Eagle-eyed Colne View residents welcome feathered friends

Home news

Feb 15, 2019

Residents at Colne View had the chance to get up close with some feathered friends to mark the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

The team at Colne View invited local bird handler, Kala Dowsett, to bring some feathered friends for a ‘meet and greet’ with the residents.

Residents were visited by owls, Binky, Casper and Sage,and had the opportunity to hold the friendly creatures while learning interesting facts about the different owl species.

In addition to Kala’s visit, the residents created home-made fat balls and spent time counting the number of birds that visited the home’s garden. 

2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which encourages people nationwide to count the birds in their gardens to allow the charity to monitor trends and understand how different species are doing. Data from over half a million people is then compared year-on-year to provide a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK. 

Razvan Stanbeca, home manager at Colne View, said: “The birdwatch is a popular activity with residents every year, so we were delighted that Kala and her owls could join us for the big event at Colne View.All of the residents enjoyed taking part, learning more about the wildlife in our garden, and interacting with some new feathered friends. 

“Outdoor activities are important for both physical and mental wellbeing, and have many benefits for older people, particularly for those who are living with dementia. Birdwatching can act as a valuable reminiscence activity, as the distinctive sights and sounds of birds in the garden can help evoke memories. This year was another success, and we’d like to thank Kala for joining us.”