A recent survey by the RSPB charity has revealed the Red Kite population is now at its highest level for 200 years. Numbers have doubled in North of England over the last year, with an increase of 40% in Yorkshire alone.

Red Kites were all but wiped out in the UK, with just 10 pairs left in a remote part of Wales. this has all changed through a reintroduction project that began in England and Scotland has now seen the birds classified as ‘near threatened’ by the World Conservation Union. This summer also saw the red Kite reintroduced into Northern Ireland for the first time in 200 years, with the UK population growing to almost 1,200 breeding pairs.

RSPB Director of Conservation, Dr Mark Avery, said –

‘The continuing recovery of the red kite is a fantastic success story. It is a truly iconic bird and wherever it has been reintroduced, from the Chilterns to Gateshead to Aberdeen, local people have taken it to their hearts. Its return is a testament to what is possible when all sectors of society - conservationists, landowners and the general public - recognise the value inherent in our wildlife and work together to protect and treasure it. As a country, we can be very proud of what has been achieved over the last 20 years.’

Join the RPSB for as little as £2.84 a month

An adult RSPB membership is a unique Christmas charity gift for a loved one this festive season. The membership entitles the holder to free entry to over 100 RSPB nature reserves across the UK, plus a great welcome pack and quarterly magazine. Whilst a junior membership offers posters, stickers, a logbook with activities and wildlife stationery set.

Also for a limited time only, you will also receive the fantastic ‘Saving Planet Earth’ book written by Tony Juniper, one of the UK’s leading environmentalists. This book is worth £20 on the high street but is free with every new RSPB membership until 3rd November 2008.

> > click here to join the RSPB

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RSPB membership figures for June and July were up by 20% compared to last year, with approximately 2.3 million people enjoying wildlife experiences across the UK’s nature reserves.

In the last 6 years the RSPB has seen an astounding 114% increase in visitor numbers, with many of the reserves now much closer to residential areas for easy accessibility. With climate change, expansion of urban areas and the over-exploitation of our seas all posing major threats to birds, there’s never been a better time to join.

Plus from 19th September until 3rd November, the RSPB will be offering the BBC’s ‘Saving Planet Earth’ book as a FREE gift choice for all new adult members joining online. This book is packed full of stunning images of wildlife and insightful information on how we can help to save it.

Membership is just £2.84 a month, and this allows free entry to more than 100 nature reserves across the UK. Members will also receive the ‘Birds’ magazine four times a year with beautiful wildlife photography and news on exclusive events and features.

The RSPB could not exist without its millions of members countrywide, their continued support is vital to the future of birds and the places where they live across the UK.

> > click here to join the RSPB

> > click here to find out more about the work of the RSPB 

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To coincide with the start of BBC2 nature programme Springwatch, all new adult RSPB memberships are offered a copy of Bill Oddie’s ‘How to Watch Wildlife’ book as a free gift when joining online between 23rd May and 30th June.

With the current warm weather, more people are taking advantage of the sun and visiting one of the many RSPB nature reserves around the country. From as little as £2.84 a month, you too can visit one of the 100 beautiful RSPB sites around the UK, whilst also quarterly receiving the member’s only publication ‘Birds’.

You subscription fee covers not only the costs for the upkeep of the nature reserves, but also campaigning against developments that damage bird environments whilst restoring natural habitats.

 

> > click here to join the RSPB

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The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch survey in January showed a massive rise in the number of Finches seen in UK gardens. Encouraged by warmer temperatures to stay in the UK as opposed to flying to Southern Europe, Finch sightings were at their highest for 5 years.

Sources at the RSPB mirror the rise in Finches with a startling drop in some of the more commonly spotted birds, like starlings and the sparrow. Milder climate change and more food available gave the Finch more feeding options than in Scandinavia, where seeding crops have been poor.

