Big Garden Birdwatch 2010 on Newington Green

Big Garden Birdwatch 2010

Some NGAG volunteers visited Newington Green early in the morning on 30th January to do some 'citizen science' by making a survey of the birds on the Green for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and for our own records. There had been a sprinkling of snow and it was -2o when they first arrived but the sun was bright and it was a beautiful morning.

Most of the birds that are usually recorded on the Green gradually came in to feed using the grass, the tree canopy and the bird feeders that NGAG and Greenspace have provided. The BGBW records will be sent in to the RSPB. They will shortly be included on this Website and the data compared to that collected for the BGBW 2009 record which took place on the Green.

Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robin, Blackbird, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Starlings, Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gulls and of course Feral Pigeons, were all recorded on Newington Green itself, whilst other species were also observed in local gardens.

We have previously recorded 'a charm of goldfinches' and  a flock of around 20 redwings on Newington Green during 2009. A couple of local residents have also reported fieldfares feeding on rowan trees. There are at least 2 flocks of House Sparrows locally, but these were not on the Green for the BGBW record. However, we hope that local people will send us copies of their BGBW records so that we can build up some data about the birds around the Newington Green area.

On Newington Green itself a 'conventicle of magpies' is often seen - sometimes 11 at a time. Interestingly a 'conventicle' means a secret meeting or a building used for the religious worship of non-conformist groups, such as the Unitarians, which of course have been central to the community around Newington Green for over 300 years.

The one unexpected and amusing visitor recorded this year on Newington Green was a moorhen, which was quietly grazing on the grass!

The moorhen must have come down to feed, on the way to Clissold Park or the reservoirs and is a good example of the validity of our maintaining and providing green corridors, so that they can be used by any wildlife that moves through our built-up urban environment.

The Newington Green Area BGBW records for 2010 may be found here.

30 January 2010