The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is calling on the public to take part in its annual Big Garden Birdwatch, scheduled for Friday, January 23 through to Sunday, January 25.

The event is the UK’s largest citizen science wildlife survey, with hundreds of thousands expected to participate - including those in the Isle of Man.

Participants are asked to spend one hour during the three-day period observing and recording the birds that land in their garden, local park, balcony or any other outdoor space.

Only birds that land are counted — not those flying overhead — and the highest number of each species seen at one time is recorded.

The survey is free and open to everyone, with organisers emphasising that no special equipment or membership is required to take part. Results from past years have provided key long-term data on garden bird populations that help inform conservation work and track trends in species numbers.

To find out more and to register, you can visit https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch

Although local conservation charity Manx BirdLife are not directly associated with this event, there are initiatives taking place across the island related to bird-watching all year round.

The Manx BirdLife Garden Birdwatch Scheme, running on the Isle of Man since 2000, sees participants record the highest number of each species observed in their gardens each week, helping track changes in local wildlife.

The scheme has documented 157 species and over four million records to date.

Alternatively, the Manx Schools’ Birdwatch is encouraging schools on the Isle of Man to do the same thing.

Participating pupils record birds on school grounds and submit the data quarterly, while Manx BirdLife education staff visit schools to provide assemblies, guidance on bird identification, and support for students taking part.

To find out more about Manx Birdlife and their projects, you can visit https://manxbirdlife.im/conservation-project/manx-schools-birdwatch/