BBC News Published Since coronavirus lockdown restrictions were introduced, many people have turned to nature for comfort. Birdsong, once drowned out by traffic noise, has become more apparent in suburban streets and a survey by the RSPB suggests amateur bird watching is on the increase. The conservation charity said this year's Big Garden Birdwatch was more popular than ever, with 18,500 people taking part across Northern Ireland. The survey ran for two days in January. For 42 years nature lovers have charted dramatic changes to bird populations across the UK in the wildlife survey, which began in 1979 and remains the world's largest.