Now off: Webcams covering the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Lovely last views of the great spotted woodpecker! Here are some more woodpecker videos to keep you entertained.

Sadly the webcams are finishing in 5 minutes - hope you have been enjoying them.

"This kind of courtship display to attract a female is known about in blackbirds, but it far more common in birds such as house sparrows"

Take a minute to watch our blackbird videos.

Not your usual garden birds but has anyone spotted moorhens or coots in their garden recently? According to the RSPB's Matt Brierley an increase in garden sightings is to do with the freezing waterways.

Moorhen videos and facts.

Coot videos and facts.

Scandinavian punks

Thanks to The_Pingus for sharing this great photo of a waxwing displaying its punk crest up in Aberdeen.

Discover more about the Bohemian waxwing.

Yesterday, we told you how to tell the difference between a marsh tit and a willow tit. We're sorry - Matt Brierley admits he made a slight mix up! Thank you to David Carroll for spotting it via email! We have now amended it so here it is if you missed it the first time:

1. Marsh tits make a "sneezing call" when they take off (sounds like "pit-chuu").

2. Marsh tits have a shiny black cap whereas willow tits have matte black caps.

A quick bath

CamoDave has just this minute sent us a lovely little bathing goldcrest, sweet isn't it?

Tit or parrot?!

Did you know: Bearded tits are more closely related to parrots than they are to blue tits (thanks to Matt Brierley, RSPB Engagement Officer for that one!)

Thank you also to Rob Cross for sharing this lovely photo of a bearded tit on the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

"Yes this would be very unusual because treecreepers eat insects, so this one was most likely looking for insects amongst the peanuts"

Don't know what a treecreeper looks like? Check out our handy treecreepers page with pictures, video and information.

Suggestions for a collective of pied wagtails included a "dipping" from Sue Amis in Cornwall by email and a "piper" from Jean Stevens on Twitter. We love both of these!

Find out more about pied wagtails - beautiful, sprightly and skittish birds.

Can you read the ring number?!

Here's a lovely photo of a ringed siskin that Martin Goodey shared on the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

Ringing is an important way of tracking our bird populations so if you record the digits from a ring the RSPB and BTO would love to know about them.

The consensus seems to be it is a "volery" of long-tailed tits. Thanks to Sarah in Lymington by email who says "I have heard that the collective term for long tailed tits is a volery." And Damian Waters on Twitter who says "I think it is a volery but would like people to adopt "a Sputnik" :)" to quote a couple.

But hurry! With only a couple of hours of daylight left, visit the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch website for all you need to know in order to take part - it only takes one hour.

Siskins are colourful members of the finch family with a liking for conifer, alder and birch seeds. They will visit gardens to take advantage of any nuts left in bird feeders.

In case you missed it here are some video clips.

This is the first siskin we have had visit the feeders this weekend!

So far on email we have had Bobbie Reeners suggest a "delight" of long-tailed tits. On Twitter, Alfred Turner suggests a "raiding party" and Violet Fox thought "avian saga". What are your suggestions?

Find out more about these masters of nest-building.

What's the collective noun for long-tailed tits?

Thanks to Edd Deane for sharing this lovely photo of a long-tailed tit on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group. Why not share your bird photos that you've taken during today's Big Garden Birdwatch there as well?

As you can see the feeders are blowing around in the wind and a number of you have been asking if the wind will keep the birds away from them. Yes it will deter the birds, but keep watching as they still have to feed and will soon venture back.

Watch this video of blue tits lining their nest with mint to protect their chicks.

Watch a clip of dunnocks - the bird that indulges in just about every sexual strategy there is.

Thanks to Kev Wardlaw for sharing his lovely photo of a dunnock on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

Promiscuous birds

"Keep an eye out for any bramblings in amongst the chaffinches arriving at your feeders. Bramblings are winter visitors to the UK." For more information, visit the RSPB brambling page.

Seen any bramblings amongst your chaffinches?

Thanks to Chris Bainbridge for sharing his photo of a male brambling on the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

"When a garden feeder is empty coal tits will collect food and stash it away for later. They do this because they are low down in the bird feeder pecking order and need to collect food when they can get to it"

Great views of a lovely great spotted woodpecker but did you know that in the last 20 years they have become increasing common visitors to feeders after peanuts and suet balls.

Have you seen any birds with deformed beaks?

Thanks to Jim Bennett who shared this photograph of a blue tit with a deformed beak on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

If you have seen any birds with a deformed beak, please submit your sightings on the British Trust for Ornithology - Big Garden Beak Watch survey page.

The goldcrest vies with their cousins, the firecrest, for the title of the UK's smallest songbird and they weigh only about as much as a twenty pence piece.

Find out more about the diminutive goldcrest.

As we are seeing lots of blue tits this morning, did you know that an adult blue tit weighs about the same as a one pound coin?

Watch more of these inquisitive little birds in action.

"The male great tit is brighter than the female with a wider black breast-stripe that becomes wider between the legs."

Watch presenter Martin Hughes-Games as he takes a closer look at the members of the tit family.

