Surge in RSPB's bird sightings
The latest results from the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch have revealed a golden year for the goldfinch, along with a number of other small birds, after a surge in sightings in gardens across South Yorkshire.
Now in its 39th year, the Birdwatch is a chance for people of all ages to count the number of birds that visit their garden, helping the RSPB build up a picture of how they are doing. This year, more than 450,000 people across the country, including more than 6,700 in South Yorkshire took part. The event, held over the last weekend in January, revealed an increase in sightings of smaller birds, such as goldfinches, chaffinches and coal tits that can usually be seen visiting gardens and outside spaces in flocks. Recorded sightings of the brightly coloured, sociable finch rose by four per cent on 2017.