EuroBirdwatch – BirdLife’s annual birdwatching event in Europe and Central Asia – works to raise awareness of issues relating to bird migration and promotes efforts to save threatened bird species and their habitats. This year’s EuroBirdwatch will take place on the weekend of 6-7 October 2012.
From its beginning in 1993, BirdLife national Partners have invited the public every year on the first weekend in October to explore the beauty of birds, and especially to experience the magic of bird migration. The wide variety of events organised across the European continent include birdwatching excursions, special birdwatching events on organic farms, contests for children to identify birds by their song, bird fairs, trips to watch birds in national parks and many more activities.
In 2011, the Central-Asian countries joined in this unique event, making last year the largest ever EuroBirdwatch. BirdLife Partners and affiliated organisations from 37 European and Central Asian countries participated, organising a grand total of 2,200 different events. Almost five million birds of different species were counted. Starling, Little Bunting and Crane were the top three species.
EuroBirdwatch primarily aims to encourage as many people as possible to go birdwatching over one weekend and to record sightings of as many bird species as possible. Secondly, it provides a great opportunity for bird lovers to meet and practice birdwatching.
From the observation stands, the numbers of birds seen and of people participating are reported to the national centre for BirdLife and from there to the European Centre, which is run by CSO (BirdLife Partner in the Czech Republic).
How to participate: book your time for the weekend 6-7 October. Find your national EuroBirdwatch coordinator – the BirdLife Partner in your country. Choose the event and enjoy birdwatching!
If you are a BirdLife Partner and you want to take part in EuroBirdwatch 2012: find useful information for registration and organisation by clicking here.

Original article: http://www.birdlife.org/community/2012/08/dont-miss-eurobirdwatch/