Unusual visitors likely in winter birdwatch

As the RSPB launched its annual Big Garden Birdwatch, with at least half a million people expected to be counting birds in their gardens this weekend, the charity said it was keen to know how the coldest recorded December has affected birds.

The RSPB said the country is usually gripped by its coldest weather in January and February, and the early start to winter and extremely low temperatures mean gardens will have already seen higher numbers of birds than usual. Species which do not commonly turn up in gardens will have had weeks of cold weather to adapt to using feeders and bird tables – making it likely this year’s birdwatch will record some unusual sightings.

Some of the rarer garden species which could turn up include yellowhammers, above, reed buntings, tree sparrows and flocks of waxwings, while the RSPB said that last year one man had a bittern on his garden pond.