RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results reveal a golden year for the goldfinch

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results reveal a golden year for the goldfinch

RESULTS from a national birdwatch project have revealed a golden year for the goldfinch – along with a number of other small birds.

The project uncovered a surge in sightings of such birds in gardens across Sefton.

The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch gave people of all ages a chance to count the number of birds that visit their garden, helping the RSPB build up a picture of how they are doing.
This year, more than 450,000 people across the country, including over 6,000 in Merseyside took part.

The event held over the last weekend in January revealed an increase in sightings of smaller birds, such as goldfinches, long-tailed tits and coal tits.

Recorded sightings of the brightly coloured, soci- able finch rose by 17% on 2017 figures for Merseyside and its bright red face was seen in more than a third of gardens.

It also proved to be a good year for the greenfinch after a 4% rise in numbers seen, a welcome sign for a species that has undergone a 60% decline in sight- ings since the first survey in 1979.