Birds in our Countryside - The surrounding hedgerows, fields and woodlands, provides food, shelter and places to nest for a wealth of different species of birds. Hedgerows provide birds with an abundance of seeds, berries and insects, as well as places to hide, and stone walls provide perches and vantage points.
Out and about - It is important to be quiet and relatively still when trying to study birdlife. You don't have to go looking for birds, just find a position that overlooks a suspect habitat and wait, birds will appear when they feel confident enough, patients is a virtue when bird spotting.
Other things you will need, right clothing, does your clothing rustle at your every movement. Also a good pair of Binoculars, for example 7 X 50, 8 X 40 or 10 X 50 and don't forget pen and paper to record your sighting.
Entice them into your garden - The easiest way to see birds in your garden is to put food out for them. This can be all year round but, birds are creatures of habit and travel fair distances to a regular source of food. Add bird feeders with different types of seed in them, bird tables with daily food scraps and water baths, all will entice bird to your garden.
Trees hedges and shrubs will attract birds, it gives them a hiding place to shelter and build a nesting place. these also provide a ready supply of insects and berries.

My Garden Visitors Monthly Log and photos of my Garden Visitors....

Blackbird... Blackcap... Bullfinch... Carrion Crow... Chaffinch... Collared Dove... Dunnock... Greenfinch... Gold crest... Goldfinch... Green Woodpecker... Grey Wagtail... Heron... Jackdaw... Jay... Kestrel... Magpie... Nuthatch... House Sparrow... Robin... Seagull... Sparrow hawk... Starling... Siskin... Song Thrush... Great Tit... Blue Tit... Coal Tit... Long Tail Tit... Wren...

Food - Never feed desiccated coconut as this may swell up inside the bird's stomach.
Peanuts - Never feed peanuts during breeding season unless they are in mesh type feeders, from which only small pieces can be taken. This will prevent baby birds choking on a full size peanut if returned to the nest.
Feeding - Scraps which birds will enjoy include, Cheese, Cooked potato, Fruit, Stale cake, Chopped bacon rind, Sunflower seeds, Uncooked pastry and Tinned cat food.
Baby birds - Finding one in your garden or hedgerow that seem to be abandoned is not always the case. Leave them alone as the parent is usually close by or searching for food, only intervene if you are sure the bird has been orphaned.

Loads more help and guidance on all Wildlife can be found from the "Royal Society for the Protection of Birds".

Projects.....Build a Bird Box and Feeders.

If you require a "Tick List" for your bird spotting adventure visit www.printablebirdchecklists.homestead.com
Lists covering most countries, each contains a Tick Box, the Common Name and the Scientific Name of birds.