THE freezing conditions and heavy snowfall in Worcestershire could mean birdwatchers see more of the winged wildlife visiting their gardens than ever this weekend.

Over this weekend, the world’s biggest wildlife survey takes place with the RSPB and the bad weather is expected to drive the birds into gardens in search for food.

Last year almost 600,000 people across the UK, including 8,204 in Worcestershire, 90,000 pupils and teachers at schools took part in Birdwatch, counting more than nine million birds between them.

The House Sparrow was the most spotted bird in Worcestershire last year with 4.1 seen each hour on average last year and the Blue Tit came second.

Anyone can take part in the watch by spending an hour in their garden or local park noting the highest number of each bird they see and then submitting the results to the RSPB. Schoolchildren and teachers are doing the same in their schoolgrounds until February 1.

Fen Gerry from the RSPB, said: “No matter where people take part, whether at home with the family, with classmates at school or with friends in the beer garden of the local pub, we’re joining forces to gather vital information about some of our most familiar garden birds.”

Now in its 34th year Birdwatch has helped to highlight some dramatic declines in UK garden birds. Fen said: “The declines of birds like starlings and sparrows over the last 30 years or so have been alarming, but Big Garden Birdwatch has helped us find out more about their numbers and distribution across UK gardens, and that has been the first step in helping to put things right.”

Visit rspb.org.uk/birdwatch and rspb.org. uk/schoolswatch to find out how to take part.