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Watch the birdies
Wildlife watchers will be hoping to spot some rare birds among the rare plants at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
Bird fans will flock together for the annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2008 – the 29th annual survey of our feathered
friends which involves spending just one hour during the weekend of January 26-27 watching the birds in your garden or local park.
The Garden event takes place on the Sunday from 10.30am until 3.30pm and features a series of expert-led birdwatching walks.
Visitors to the Garden will be able to take part in five guided walks throughout the day. The RSPB’s Stuart Thompson will lead walks around the Garden at 11 am, 12.30 pm and 2 pm; and the Garden’s estate manager Tim Bevan will be taking groups out onto the estate – at 12 noon and again at 1.30pm.
There will also be information and tips for feeding birds in your own gardens. Warm, waterproof clothing is highly recommended. Those venturing on to the estate should also remember their wellies.
Stuart said: “The National Botanic Garden boasts a rich and diverse range of habitats in its 600 acres. These support some fascinating wildlife, including yellowhammers and tree sparrows - both red-listed species in Wales meaning they are of the highest conservation concern.”
Tim Bevan, who is joined for the estate walks by local bird expert Julian Friese, said: “We are hoping to see the winter migrating birds such as fieldfare and redwing. Other big attractions should be red kites, mistle thrush, meadow pipit, nuthatch and skylarks.
“All these are threatened by changes in agricultural practices. Here on the estate we do not use chemicals and sprays and we grow bird-friendly crops, such as spring barley and leave it fallow for the winter.
“And we grow unsprayed root crops – so they have associated weeds which are a vital food source for over-wintering birds.”
“The real star of the show might be the highly secretive water rail. We have definitely heard them here but they are mainly a “heard but not seen” species; very, very difficult to spot. Our director Kevin Lamb – who used to work for the RSPB – saw one just before Christmas. It was the first he’s ever seen.
“It just goes to show a little of what the Garden has to offer.”
Stuart Thompson added: “Whilst not a rare bird, the water rail is particularly elusive and very hard to spot during the breeding season. There is a slightly better chance of spotting one during the winter, which is a real treat as it's a stunning bird'
Tim explained: “The Garden is a great venue for bird watching because it offers so many habitats; we have fields, woodland and wetland so we can provide many different habitats the different birds need – the snipe, for instance, wants clumpy grassland to hide in while the lapwing much prefers short grass. Meanwhile, woodpeckers and owls thrive on the large amount of deadwood left standing in the woodlands.”
For a bilingual leaflet, which includes a step-by-step guide to taking part in the event, call (029) 2035 3000 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
Pictures Copyrighted RSPB
Yellowhammer and snipe images copyright Andy Hay. Water rail copyright Mike Richards
