This past week at Struan Farm we participated in Landcare Research's Annual Garden Bird Survey. The period runs from June 24th-July 2nd, so if you're keen give it a go. The purpose is to tally bird numbers and different types, although like the annual bee survey I wonder how accurate it is.
You're meant to pick a location (private garden, park, etc.) and sit for an hour, recording the different birds you see as well as the maximum number of each type you see at one time. So if you see four wood pigeons and then one, you tally four (not five). The website has a tally sheet with bird lists and photos to help with identification and counting.
I was torn about where on Struan Farm to do it, and also the day, since I thought a sunny day would bring out more birds than the rain. (There was part of me that wanted to try it a few times in different places to test if I got different results, but there are only so many hours in the day.) We finally had a sunny morning a few days ago, so I poured myself a coffee and took the tally sheet and a chair out to the Homestead garden to see and hear what I could. Must say that I heard quite a few more than I could actually see, and since I'm not great at identifying all of the calls could not count those unfortunately. But I did see two wood pigeons at one time, tui, fantail, king fisher and a number of the Europeans, plus heard the bellbird that migrates through when the camellias are starting to flower.
We love our birds here at Struan Farm! Except of course for the designated pests: magpies, spur winged plover, rosellas and geese. We're doing what we can to plant and improve habitat on the property to protect and attract them.
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