Students join Heather View residents for RSPB Birdwatch

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Feb 08, 2019

Heather View had bird-feeders filled and binoculars at the ready when it took part in this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch with the help of some special friends. 

Residents at Heather View were joined by local students from St John’s Primary School for the annual wildlife survey, where they recorded the number of birds, as well as other wildlife species, they spotted in their garden. 

The local students joined residents for an array of bird-themed craft activities, including making bird feeders. Residents and members of the community also enjoyed an informative talk related to our feathered friends from David Loweth, a RSPB representative.

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.  

Natasha King, home manager at Heather View, said: “Birdwatch is always an incredibly popular activity with residents, so we were delighted that local students could join us to make this event even more special for everyone involved. Everyone enjoyed the birdwatching and spending time getting creative with pupils from St John’s Primary School. 

“Birdwatching gives older people a fantastic opportunity to get outdoors and be more active – but even better, no matter what your mobility level you can take part. This wonderfully inclusive hobby can also be enjoyed across the generations, and I know the pupils from St John’s Primary School learned plenty of new nature knowledge from the residents. We all had a fantastic time and will continue our hobby over the coming months.”