THE latest results from the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch have revealed a golden year for the goldfinch along with a number of other small birds after a surge in sightings in gardens across County Durham.

More than 420,000 people across the country took part in the conservation charity’s Big Garden Birdwatch, including more than 3,400 people in County Durham, recording 6.7 million birds visiting their gardens or local park.

The event, held over the last weekend in January, revealed an increase in sightings of smaller birds, such as goldfinches, chaffinches and coal tits. Recorded sightings of the finch rose by 14 per cent on 2017 figures for County Durham and its bright red face was seen in more than a third of gardens in the county. Other small birds that are thought to have benefited from the mild January weather include tree sparrow (up 24 per cent), coal tits (up two per cent), and chaffinches (up five per cent).

It also proved to be a good year for the greenfinch after a seven per cent rise in numbers seen, a welcome sign for a species that has undergone a 60 per cent decline in sightings since the first survey in 1979.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Last summer was a really good year for many breeding birds with warm weather creating great conditions for many smaller birds to raise their young to adulthood. The rise in sightings of goldfinches and coal tits, along with chaffinches and greenfinches nationally, goes to show that in the absence of cold weather they can survive the winter months in good numbers.”

The survey also highlighted a dip in the number of recorded sightings of blackbirds (down 16 per cent), robins (down 10 per cent) and wrens (down six per cent) on last year’s figures for County Durham.

Mr Hayhow said: “Unlike the finches and tits, robins and wrens did not have a good breeding season in 2017 and data from other surveys indicate that their numbers may be down overall this year.”

The house sparrow was once again the most commonly seen bird in the survey, with starlings in second place again, though both birds have seen long-term declines in numbers seen per garden since the survey began.

The house sparrow remained at the top of the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings as the most commonly seen garden birds an average of more than five per garden recorded in County Durham throughout the weekend. Starling held down the second spot, with the blackbird rounding off the top three.