BirdWatch Ireland is currently seeking volunteers to help monitor bird populations over the coming months as part of the Countryside Bird Survey (CBS).

Each year, over 200 skilled volunteers, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers and BirdWatch Ireland staff survey breeding birds across the Irish countryside.

The survey, which first took place in 1998, is coordinated by BirdWatch Ireland and funded by the NPWS.

During the breeding season, CBS counters record all birds seen and heard during two early morning walks in pre-assigned 1km grid squares.

Two visits are made to the site, the first in early summer between April and mid-May and the second about four weeks later from mid-May to end June.

The survey squares occur in a broad range of habitats across every county, from upland blanket bog to lowland farmland and woodland.

As many birds are detected first by sound, BirdWatch Ireland said that it is helpful to be able to identify birds by song and call as well as sight.

BirdWatch Ireland is holding two free training sessions this month, which will give new recruits a "good grounding" in how to carry out the survey, as follows:

Sunday, March 9: Clara Bog Visitor Centre, Co. Offaly;
Sunday, March 23: The Pavilion, University of Limerick, Co. Limerick.

Over the years, the Countryside Bird Survey has helped to reflect the changes in Ireland's populations of common and rare birds.

While many species are quite stable, others like the Goldfinch and Blackcap have seen their numbers grow substantially during the past two decades.

The survey has found that the Stonechat and Grey Wagtail can be prone to big fluctuations, particularly after severe winters.

BirdWatch Ireland said that other species, including the Kestrel, Skylark and Stock Dove, are showing worrying declines.

"Over time, reasons for decline may be identified and there will be opportunities to provide advice to help reverse such trends," it said.

The Countryside Bird Survey, which starts on April 1 and runs to the end of June, is one of BirdWatch Ireland's most important long-term monitoring schemes.

Those who are interested in taking part in the survey are asked to contact the CBS coordinator Andrew Lynch at BirdWatch Ireland.