Eagle-eyed Field Lodge residents welcome feathered friends

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Feb 11, 2019

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

The team at Field Lodge, invited local bird rehabilitation charity, The Raptor Foundation, to bring some feathered friends for a ‘meet and greet’ with the residents.

Residents were visited by a barn owl and an eagle owl,and had the opportunity to hold the friendly creatures while learning interesting facts about the different birds of prey.

In addition to The Raptor Foundation’svisit, the residents were joined by the Huntingdonshire RSPB local group who discussed bird identification, and how to attract birds to the garden, ahead of residents participating in the nationwide survey. 

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.  

Linda Martinez, home manager at Field Lodge, said: “The birdwatch is a popular activity with residents every year, so we were excited to make the event bigger than ever with the help of The Raptor Foundation and the Huntingdonshire RSPB. All of the residents enjoyed taking part, learning more about the wildlife in our garden, and getting the chance to hold 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 both The Raptor Foundation and the Huntingdonshire RSPB for joining us.”