blackbird, blue tit, robin, chaffinch, greenfinch, great tit, magpie, coal tit, house sparrow, dunnock, wren, song thrush, jackdaw, starling, rook, woodpigeon, bullfinch, siskin, collared dove and pied wagtail. Now, the blackbird at number one, was noted in 522 gardens and the blue tit, robin and chaffinch also made the 500-plus mark. Next seven were in the 400-plus range. Nearly all the rest were in the 300s. Interesting comment on the magpie, which moved up from ninth position last year to seventh: Oran O'Sullivan writes: "Please note also that some of its `target' prey species are thriving at the top of the survey". In other words the magpie is not as destructive of small birds as sometimes made out. Other birds which moved up the league table were wren at 11, up from 16 and woodpigeon and bullfinch to 16 and 17 from 20 and 26 respectively.
Some of this may come from the new ruling that birds listed as visitors may not necessarily be there for feeding. Then there is the point that some come early in the season - the counting season, that is. And, of course, the results are all influenced strongly by the weather, not only here but in Europe. A mild winter in 1997/98, the journal notes, probably explained the presence of siskins in good numbers. In colder years the bulk could have stayed away (probably in France and Spain) until February.
One other point: a small fountain, playing into a large, shallow, carved stone bowl is a huge attraction to birds. The goldcrest appears to be interested only in it in one known garden. Many birds bathe there in the late afternoon, including very aggressive blackbirds. More on this report another day.