Dorset residents are being encouraged to get involved with the ‘world’s largest wildlife survey.’

The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch returns next week from January 26-28.

Last year nearly 9,700 people across Dorset took part with the House Sparrow taking the top spot as the most commonly seen bird, followed by Starling and Blue Tit.

Beccy Speight, the RSPB’s Chief Executive, said: “By taking part in the Birdwatch you are joining hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK, united in a love of nature, to play an important role in helping us understand how UK birds are doing.”

This year marks 45 years since the first bird watch and it has since become a much-loved annual citizen science event, that gives the RSPB a valuable snapshot of how garden birds are doing in the UK.

Over that time, 185 million birds have been counted across the UK, and nearly 11.5 million hours spent watching and counting garden birds.

To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, sign up at www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch, then simply watch the birds on your balcony, in your garden or in your local green space for one hour.