Ring ouzels are a rare migrant normally arriving in this country during April to breed and leaving again in September, so this would be a very rare occurrence. We would love to see any photo's you have of ring ouzels in the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

You can find out more about this Red Status bird on the RSPB website.

"If the wet and windy weather is keeping the birds out of your garden it is still important to submit the results! RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch"

Have you spotted any great tits with unsightly growths and lesions? If so, please let us know as it could be avian pox which was spread to the UK by biting insects.

Read more about this disease affecting great tits.

Seen any strange birds? Need some bird ID help? Want to know how you can take part in more birding activities? Get in touch by clicking on 'Comment here', tweeting us @BBCNature, posting on our BBC Nature Facebook page or sharing your photos on the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

We at BBC Nature took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch yesterday and saw blackbirds, blue tits, starlings, sparrows and a pigeon. What will you see today?

"Yes - this is very likely, particularly as this year we have had a large influx of waxwings from Scandinavia. They are normally found in large flocks, stripping berry trees."

The grey squirrels appear to be taking advantage at the moment.

Watch Chris Packham as he discovers that stronger stomachs and a taste for theft gives grey squirrels the edge.

Is this a good year for fieldfares?

Lots of people seemed to be seeing fieldfares during their Big Garden Birdwatch yesterday.

Thanks to Rob Littler for sharing this lovely photo of a fieldfare on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group so you can see what they look like.

Here's our fieldfare page if you want some more help to ID fieldfares.

Our webcams will be live again in 10 minutes.

You can still take part in the world's largest wildlife survey. All the details on how to take part are on the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch page.

Thank you all for taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch and the discussion around it today.

If taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch has inspired you to do more with birds, you can check the BBC Things to Do birding activities happening near you.

Don't worry if you did not manage to take part today - you can always complete your hour of birdwatching tomorrow. All the details on how to take part are on the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch page.

We will be back here again tomorrow so we look forward to seeing you at 0800.

This picture in the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group taken by raptorach has caused a bit of excitement. RSPB's Matt Brierley thinks it could be a visiting male redpoll from northern Scandinavia with its bright red chest.

Willow tits have shiny caps

If you have ever wondered how to tell the difference between a marsh tit and a willow tit, Matt Brierley our birding expert from the RSPB says there are two ways:

1. Marsh tit makes a "sneezing call" when it takes off (sounds like "pit-chuu").

2. Marsh tits have a shiny black cap whereas willow tits have matte black caps.

There certainly seem to be plenty of thrushes around this year judging by your comments. Here are a few ID tips to help you spot the difference.

Mistle thrush: A large thrush with uneven spots on its chest and a distinctive white line around the eye

Song thrush: Blackbird-sized, browner and with smaller spots

Redwing: Named for the rusty red feathers under their wings

Fieldfare: Large and colourful with grey heads

Find out more about the thrush family with our video clips.

Here's the little owl from Anthony's garden in Derbyshire - what a stunner!

Share your pictures with us via the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group or leave us a comment.

Did you know: Great tits "join in" defensive mobs that were instigated by neighbouring birds they are familiar with.

Read more here - Great tits join mobs with neighbours they know

Show me the apples

Thanks to Simon Richardson for sharing his photo of a fieldfare tucking into some apples that he took earlier today. This is a fantastic demonstration of how to attract the various thrushes into your garden such as blackbirds, song thrushes, fieldfares and redwings.

"Little owls don't normally feed on birds, they feed more on invertebrates."

Watch videos of little owls, a recently introduced species in the UK.

We're really enjoying hearing what you've been putting out for the birds. Suet blocks and toast aren't popular but sunflower hearts go down a treat and you can't go wrong with any sort of fruit.

Here's Chris Packham's definitive menu for your feathered garden visitors.

Wonderful winter visitor - the Bohemian waxwing

Nick Ford has shared this lovely photo of a waxwing about to devour a berry. Waxwings arrive in the winter to feast on the winter berries.

Discover more about waxwings.

Another man hoping for a few favourites this year is the British Trust for Ornithology's Mike Toms.

"There are two birds I'm hoping for - one is brambling, we've had one or two of those already, and the other one is lesser redpoll which I haven't had in the garden yet."

Mike organises the BTO Garden Birdwatch survey - a weekly count that compliments the snapshot gathered by the RSPB. A great cure for anyone bitten by the citizen science bug!

"Sometimes a block of suet can be too much for a small bird to take on so they stick to the smaller food. Also, they can take the smaller stuff away whereas with a big block they are exposed while they eat it."

Robins were the 9th most common garden visitor during the Big Garden Birdwatch last year.

Watch RSPB's Mull Officer, Dave Sexton describe the unique connection we have with our garden robins.

Did you know: The size of a house sparrow's bib indicates its place in the pecking order.

Watch a video of the house sparrows living in the Tower of London.

"Just one survey per garden please - although if you do a couple of surveys and take the average it will be more scientifically accurate."

Did you know: The nuthatch is the only British bird that can walk face up or face down a tree!

"Hi Haydn. Yes - that's a cracking shot of a fieldfare."

