Children learn all about the birds in the trees

Photo: Anthony Miller

Hugo Charlton-James, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds keeps a beady eye open for an elusive bird with, from left, Elizabeth Helme, Ellena Dyer, Harry Atkinson and Aaron Mitchell Pictures by ANTHONY MILLER

A FLOCK of youngsters from Thorp Primary School ventured into Tandle Hill Park to find out about birds.

The Year Four pupils were taking part in the first Schools Birdwatch, which saw schoolchildren team up with countryside wardens and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to spy on their feathered friends.

A total of 28 children listened to a talk and a presentation about local birdlife, and found out what to feed them, and why they need help to survive, before going on a walk to spot them.

Countryside officer, Angela Tarkenter, said the youngsters played bird bingo and a quiz, and joined in environmental games with a bird theme, which left them with much better knowledge about birdlife. She said: “It’s the first time we have done this with schoolchildren, and they really enjoyed it.

“They saw a nuthatch, blue tits, great tits and coal tits, jays, magpies, wood pigeons, blackbirds and robins, and we even heard a woodpecker.”

The youngsters will have follow-up lessons in school to widen their knowledge about birds, and Angela said the project had been so successful it could be opened up to other schools next year.