The digital resources
RSPB
The RSPB should be your first port of call for birdwatching. It's chock full of information on learning about birds, visiting reserves and the kit you might want to buy if you become more serious about the hobby. Taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch is an excellent way to get all members of your family involved. Download a recording sheet along with a bird identification aid and then monitor what you see. This can be done in your garden, in a park over an hour between 26th - 28th January. A visit to one of the RSPB's reserves is a great way to entertain children and very fulfilling. Be mindful that you'll be visiting alongside professional birders whose lenses put royal photographers' cameras in the shade. Find out more about the RSPB here.
British Trust For Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology is a non-governmental, non-campaigning organisation focusing on securing the future for birds and nature. It uses science, monitoring and data to inform good environmental decisions and inspire others with the wonder of birds. You can join the BTO and learn more about birdlife and the environment. You can also participate in important fieldwork. Find out more here.
Bird Watching
Bird Watching is Britain's best selling bird magazine and its website has plenty of useful articles to browse. Take part in the #My200BirdYear with monthly challenges to get you ever more enthusiastic. Read up on reviews for the best binoculars for bird watching and more. Plus you can subscribe to the magazine. Find out more here.
Merlin
This app created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the US is responsible for a huge surge in interest in bird spotting. It's the Shazam of birds. Upload either an image of a bird or an audio clip and it will magically, in true Merlin form, identify what you've seen or heard. You can add birds to your personalised list, so you have a permanent record of sightings. The app is free to use and we cannot recommend it more highly. Find out more here.
Bird watchers to follow on Instagram
Instagram is a flutter with photos of our feathered friends. Search for accounts using relevant hashtags like #birdwatchinguk, #birding and so on. Our advice is to find some accounts that you like and then grow from there. Add the RSPB's account to your profile and the National Trust have some good feeds as well, along with bird reserves' accounts.
Bird Girl UK
Mya-Rose Craig love of birds has been lifelong and she's only in her early twenties. She had spotted 5000 species by the time she was sixteen and she's been dubbed the UK's answer to Greta Thunberg. Her blog, Birdgirl, morphed into a book of the same name, a memoir of of her life spotting birds, which has been a best seller. Find out more here.
Hamilton Ahearne Photography
Russ Hamilton-Ahearne is a RSPB volunteer and conservationist. His Instagram feed is a birdwatcher's delight. Follow the Instagram account here.
RSPB
A combination of useful advice on spotting various types of birds, how to help them during different weather conditions, this is a feed you can lose many hours over. Follow the Instagram account here.
How to attract birds into your garden and watch them
If you've got a garden, make sure that it's as bird friendly as it can possibly be, notwithstanding fending off the feline population. Invest in a bird feeding table or plant shrubs that will attract them into your space.
The Woodland Trust
Find tips on how to attract bird life in your garden. Set up bird feeders, find out what foods to choose and be sure to provide a fresh source of water. A bird bath or a small bowl of water will be enough.Think about installing some nesting boxes and add some bird-friendly plants into your borders, such as rowan, hawthorn, honeysuckle. Read the article here.
Binoculars
Binoculars will make bird watching even better but which ones are the best? Fortunately the RSPB's online shop has a range of binoculars that suit all skill levels, including pairs for kids, so you can get up close and personal to birds, wherever you find yourself. Buy binoculars here.
RHS Bird Feeding Hut, £69.99
This feeder is an elegant way to feed birds in your garden. It has a conical aluminium roof and removable round tray for easy cleaning. Buy it here.
Sarah Raven: Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
A selective holder prevents squirrels, pigeons or crows from getting to the birdfeed, allowing smaller birds to effortlessly access the food. Browse Sarah Raven's range of bird feeders here.
Birdbrick Houses: nesting boxes
If you're planning a renovation or new build, consider fitting nest holes, which attract small birds to take up residence in the walls of your home. The standard nesting box is suitable for House Sparrows and members of the Tit Family and provides birds with enough space for nesting and roosting. Browse the range here.
Bird food from Birdfood
Bird Food's range is crafted by its in-house researchers and ornithologists, ensuring that you're providing the best for your garden birds. From fat balls to bird seed mixes, the company uses top-quality raw materials for optimal nutrition. Buy bird food here.
January 2024
By Team GWG
