GARDEN birds in the county need your help. The world’s biggest wildlife survey – the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch – will be taking place on Saturday and Sunday, January 29 and 30, and the charity needs people to join in.

Thousands took part in Worcestershire gardens last year, helping to monitor the birds visiting their gardens over the winter period.

Participants do not have to be an expert and the more people who take part, the better the results.

Fen Gerry, RSPB media and communications officer, said: “The Big Garden Birdwatch is great for the whole family.

"By giving up just one hour over the weekend, you can make a real difference to our knowledge of garden birds, which ones are doing well and which need help.”

Past surveys have enabled the charity to identify the cause of the decline of certain birds, as well as steps that people can take to help them recover. Last year, the blackbird topped the chart in county gardens.

Across the UK, the house sparrow, despite topping the chart, has shown a rapid decrease since 1979 – dropping from an average of 10 birds per garden to just 3.7.

Results from 2010 provided a good understanding of how birds were coping with the prolonged cold spell experienced at the start of the year.

Unusually high numbers of countryside birds such as fieldfares, redwings, bullfinches and yellowhammers were spotted in gardens.

More usually found in fields and farmland trees and hedgerows, these birds visited our gardens for food when they couldn’t find enough in their usual haunts.

As well as redwings and fieldfares, other members of the thrush family, including song thrush, mistle thrush and blackbird, were seen in much higher numbers last year looking for food.

People are being asked to spend one hour over the weekend counting the birds in their garden or local park and recording the number of bird species seen at any one time.

For information and online resources to help with the birdwatch, visit the RSPB website rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

An online results form will be available from Saturday, January 29, until Friday, February 18. People can also call 0300 456 8330 to ask for a Big Garden Birdwatch form.