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Survey hopes to unlock goldfinch mystery
goldfinch
Learning more about how birds use garden resources will help conservationists to provide for them when times are hard.

Garden songbird is becoming increasingly common
 
One of Britain's most charming songbirds is an increasingly common sight in our gardens. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is asking members of the public to help find out why.

Over the past 25 years, goldfinch numbers have risen dramatically, according to the trust's Garden Bird Feeding Survey. But the reasons for this increase are not well understood.

BTO is launching a new survey to find out if its increasing use of garden bird foods is helping the species to grow.

The trust wants to explore the importance of the type of food we put out and the plants we grow; whether goldfinches prefer nyger seed or sunflower seed.

Learning more about how birds use garden resources will help conservationists to provide for them when times are hard.

BTO is asking members of the public to spend two minutes watching goldfinches in their garden, reporting how many birds are seen and what they are eating.

The trust is also interested in how their feeding behaviour changes throughout the winter.

The goldfinch feeding survey will run from November 2015 to February 2016. To find out more visit: http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/about/background/projects/goldfinch-feeding-survey/instructions

Image © Francis C. Franklin / CC-BY-SA-3.0

 

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BVA urges 'continued vigilance' over bluetongue

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged vigilance following a concerning rise in Bluetongue (BTV) cases in sheep and cattle.

In a recent statement, the BVA noted that members are reporting more severe clinical signs and higher mortality rates than in previous years.

'We know that farm vets are working hard to support farmers and animals affected by this outbreak, during what is an extremely difficult time for all involved,' they stated. 'Continued vigilance to identify disease early is vital and vaccination remains the best way of protecting animals from this disease.'