Spot the brightly coloured rings for urban birds study

As a TWOOTZ customer and bird enthusiast I am delighted to see that the company has agreed sponsorship with the University of Birmingham in the 'Urban Birds Study'.

With threats to wildlife from pestcides and weather trends you simply cannot have too much information on what is good and bad for birds – their population trends and locations help to point out problems before they get out of hand. So get out your binoculars and spot the brightly coloured rings which the survey is using and e-mail your results to TWOOTZ.

It is a bit different out in the countryside - well, at least down here in Sussex - our bird table visitors seem to vary with amazing rapidity. Two weeks ago Goldfinches were visiting the tables in numbers having been attracted in by the last of the thistledown on the wildflower ‘Green’ which fronts our home. This week I’ve not noticed one - not that I keep a little book – I like birds but I’ve got a pretty busy life with other interests.

I decided to boost up the peanut feeders and sure enough the Blue Tit population of West Sussex got to hear about it in double quick time - lots of strangers arriving - we know this because our very local breeding population are in the process of a bit of a Darwinian change - no longer BLUE tits they are very much GREY tits. It does not seem to be a seasonal change because we noticed them more than six months ago.

Anyone else noticed these washed out little acrobats about ?