The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch – the world's biggest bird survey – takes place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 January 2008 to discover who is top of the pecking order in UK gardens.
RSPB Spokesperson Colum Delaney said: "In 2007, 378 people in Fermanagh participated in the Big Garden Birdwatch We hope Fermanagh will once again show their support for this initiative in 2008, and that there might even be an improvement in turnout over last year.
"The beauty of the Big Garden Birdwatch is that you do not have to be an expert, just be ready with pen and paper and simply watch, count, record your findings for one hour and send them back to the RSPB," he explained.
"Last year in Fermanagh the Chaffinch came out top as the bird most observed, followed by the House Sparrow and the Blue Tit. Which bird will come out top this year in Co Fermanagh?
"Not only is the Big Garden Birdwatch a thoroughly enjoyable event for birdwatchers and non birdwatchers alike, it also helps the RSPB track and record patterns in bird numbers and use this to help prioritise our bird conservation work."
REVEAL
In 2007, more than 400,000 people across the UK spotted six million birds across 236,000 gardens, helping reveal the winners and losers in the garden bird world.
Big Garden Birdwatch aims to find out which birds are the most common visitors to UK gardens in winter. It also keeps an eye on how others are faring and produces a snapshot of winter bird populations.
Mr Delaney, continued: "The survey is fun, easy and only takes an hour to complete.
It's a great way for people to contribute to a significant piece of wildlife research without even having to leave the comfort of their homes."
"You really don't need to be an expert to take part. Whether you're young or old, an 'expert' or a beginner, there really is no better place to start than the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch."
Participants in Big Garden Birdwatch have made a significant contribution to monitoring garden bird numbers over the past three decades.
Past results highlight some garden birds are in need of help.
To take part, simply spend one hour over the weekend of 26/27 January, counting the birds in your garden or local park, and record the highest number of each bird species seen at any one time. The morning is the best time to look, when the birds are out and about feeding after a cold winter night.
For further information and online resources to help you with your birdwatch, visit the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch an online survey form will be available from the weekend of Big Garden Birdwatch until 18 February 2008.
Alternatively, Big Garden Birdwatch forms can be obtained by phoning 02890 491547 or 0870 600 7108 (calls charged at national rate).
The hotline number will be operational from 19 November until 23 January 2008.
The top 10 birds in Northern Ireland in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2007 were: Starling; House Sparrow; Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Blackbird; Greenfinch; Great Tit; Goldfinch; Robin; Collared Dove
