We want to know the highest number of each species you see at any one time each week.
So, if you see two Goldfinches in the morning and three in the evening, then the highest number you’ve seen at any one time is three – so that’s your count ‘to beat’ for the rest of the week. Three is the number for that week, unless you see a higher number at any one time later in the week. Start fresh the next week then!
Similarly, if you see one Robin today and one Robin tomorrow – the highest number at any one time is still just one.
Never sum up birds seen at different times of the day, or on different days.
A good rule of thumb is that you’re unlikely to ever see more than two or three Robins at any one time (it’ll usually be one or two), so if you find yourself writing a much higher number down any week then double-check that you’re recording things correctly!
