REGIONAL MP Stephen Metcalfe is hoping Basildon residents will go and look at the birds!

Mr Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock, is promoting the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' (RSPB) Big Garden Birdwatch, which begins today (Friday, 28 January) and runs until Sunday.

The public is asked to spend just one hour watching and recording the birds in their garden, balcony or local park, then send their results to the RSPB. Over a million people took part in 2021, counting 17 million birds – making it the biggest Birdwatch ever!

Just one hour every year, for the last four decades, has made the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch the largest garden wildlife citizen science project. Now in its 43rd year, well over 150 million birds have been counted giving the RSPB an astonishing amount of insight into how our wildlife is faring.

Mr Metcalfe says: "Over the last two years, it has become even clearer just how important the outdoors and wildlife is for our own health and wellbeing.

"I think we can all appreciate nature a bit more now, after spending long periods of time indoors, and therefore we should all be playing our part in helping protect and support birds and their habitats in our gardens and local parks.

If you have an hour to spare this weekend then please get involved and help the RSPB understand how our wildlife is faring".

To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2022, watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour at some point over the three days. Only count the birds that land, not those flying over. Then let the RSPB know the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not the total you see in the hour via a visit through this link.