IT'S Big Garden Birdwatch at the weekend when the UK's national bird charity urges people to count the feathered friends visiting their gardens.
The RSPB hopes people will spend an hour watching their gardens and noting down what turns up.
More than 30,000 Scots took part last year. Usually about a thousand Borderers contribute and for most of us the top bird seen is the chaffinch.
Je
nny Tweedie, RSPB Scotland media officer, said: "The survey is a fun and easy way to learn about what types of birds are coming into your garden. It'll also help the RSPB to find out how our birds have been doing during the colder weather. You don't even need to get your coat and hat on to take part, as the survey can all be done from the comfort of your home."
The top 10 birds in gardens in the region last year were the chaffinch, followed by the house sparrow, blue tit, blackbird, starling, coal tit, great tit, robin, greenfinch and dunnock.
Across Scotland, the first two are the same but starlings come in third, followed by blackbirds, then blue tits, coal tits, great tits, then robins, greenfinches and dunnocks.
For information about the Big Garden Birdwatch over Saturday and Sunday, and to take part, go to: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
