A YouGov survey commissioned by the RSPB in January 2021 revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic is making the public more aware of nature in their local area, with 41% seeing wildlife near their homes that they had never noticed before.
63% of the 2,071 adults surveyed also said that watching birds and hearing their song had added to their enjoyment of life since the onset of the pandemic.
Have you ever wondered how many different bird species you might see if you went birding on the Common? Phil Brown of East Barnet took the opportunity of lockdown to do just that, and in 2020 he recorded sightings of no fewer than 51 !
Perhaps the most “exotic” birds on Phil’s list are the ring-necked (or rose-ringed) parakeet and the Egyptian goose.
