Birding 365 and the RSPB Red List

I've decided that attention needs to be drawn to the birds we love, which are sadly becoming uncomfortably close to extinction. The RSPB has published its Red List for several years, but now the number of birds on this list has increased. We need to stop the decline of these birds, or risk losing them for our grandchildren to enjoy.

The red list comprises of the following birds:

1. Balearic Shearwater
2. Bittern
3. Scaup
4. Common Scoter
5. White-tailed Eagle
6. Hen Harrier
7. Black Grouse
8. Capercaillie
9. Grey Partridge
10. Corncrake
11. Lapwing
12. Temmick's Stint
13. Dunlin
14. Ruff
15. Black-tailed Godwit
16. Whimbrel
17. Red-necked Phalarope
18. Arctic Skua
19. Herring Gull
20. Roseate Tern
21. Turtle Dove
22. Cuckoo
23. Nightjar
24. Wryneck
25. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
26. Skylark
27. Tree Pipit
28. Yellow Wagtail
29. Ring Ouzel
30. Fieldfare
31. Song Thrush
32. Redwing
33. Grasshopper Warbler
34. Savi's Warbler
35. Aquatic Warbler
36. Marsh Warbler
37. Wood Warbler
38. Spotted Flycatcher
39. Marsh Tit
40. Willow Tit
41. Golden Oriole
42. Red-backed Shrike
43. Starling
44. House Sparrow
45. Tree Sparrow
46. Linnet
47. Twite
48. Lesser Redpoll
49. Hawfinch
50. Yellowhammer
51. Cirl Bunting
52. Corn Bunting

Fifty two species of bird, at least severn of which most of us would consider common garden birds. Think about it, when was the last time you saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker? I know I can't remember seeing any since I was a small child. I'm only twenty two, at least I'm talking fifteen years ago since I can remember seeing one. Fifteen years, as a whole, that really isn't a long time ago is it?

Anyway, you're probably wondering what brought this up. Well, I'm sat in our spare bedroom, every inch the young modern adult, laptop sat on my lap, tv on, chatting to friends across the globe via the internet. Are you doing that right now? Are your kids doing that right now? 

Have you looked out of the window today, more than to check on the rain I mean? I have. I could hear a bird singing, when I looked I saw it was sat on the dead tree two gardens aong from ours. My immediate thought was 'Oh look, a blackbird.' When I looked closer I realised it was a thrush, so I hopped over to the RSPB website (don't judge me, the bird books are downstairs) and I listened to the different species. I realised quickly it was a Song Thrush, and then I saw something that disturbed me, this bird, currently sat singing its little heart out, is on the red list.  I realised then, how much I would miss the sound of that song, if it were no longer there.

I'm priviledged with where I live, this area of North Kent boasts no less than 11 of the listed species (within a 10 mile radius of my home and highlighted in blue). Kent as a whole can at at least 4 more of the species listed (I've highlighted them in Green). I can vouch for these species, having seen them myself and in this respect I feel lucky, but mostly I'm saddened that these birds are vanishing from the UK as a whole.

We need to do something about saving them.