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Robin is top Irish winter bird 19.11.15

THE annual BirdWatch Garden Bird Survey gets underway later this month with the robin set to retain its position as Ireland's top winter bird.
The Christmas favourite, with its distinctive red breast, was recorded in all 686 gardens surveyed in the three months to February 2015.
This was the fifth season the robin came top of the tree.
The feisty little species, was followed by the blackbird, which was recorded in 99.6% of gardens, retaining its position at number two.
The other eight most common visitors fighting it out at the bird feeder were the blue tit spotted in 97.8% of gardens; magpie (94%); chaffinch (93.3%); great tit (91.7%); house sparrow (86.2%); coal tit (85.9%); goldfinch (84.7%) and wren (84.6%).
BirdWatch field surveyor Oran O'Sullivan said the lack of snow in Ireland last year meant fewer noticeable movements of birds into gardens in the three months surveyed.
But he said the siskin was found to be scarce (29th place) partly due to an abundance of seeds in Irish forests.
"This was also noted in similar garden bird surveys in the UK and with reports of a very good seed harvest in conifer forests, meaning that (the siskin) did not require the additional food supplies of many gardens," Mr O'Sullivan told the latest edition of BirdWatch Ireland's e-wings magazine.
Nuala and Tom Lynch, in Ennis, Co Clare took part in the survey, noting: “A total of about 25 bird species for our garden was about standard. We did notice fewer of the tit family. Greenfinch and starling were up, which is good to report.”
The Robin.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Sullivan appealed for more people to take part in this year's Garden Bird Survey with last year's participant number of 686 the lowest in seven years.
"Your results make it possible for us to monitor any changes taking place in garden bird numbers and their distribution nationally over time.
"As gardens support a high percentage of Ireland’s resident birds through
the winter, this information is obviously very important to us," he added.
The survey begins on November 30, 2015. To sign up visit www.birdwatchireland.ie .
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