Bridwatchers asked to count birds and frogs

For the first time in its 35-year history the Big Garden Birdwatch is also recording mammals and amphibians.

The charity expects half a million people to take part in the survey, based on previous years, making it the world's largest wildlife count.

Many conservationists hope the additional data will help boost studies of the UK's garden species.
The bird charity has partnered with others
in the past on the Make Your Nature Count summer surveys, which ran between 2009 and 2012.

The counts attracted tens of thousands of recordings each year but the charity has set its sights even higher, with one survey encompassing both British birds and other common garden visitors: deer, squirrels, badgers, hedgehogs, frogs and toads.