Almost 400,000 people counted more than six million birds across 228,000 gardens during the survey weekend of January 26th-27th. An average of 28 birds per garden were recorded this year, but whilst the Finches flourished, a lot more of the common UK birds floundered. Though Sparrows may still be the most frequently seen bird, there number are down by 64% in the last 29 years, whilst the Starling’s figures are down 77% since the survey began in 1979.

The top 10 species of birds in the UK for 2008:

• 1 House sparrow
  2 Starling
  3 Blackbird
  4 Blue tit
  5 Chaffinch
  6 woodpigeon
  7 Collared dove
  8 Robin
  9 Great tit
  10 Goldfinch

With conditions in the wild getting tougher for birds to survive, gardens are becoming vitally important in the feeding of many species. Plus with the climate change offering warmer winters in the UK, you can expect to see a wider diversity of bird in your back garden. You don’t have to be a member of the RSPB to join in the survey, but from as little as £2.67 a month you can help stop the UK’s endangered birds disappearing from our landscapes.

> > click here to join the RSPB

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"Please note, any prices mentioned in the donation4charity blog are correct at the time of posting. Please check the relevant website for the latest pricing information."

If you’re thinking of giving something a little different to Chocloate eggs this coming weekend, why not put something back into the environment by giving a RSPB Membership as an Easter charity gift?

With over a million members in the UK alone, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds successfully campaign for endangered species, whilst protecting and restoring bird habitats. With over 100 nature reserves in the UK, the RSPB not only protects and nurtures British wildlife, but also tackles international conservation issues through the Birdlife International Partnership.

Each adult member will not only gain free access to any of the UK’s beautiful RSPB’s nature reserves, but also a handbook on British Birds, not to mention a quarterly magazine. For younger members, the Wildlife Explorers kit is an excellent learning tool, which including posters, stickers, a logbook with activities, a membership card and a certificate. Explorer’s also get a choice of either a wildlife stationery set or organiser, plus a free subscription to Wild times magazine.

Children’s prices start from as little as £1.17 a month, whilst an adult membership is £2.67 per month (based over 12 months). Also available is a Family Membership, which consists of two adults plus any number of children, for only £4.17 a month!

Water-way to have a good time.

>> Sign up for an RSPB Membership from just £1.17 a month

"Please note, any prices mentioned in the donation4charity blog are correct at the time of posting. Please check the relevant website for the latest pricing information."

On the weekend of the 26-27 January 2008, the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch took place. Not only is it the world’s biggest bird survey it is also the RSPB’s biggest event of the year - and you don’t need to be have an RSPB membership to take part! In 2006 over 400,000 people took part by counting the birds in their garden for an hour and results for 2007 are showing 122,982 people taking part - and results have only been gathered for 3 days! We’ll keep you up to date as and when we get more info on the final numbers that took part - let’s hope they can beat that magic 4k mark!

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is a fantastic event as it’s so simple to take part in and you don’t have to be an Alan Partridge or Bill Oddie style bird expert to take part! Each participant needs to make notes over a period of just one hour, and record the highest number of each bird species seen in their garden (not flying over) at any one time. The RSPB provide a sheet to tally up results and send in to them so they can get their number crunchers beavering away on the rersults. This fantastic event enables bird lovers across the UK to help give the RSPB a vital snapshot of the UK’s birds each winter. The RSPB men in white jackets (or scientists as they preferred to be called! can then use the information and patterns in bird numbers to help prioritise their bird conservation work.

Did you take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch - if so we’d love to hear how you got on! You may also have found it a great way to get back in touch with nature and indeed birds - why not cement this with an RSPB membership? It will provide you with all of the below - but also a great way to help fund the great work carried out by the RSPB in protecting wildlife and the surrounding naturla habitat.

RSPB Membership Benefits :

• FREE entry to over 100 RSPB nature reserves
• 15 months for the price of 12 when paid by direct debit
• FREE gift
• BIRDS magazine delivered quarterly
• A great welcome pack

>> Sign up for RSPB Membership today!

"Please note, any prices mentioned in the donation4charity blog are correct at the time of posting. Please check the relevant website for the latest pricing information."