During last year's census 250,710 birds were counted in 6,227 gardens. The average number of species was 11 per garden, with the average number of birds in a day being 40. The heavy snowfall and the fact that the snow remained on the ground, particularly in the centre of Flanders, brought many blackbirds, starlings and even fieldfares into gardens from neighbouring pastures.
Surprisingly high was the number of jackdaws, which were present in one in three gardens. The most numerous species was the house sparrow, with an average of nearly eight per garden, followed by the chaffinch and collared dove.
If you want to take part, it's simple; you don't have to be an expert ornithologist, and it's particularly fun for kids. Simply record the highest number of each bird species seen at any one time. It can be in your garden or on your balcony, and either on the Saturday or the Sunday, or both.
You don't have to spend all weekend staring out of your window; an hour is sufficient. The morning is the best time to look, when the birds are out and about, feeding after a cold winter's night. If you've been feeding the birds throughout the winter, you probably already have regular visitors. If not, it's not too late to string up a bag of peanuts or a fat ball, or scatter some seeds, all of which can be obtained from your local supermarket or pet supply shop. I get mine online from Vivara.be - their black sunflower seeds are particularly appreciated by blue, great, coal and crested tits, goldfinches and greenfinches.
But remember - you should note the maximum number you see at any one time. So if, for example, you see five chaffinches at 9.00 on Saturday and seven at 10.00 on Sunday, you don't write down 12, but seven.
You can download a form to fill in with your observations from Natuurpunt, where you also send your results. If you are not sure how to tell a blue tit from a great tit or a house sparrow from a tree sparrow, don't worry, you can also download a brochure with colour photographs of the 24 birds you are most likely to see.
Pictured: Many a jackdaw can be found in gardens across Flanders
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