Sandbach residents have been busy taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 this weekend.

The national charity is helped by the general public every January, who count wild birds in their local area.

(Image: Nub News)

The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch is the world's largest garden wildlife survey and provides a snapshot of how garden birds are faring in the UK.

(Image: RSPB)

Every winter since 1979, the RSPB has rallied the country to take part in what they claim is the world's biggest wildlife survey. 

Hundreds of thousands of people watch and count the UK's Garden birds over the last weekend in January for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch.

This year's event took place over this weekend 23 - 25 and event marks 47 years since the first Big Garden Birdwatch. Over that time, 185 million birds have been counted and nearly 11.5 million hours spent watching and counting garden birds.

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(Image: RSPB)

Over its four decades, Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world. The Long-tailed Tit, a much-loved species, rose five positions in the rankings last year, with numbers 39% higher than in 2022. However, Long-tailed Tits are susceptible to harsh weather conditions, with the numbers recorded fluctuating since the Big Garden Birdwatch began.

Magpies and a wood pigeon in Victoria Park, Macclesfield. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

The Birdwatch was first to alert the RSPB to the decline in Song Thrush numbers, which are down 80% compared to the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979. This species was a firm fixture in the top 10 in 1979 but by 2009, its numbers were less than half those recorded 30 years beforehand. The Song Thrush scraped in at number 20 in the rankings this year, seen in just 9 per cent of gardens.

(Image: Nub News)