Tuesday
23
April
Birdwatch could help local elderly residents
21/01/2020 @ 01:06
Elderly and vulnerable people in Newtown could benefit from taking part next week's RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, according to a local care agency.
It says taking part helps those who might not leave their home to have an activity and hobby.
Newtown-based Abacare is backing the Big Garden Birdwatch campaign between 25-27 January.
Abacare will also be supplying the public with participation sheets if they want to join in.
Jane Jones, Branch Manager at its offices in Newtown, said: “We’re always looking for activities for our service users to take part in and we think the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place from January 25 until 27, is perfect. Birdwatching is not a physically demanding activity, so is ideal for those who are less mobile or housebound, but it is mentally very beneficial.
“Watching birds from the window or from a garden offers a range of sensory stimulation. Noticing the patterns and colours in their feathers and their behaviour when feeding helps to engage the brain and learning about the different species is great for the memory.
“To take part people need to dedicate one hour between January 25 – 27 in their garden, local park or green space and count the birds they see land. It’s easy. They note down what species they see and report their findings back to the RSPB at https://www.rspb.org.uk. Results can also be sent via post.
“If any members of the public fancy giving it a go, they can pick up a participation sheet in English or Welsh from our offices. We’ll be printing them off and handing them out to our service users so they can take part too. Our carers will also be able to assist them if needed.”
The Big Garden Birdwatch allows the RSPB to monitor trends and helps it understand how birds are doing.
The scientific data can be compared year-on-year creating a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK.
For four decades, the Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world. It was one of the first surveys to alert the RSPB to the decline in the number of song thrushes in gardens. This species was a firm fixture in the top 10 in 1979, but by 2019 numbers of song thrushes seen in gardens had declined by 76%, coming in at number 20.
Jane added: “We’re hoping that our service users will enjoy the activity so much that they take it up more regularly. It’s a lovely hobby to have and do individually or with a carer or family friend or relative.
It says taking part helps those who might not leave their home to have an activity and hobby.
Newtown-based Abacare is backing the Big Garden Birdwatch campaign between 25-27 January.Abacare will also be supplying the public with participation sheets if they want to join in.
Jane Jones, Branch Manager at its offices in Newtown, said: “We’re always looking for activities for our service users to take part in and we think the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place from January 25 until 27, is perfect. Birdwatching is not a physically demanding activity, so is ideal for those who are less mobile or housebound, but it is mentally very beneficial.
“Watching birds from the window or from a garden offers a range of sensory stimulation. Noticing the patterns and colours in their feathers and their behaviour when feeding helps to engage the brain and learning about the different species is great for the memory.
“To take part people need to dedicate one hour between January 25 – 27 in their garden, local park or green space and count the birds they see land. It’s easy. They note down what species they see and report their findings back to the RSPB at https://www.rspb.org.uk. Results can also be sent via post.
“If any members of the public fancy giving it a go, they can pick up a participation sheet in English or Welsh from our offices. We’ll be printing them off and handing them out to our service users so they can take part too. Our carers will also be able to assist them if needed.”
The Big Garden Birdwatch allows the RSPB to monitor trends and helps it understand how birds are doing.
The scientific data can be compared year-on-year creating a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK.
For four decades, the Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world. It was one of the first surveys to alert the RSPB to the decline in the number of song thrushes in gardens. This species was a firm fixture in the top 10 in 1979, but by 2019 numbers of song thrushes seen in gardens had declined by 76%, coming in at number 20.
Jane added: “We’re hoping that our service users will enjoy the activity so much that they take it up more regularly. It’s a lovely hobby to have and do individually or with a carer or family friend or relative.
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