25 June to 03 July 2022 is the week for the Garden Bird Survey.
Why do we do the survey in winter? Aren’t birds less likely to be seen? And besides which, it’s freezing!
Birds are active all year round, but in winter, when wild food is more scarce, they will tend to come into gardens to feed. This means that we get a better picture of what birds are present in your local environment.
Spend an hour outside for science. Just tally the maximum number of birds from each species that you see at any one time. The Survey website has resources to help you identify birds.
I did my survey on Saturday and saw: 6 sparrows, 3 magpies, 3 swallows, 3 waxeyes, 1 fantail, 1 blackbird, 1 kingfisher, 1 hawk, 1 chaffinch, 1 pheasant.
This year, the Garden Bird Survey takes place during Matariki.
The rising of the Matariki star cluster marks the beginning of the Māori New Year. Traditionally it’s a time for reflection and festivity after the harvesting of crops; a time for honouring ancestors and celebrating life. In Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) each of the whetū (stars) of Matariki is associated with different domains of the natural world.
Did you know that Tupu-a-rangi, one of the stars of Matariki, is connected to all the birds of the air, the fruit and pollen from the trees and all the provisions above the ground?
