Big Birdwatch Report

The rain stopped just in time for our Hilly Fields Big Birdwatch event on 25th January, but the weather conditions weren't great. Nevertheless a lot of enthusiastic people turned up for the guided walk (19 adults, 5 children, 1 Jack Russell terrier) and we had a fun time going round the park. Birds recorded were 1 blackbird, 20 black-headed gulls, 3 blue tits, 3 crows, 19 common gulls, 8 feral pigeons, 2 goldfinchs, 1 great spotted woodpecker, 3 great tits, 6 house sparrows, 4 magpies, 4 redwings, 2 ring-necked parakeets, 8 robins, 40 starlings, 6 woodpigeons and 1 wren. These stats have been sent to the RSPB as part of their nationwide Big Garden Birdwatch.

Meanwhile, outside the cafe, Rachel gave out leaflets, sold a few copies of our Birds of Hilly Fields booklet and tutored some of the children in the art of making fat balls to feed the birds. She also managed to take a few photographs despite having 'lardy hands'. A messy time was had by all. 

Hilly Fields Big Birdwatch 2026

This year's Hilly Fields Big Birdwatch will be held on Sunday 25 January between 10.30–12.30. A guided walk will commence at 11.00 am. As always, our event is timed to coincide with the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch which will take place that weekend. The results of our Birdwatch will be recorded on our Big Blackboard at the event, then forwarded to the RSPB.

We will have a stall outside the park cafe with leaflets, bird ID sheets and copies of our Birds of Hilly Fields booklet. This costs £5 and all profits are used by the Friends of Hilly Fields for nature conservation projects within the park. There will also be children's activities including making fat balls to be hung on nearby trees. These are excellent high energy foods for birds in the winter months. By the way, children are the bird lovers of the future and are very welcome at this event.

If you wish to go round the park on your own, you're welcome to take a bird ID leaflet from our stall, but please remember the RSPB's golden rules: (i) only count the maximum number of each species that you see at any one time (to avoid duplication); (ii) don't count birds that fly over without stopping - only birds within the park. 

In June last year, we saw a buzzard over Hilly Fields for the first time during one of our surveys. It was flying low enough to be hassled by crows from the park, so it has been officially recorded. This is the 53rd bird species we've seen since the surveys began in 2007. It's unlikely that we'll see a buzzard on Sunday 25 January, but...you never know!