RSPB's
23rd Big Garden Birdwatch |
Watching birds can be fun, exciting and fascinating is the message
the RSPB is hoping to get across to youngsters.
The
charity was spreading its message at the launch of the 23rd Big
Garden Birdwatch in Norwich where 20 three to five-year-olds from
Chapelfield Children's Day Nursery hung out the small bird feeders
they had made themselves.
David
North |
RSPB youth
and volunteers officer David North said: "We want to start
working with the under-eights. Young children have a natural
interest in wildlife. We can guide them into the ways they can
help birds in the winter by feeding them, or in the spring by
putting up nest boxes.
"These
days, with the decline of birds, particularly on farmland and
in the wider countryside, people's gardens can be real little
nature reserves. And its a great place to start perhaps a lifelong
interest if you've got children."
The survey aims to find the most commonly-seen garden birds
in the UK, and since it began more than 20 years ago, it has
been highlighting the fall in numbers of once common birds such
as the song thrush. Now even populations of house sparrows and
starlings appear to be declining.
Learning
about nest boxes |
This year
the charity hopes that 30,000 people will complete the survey
which is carried out in January, before the breeding season
gets under way.
After hanging
out their home-made feeders, the launch the children took the
opportunity of watching and counting birds in
Chapelfield Gardens with Nowich's Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.
The children
also learnt more about nest boxes, and some of them were put inside
a giant size one to experience what it is like for birds.
Lynette
Dear |
Lynette Dear,
of the RSPB, said: "It's a survey that everyone can get involved
with - they just have to spend an hour during the week beginning
January 22 watching their garden or local park and count the bird
species."
Lord Mayor Ron Borrett, a keen birdwatcher and RSPB member, said:
"I really enjoy watching birds and Big Garden Birdwatch encourages
both young and old to have fun and learn more about birds in their
garden."
To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch visit the RSPB website
www.rspb.org.uk/gardenbirds
for a survey form and send your results online by February 25,
2001 or write for a survey form to Big Garden Birdwatch, RPSB
Wildlife Explorers, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL.
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