GRAB your binoculars, because the annual Big Garden Birdwatch is back.

The RSPB event is taking place today and tomorrow (Sat and Sun) giving everyone all across Great Britain the chance to take part in the world’s biggest wildlife survey.

Over 418,000 birds were counted during last year’s Birdwatch in Wales, with house sparrows being the most spotted bird in gardens around Newport, each garden having nearly six.

Some of the rarer birds around Newport were green woodpeckers and goldcrests.

In the survey's 36th year, the RSPB is encouraging the nation to enter their results live through a smartphone or other mobile devices.

All you need to do is take one hour out of your day this weekend and note down the number of each bird that you see in either your garden or a nearby green space.

After you have gathered this information, submit your results to the RSPB either online, or via post, before February.

Bethan Lloyd, RSPB Cymru Communications Officer said: “Everybody can take part. All you need to do is spend an hour over the weekend and count the birds in your garden, it’s that simple.”

“It’s a fantastic way to discover the wildlife on your doorstep and it really helps the RSPB to gain a vital snapshot of garden bird numbers in winter and highlight any dramatic declines, as bird populations are a great indicator of the health of the countryside. Even if you don’t see many birds or wildlife in your patch, we still want to hear from you.”

Though the aim is to gather information on bird populations in the UK, the RSPB are also interested in other animals, including badgers, red squirrels and roe deer.

Bethan said: “With the addition of other wildlife to the survey, such as hedgehogs, badgers and frogs, we are able to build up a better idea of how important our gardens are for providing homes for nature.”

Here are some of the birds that the RSPB want you to look out for during the Big Garden Bird Watch:

l The blackbird:

These birds are found across the entire United Kingdom all year around, from the coast to the countryside although you won’t manage to find them at the highest peaks of the country.

Despite what the name suggests, it’s only the males that are black in colour. Females and juveniles are actually brown, with spots and streaks on their breasts. Not only that, but the males sport a bright orange beak and a ring around their eye.

l The house sparrow:

Known for being noisy, these birds can be found in many countries all over the world.

These birds are typically found near people, settling from the middle of cities to farmlands in the countryside.

The males are grey with bold brown and black marking on their wings and head while females and juveniles are of the same colour but in much softer tones.

Despite this, careful monitoring suggests that there’s been a severe decline of their population in the UK, which is why they are now marked with a red status. Between 1977 and 2008, their population is estimated to have dropped by 71 per cent. Though their numbers continue to decline in England, data indicates that their numbers are increasing in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

l The blue tit:

These birds are found through almost all of the UK. In the winter, flocks of blue tits join up together all in the search for food. If you see four or five of these beautiful birds on a hanging feeder in your garden, you might be surprised to know that they will go back and feed nearly 20 other birds.

Adult blue tits have a bright yellow breast, blue wings and cap and a white face with black markings, most notably a black line running through the place where their eyes are.

Juveniles are a softer shade of yellow, with darker blue wings and cap, with the same black line that adults have.

l The collared dove:

The collared dove is found throughout all of the UK, but is mainly found around towns and villages.

Though they’re common visitors to our gardens, they only came to the United Kingdom in the 1950s, after a rapid spread across Europe from the Middle East. They’re a pale, pinky-brown grey colour, but their most distinctive feature is their black neck collar, which gave them their name. They have deep red eyes and red feet.

If you want to get more involved with the Big Garden Birdwatch then why not head down to Newport Wetlands this weekend.

Activities this weekend will include learning about bird identification, guided walks, reserve bird watch, making feeders, bird ringing and much much more.

Visit www.rspb.org.uk/newportwetlands or call 01633 636363 for more details.