The plan behind the story · The 10,000th bird was an orange-tufted spiderhunter, and Peter Kaestner got there first
Six weeks to a bird list worth keeping
By the end of six weeks you will have a list of the birds on your own patch, know a dozen of them by sound, and have sent your records somewhere they are used. If you already walk or bird regularly, the same six weeks take you to 60 species on foot and a full dawn-to-dusk big day.
Why this works
Peter Kaestner did not see 10,000 birds by being lucky. He kept a list from boyhood and let the list decide where he went next. A list does two useful things. It makes you look properly, because “a small brown bird” cannot be written down. And it sends you to new ground, because the fastest way to add a species is to try a new habitat.
This plan uses the same engine on a small scale: one patch, one list, a number to aim at.
A King’s College London study of 1,292 people found that seeing or hearing birds was linked to better mental wellbeing lasting up to eight hours. It shows a link, not a cause.
Before you start
- Kit: a phone and a notebook are enough for week 1. Binoculars help from week 2. Borrow a pair before you buy; many reserves lend or hire them.
- Apps, both free: Merlin Bird ID names birds from sound, a photo or a few questions. eBird keeps your list and passes your records to researchers. Both come from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- Your patch: choose somewhere you can reach in ten minutes: a park, a canal, a reservoir. Water and trees together are best.
- Privacy: log garden birds at a nearby public spot if you would rather not share your home location.
- Health: the second track involves long days on foot. If you have a heart condition, chest pain, dizziness or a joint problem, check with your GP (family doctor) first.
The plan
Distances are per outing. A mile is 1.6 km.
| Week | Do this | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (new to it) | Stand or sit in one spot on your patch for 20 minutes with Merlin’s sound identification running. Write down every name. | 3 mornings | Hearing counts. |
| 1 (already out) | Walk a 3-mile (5 km) loop of your patch and submit a complete eBird checklist for it. | 3 mornings | This is your baseline: species and time taken. |
| 2 (new to it) | Same spot, now with binoculars. Find by eye three birds the app found by ear. | 3 mornings | Eyes first, then binoculars. |
| 2 (already out) | Same loop at dawn, at midday and at dusk. Compare the three lists. | 3 outings | See how much longer the dawn list is. |
| 3 (new to it) | Count from one place for exactly one hour, as people do in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. | Once, plus 2 short visits | Long enough for the shy ones to come back. |
| 3 (already out) | Add a second habitat within 5 miles (8 km) of home: water if your patch is woodland, woodland if it is water. | 2 walks of 4 miles (6.5 km) | Target: 35 species on the list by Sunday. |
| 4 (new to it) | Walk a 2-mile (3 km) loop of your patch and submit your first complete eBird checklist. | 2 walks | “Complete” means every species you identified. |
| 4 (already out) | Learn ten songs or calls without the app. Test yourself: guess, then check. | Every outing | Ears find birds faster than eyes. |
| 5 (new to it) | Go on a guided walk at a reserve, or with a local bird club. | Once, plus 1 patch walk | Worth a month alone. |
| 5 (already out) | A 7-mile (11 km) walk through three habitats: woodland, water, open ground. | Once, plus 2 patch walks | Target: 50 species on the list. |
| 6 (new to it) | Your own big morning: out at first light for two hours on your patch. Aim for 20 species. | Once | Tell someone your total. |
| 6 (already out) | A big day: out before dawn, 10 miles (16 km) on foot, 60 species before dark. | Once | Put water at midday, when woodland goes quiet. |
If it goes wrong
- The app gives a name that seems unlikely. It may be wrong. Treat sound identification as a suggestion and do not list a bird until you have seen it or heard it clearly several times.
- You cannot get the binoculars on the bird. Keep your eyes on it and bring the binoculars up to your face, not the other way round.
- You see nothing. Go earlier, stand still for longer, and find water. Wind and midday heat keep birds down.
- Standing is uncomfortable. Use a hide (a bird blind) or a bench.
- You miss a week. Carry on from where you stopped.
Track it
| Measure | Week 1 | Week 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Species on your list | ||
| Species you can name by sound, no app | ||
| Checklists submitted to eBird | ||
| Longest outing (miles or km) | ||
| Earliest start | ||
| Best single morning (species) |
What next
- Join a count. The Great Backyard Bird Count runs worldwide on 12–15 February 2027 and asks for as little as 15 minutes. In the UK, registration for the 2027 Big Garden Birdwatch opens on 9 December.
- New to it? Set a year target of 100 species. Already out? Try a full year on a patch within 5 miles of home, on foot or by bike only.
- Read our beginner’s guide to birdwatching for guided walks near you.
General information, not medical advice. Check with your GP before starting a new exercise programme.