Our Third Year of Big Garden Birdwatch

Our third year was a charm! Energy Garden’s community pulled on their boots and coats, grabbed their binoculars, and headed out to complete Big Garden Birdwatch surveys at Brondesbury Park Station and Hampstead Heath. 

The data we collected contributes to the UK’s largest community science event, with over 47 years of observations. These records help track bird population trends and inform conservation action nationwide. 

At Brondesbury Park, a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) made a welcome return after a year’s hiatus, much to the group’s delight. We also spotted familiar favourites, including robin (Erithacus rubecula), coal tit (Periparus ater), blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), and many woodpigeons (Columba palumbus). 

Hampstead Heath offered a rich mix of woodland and water species, making for an especially exciting morning. In total, we recorded 196 individual birds, including tufted ducks (Aythya fuligula), jays (Garrulus glandarius), and mute swans (Cygnus olor). 

The Energy Garden team will use this information to better support birdlife across our gardens. We’re already seeing successes—last year, the bird box at Brondesbury Park became home to a nesting blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We’ll continue working to make our green spaces more wildlife-friendly, so do check our Events page for ways to get involved. 

See you in the gardens soon!