Big Garden Birdwatch.

This year's count compared with the previous four.
Column (a) 28.01.07.
Column (b) 27.01.08.
Column (c) 25.01.09.
Column (d) 31.01.10.
Column (e) 30.01.11.
                                    (a)     (b)     (c)     (d)     (e)
Blackbird                        7       2        4       4       7
Blue tit                           10     12       9       5      11
Chaffinch                         7       7       6      11       6
Coal tit                            0       1       2        1       2
Collared dove                  2      7        5        3       5
Dunnock                          5      3        2        3       5
Great tit                          13    14        8        6     12
Greenfinch                        9    16      10        7       4
Goldfinch                          8    11      13       12     12
House sparrow                14   17        7       14     14
Long-tailed tit                    0     8       12      10     12
Magpie                             2     4         1        0       0
Robin                               6     6         4        3       4
Starling                             0     0         0        0       6
Woodpigeon                     2     0         2        0       0
Bullfinch                            2     0         2        0       2
Tree sparrow                    9      3        2        2       5
Song thrush                       1      0        1        1       0
Fieldfare                          15      0        0        0       7
Redwing                          11      0        0        0       3
Pheasant                            1      1        1        5       1
Wren                                 2      0        1        1       1
G.S.woodpecker               2      2        2        2       1
Goldcrest                           2      0        0        0       0
Sparrow hawk                    1      1        1       0        0
Brambling                           2      0        2       3        2
Siskin                                 2       0       0       0        2
Linnet                                 4       3       0       0        0
Marsh tit                             1       1       1       1        1
Willow tit                            0       0       0       0        1
Crow                                  0       0       2       0        0
Kestrel                                0       0       1       0        0
Blackcap                             0       0       0       0        1

Greenfinch figures give cause for concern but this fact has been well ducumented over recent years.     Whilst my figures do not show any feeding station numbers decline I am concerned about numbers over the last two years in my area, where long-tailed tits are concerned.    Upto autumn 2009  on a daily basis I was seeing in the region of 40 to 45 early morning as they worked their way along the railway embankment and again late afternoon as they made their return journey(no pun intended!!!)    Each time perhaps a dozen would divert to the feeding station staying for a few minutes before rejoining the tailend of the main group.    During autumn and winter months three or four families will combine feeding/ roosting together.     During the last two winters I have not seen these family groups.   The long-tailed tit is one of my favourite birds and I am fascinated  by the way they continually 'chatter' to each other - they are a very sociable bird and I have never seen them resort to fisticuffs unlike goldfinches who are regularly  quarrelling for example.