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RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch comes to Teesside care homes

ByCharley Williams

Jan 8, 2017

BINOCULARS are at the ready across Teesside as care home residents prepare to take stock of local bird life as part of a national survey.

Elderly residents at Hill Care homes in Stockton and Middlesbrough will be participating in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch this weekend, 28th to 30th January.

91-year-old John Walker, a resident at Mandale House Care Home, in Thornaby, is one of those keen to help the RSPB collect data on Britain’s bird population.

John is a former member of the RSPB in Witton Le Wear, Bishop Auckland, and was a volunteer warden at Monsmere Bird Sanctuary in Suffolk in the 1970s.

He has a scar above his right eye from a bird that pecked him on a previous bird watch with friends – but this has not hindered his enthusiasm for this weekend.

“My eyesight is not what it used to be, unfortunately, so I won’t be able to watch for the birds myself,” John said.

“But I will take great pleasure in talking with the other residents about them and listening to the birds sing when they visit the garden.”

Pupils from two Thornaby primary schools, Mandale Mill and Harewood, have been helping residents to create bird feeders to attract birds to the garden for the RSPB activity.

Christine Reason, home manager at Mandale House Care Home, said: “Our residents are really looking forward to taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch.

“We’ve had great community support, from the local primary schools, to prepare for the weekend and everyone is raring to go and start taking note of the birds visiting our garden.”

Alongside Mandale House, other care homes participating in the bird watching activities include:

  • Ingleby Care Home, Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick
  • The Beeches Care Home, Green Lane, Newtown
  • The Gables Care Home, Highfield Road, Middlesbrough

Anyone interested in participating in the Big Garden Bird Watch with residents should contact the homes to make arrangements.