episode 208| show notes & advice
episode description
If you're looking to support wild birds in your garden, the RSPB’s upcoming Big Garden Birdwatch is an essential event for us all.
Adam Nicolson and Emma Marsh, Executive Director of the RSPB, join Sarah in this week’s bird-focused episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ to discuss how to get involved in this weekend’s annual bird count, how it came to be, and the many ways that gardeners can actively support and encourage more wild birds in our gardens and green spaces.
In this episode, discover
- The role that gardens and gardeners play in restoring a bustling wild bird population
- What we all can do to provide natural sustenance, shelter and safety for birds with our choice of planting
- How the Big Garden Birdwatch came to be, and how you can get involved this coming weekend
links and references
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook | Sarah Raven
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Join the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
Episode 208 advice sheet
The importance of the count, how it came to be, and how to get involved (1:30)
The Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979 when the RSPB's youth manager came up with the idea to engage younger members to count birds over a frosty weekend in January. Championed by the children’s TV show Blue Peter, from humble beginnings it has grown in popularity to become the world’s largest garden wildlife survey, with around 600,000 people taking part in 2024.
With 40 years' worth of data on garden bird populations across the UK, The Big Garden Birdwatch is crucial in understanding the growth and decline of different bird species.
Anyone interested in taking part can sign up to receive a digital or physical pack with instructions and a list of common garden birds to spot. It's a simple but impactful way to contribute to bird conservation.
How we respond to the growing and waning numbers of particular bird species (11:00)
The House Sparrow (not to be confused with the near identical Dunnock) has remained the most commonly spotted bird in the Big Garden Birdwatch for the past 20 years, despite a 60% decline since the first survey in 1979. This highlights how some species that readily use bird feeders and urban habitats may be faring better than birds who don’t.
However as Adam points out, abundant food sources from feeders may be skewing the natural balance and competition between different bird species. Instead, we can provide birds with natural, plant-based food sources in our gardens by growing varieties that are rich in berries, fruits and seeds.
The garden’s role in the restoration of birds (15:00)
There is immense potential for gardens, no matter their size, to contribute to bird conservation and restoration. Emma explains how she is transforming her own one-acre garden into a diverse, bird-friendly oasis.
This includes vegetable patches, fruit orchards, ornamental plantings and dedicated wild areas, alongside plants such as ivy and yew that provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for birds.
The bird feeder debate, and other forms of sustenance we can provide for wild birds (21:45)
As Adam has noted previously on the podcast, the proliferation of bird feeders in the UK could be having unintended consequences, potentially benefiting some species at the expense of others.
It’s estimated that supplementary bird food put out annually could feed the UK’s wild bird population three times over, and so natural planting, alongside occasional supplementary feeding, is key in getting the balance right.
If you do have a feeder, they should be kept immaculately clean to avoid transmission of potentially-harmful bacteria - cleaning them at least once a week, and providing fresh water daily, is Emma’s recommendation.
