Eyes wide for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch – a photo essay

The UK’s largest citizen science project runs from 29-31 January with more people than ever expected to take part thanks to birdwatching’s lockdown boom

For much of the past 12 months, while we haven’t been able to venture further than the local park or the end of our garden path, many of us have taken vicarious pleasure in following the flight paths of migrating birds, which are still free to spread their wings. The Arctic tern, for example, makes a UK stopover on its annual migration as it chases the sun between the Arctic and Antarctic summers.

Birdsong floating through our windows and into our homes has been one of the most joyful and uplifting sounds of 2020. And from Friday, the RSPB is asking us to stay tuned and join it for the Big Garden Birdwatch (BGBW), the largest citizen science project in the UK.