Have you noticed rings on the legs of any of the birds in your garden or here on the webcams?

Ringing is an important way of tracking our bird populations so if you record the digits from a ring the RSPB and BTO would love to know about them.

Watch a video clip of Chris Packham discuss the ringing of a summer visitor to our shores: the sedge warbler

"Nuthatches are becoming increasingly common in gardens, Glenda and their range is spreading further north"

More information about nutchatches from the RSPB.

"It could be a redwing, Jan. Check the description on the RSPB website and see if it matches."

Thanks to david.england18 for sharing this photo of a leucistic robin.

You can share your bird photos with us on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

Our webcams are set up in the RSPB's "back garden" this weekend, streaming live action from their HQ in Bedfordshire.

Guess the bird!

Believe it or not, this is a male chaffinch! Thanks to Lee Spence for sharing this photo of a leucistic male chaffinch on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

Have you seen any birds with peculiar plumage? If so, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are running a survey and would love to hear from you.

Submit your sightings to the BTO Abnormal Plumage Survey.

We spoke to naturalist Stephen Moss earlier in the week. He said he'll be doing his count in his Somerset garden this morning.

"I think the thing to look out for this weekend are what they call the winter thrushes: redwings and fieldfares. If fields are covered in snow or a bit frozen they tend to come into gardens."

Here's a classic video clip of fieldfares defending their nest from a dark threat.

There are about 10 red-legged partridge around the webcams.

Did you know: They were first successfully introduced into Britain during the reign of King Charles ІІ, who was anxious to establish the birds since numbers of the native partridge were falling as a result of over-hunting.

Watch a video of protective lapwing parents dive-bombing red-legged partridge.

A very interesting debate that comes round every year is should people report what they see regularly rather than what they see during the hour when they take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch?

Matt Brierley from the RSPB who is sat here with us says "Brilliantly controversial! Not seeing birds is valid too: if numbers drop nationally it's a useful red flag for RSPB. Resist the urge to cheat - they are probably in your neighbour's garden being counted there."

Our experts recommend an early start for the best chance of seeing plenty of birdlife in your garden. So get the kettle on and pick a good spot to watch from!

Here is a handy page with some of the Big Garden Birdwatch events happening around England, Scotland and Wales.

Lots of you are asking for some feeding tips to attract birds into your garden.

Here are a selection of useful pages for you:

BBC Nature - Bird feeding guide

RSPB - Feeding birds

BTO - Feeding garden birds

Not long now until the webcams will be live.

We have Matt Brierley, People Engagement Officer from the RSPB and an expert birder with us. If you have any bird related questions you would like Matt to answer, get in touch. Just click on the relevant 'Join the discussion' link.

The lovely team at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have just told us that if you want to attract the various thrushes into your garden tomorrow, some halved apples are a good way to tempt them in. Let us know if this works for you.

A touch of gold

Thanks to CaRaDa2011 for sharing their photo of a goldcrest at their feeders. You can share your photos with us on our BBC Winterwatch Flickr group.

Bit of fun - Watch this clip to find out how many baby goldcrests you can fit in one nest!

Check out our British birds page for handy hints, tips, videos and latest news about UK birds.

Sightings of mistle thrushes are decreasing

Thanks to Ann Burns for sharing her photo of a mistle thrush in the snowy conditions but sadly it appears this view is becoming less common according to a report published by the British Trust for Ornithology.

Find out more about the missing mistle thrushes story.

Have you seen any blackcaps?

Gary Faulkner has sent in this wonderful photo of a male blackcap.

If you have spotted blackcaps in your garden, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) would really appreciate hearing from you. Here's how you can add your sighting to the Blackcap survey.

We will be regularly updating this page before the webcams start at 0800 GMT on 26 January... so remember to bookmark or favourite this page so you can easily find us again.

Scrape off snow to allow access to food

With snow affecting many places it is important to make sure the food you have put out for birds is accessible. Thanks to Mark Ellison for sharing this lovely photo of a male chaffinch feeding despite the weather.

And if the water bath has frozen, make sure you break up the ice and top up the water if necessary too, allowing the birds access to clean water.

Many people have been seeing waxwings in their gardens so we have made a new page all about these cheery winter visitors - discover more about waxwings.

You can also keep up to speed with the latest waxwing sightings (via @WaxwingsUK)

Are goldfinches coping with the cold?

Many thanks to Allan Roffey who has shared his wonderful goldfinch photo. What have you been seeing in your garden?

You can send us your photos of UK garden birds via the BBC Winterwatch Flickr group - we will do our best to share as many as we can here.

The Big Schools' Birdwatch starts today, Monday 21 January. For more information you can visit the RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch page which has everything you need to know in order to take part. The event runs until 1 February and results should be sent in by 17 February.

Visit the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch website for all you need to know in order to take part - it only takes one hour and is really important to understand how birds are getting on in the UK. Remember, you don't need a garden to take part.

Need to brush up on your bird ID skills? Watch our garden bird video collection for helpful tips.

We also have some handy hints on how to encourage birds into your garden or local patch on our page devoted to British birds.