Over 11,000 people in Cambridgeshire joined nearly half-a-million people across the UK in the world’s largest garden wildlife survey counting during the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.
More than eight million birds were seen across the country during the watch in January but in Cambridgeshire, there was no change to the top three most-seen.
House sparrows held on to the top spot, being seen in 71 per cent of gardens during the survey.
Starlings were another non-mover remaining in second place, although there was a 27 per cent rise in the number of gardens starlings were seen in.
Blackbirds remained third in the county rankings, but was seen in a whopping 97 per cent of gardens nationally, making them the most widespread bird in the country.
Dr Daniel Hayhow of RSPB conservation scientists, said: “The sight of a robin or blackbird perched on the garden fence is often one of the first experiences we have with nature.
“So to have over half-a-million people taking part and counting a bumper eight million birds across one weekend is amazing. Using the information from the weekend we’ll be able to create a snapshot of how our garden birds are doing.
“In the lead up to the Birdwatch there was some speculation as to whether we could see a ‘waxwing winter’ and the results prove that to be the case.
“Flocks of these striking looking birds arrived in the UK along the North Sea coast and will have moved across the country in search of food, favouring gardens where they can feast on berries.
“With it only happening once every seven to eight years, it will have been a treat for the lucky people who managed to catch a glimpse of one.”
There was also good news for robins, with the average number seen visiting gardens at its highest level since 1986, helping it climb from number ten to number eight in the county and two places to number seven nationally.
The survey also highlighted a downturn in Cambridgeshire in the recorded sightings of blue tits (-15 per cent), great tits (-13 per cent) and coal tits (-25 per cent) on last year’s figures.
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