RSPB Birdwatch flocks back to Winchcombe Place care home

Home news

Jan 28, 2016

Residents and the care team at Winchcombe Place care home in Newbury are gearing up to take part in this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

With binoculars at the ready and bird feeders filled, the care home on Maple Crescent will be joining in the world’s largest wildlife survey on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st January.

A longstanding RSPB initiative, the Big Garden Birdwatch encourages people throughout the UK to take a closer look at the nature on their doorsteps by counting the different birds which visit their garden in any one hour over the last weekend of January, as well as recording any non-bird species such as badgers and hedgehogs.

This will be the second consecutive year Winchcombe Place has taken part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. The home’s participation in 2015 was deemed a great success by nature-loving residents and it was followed by a falconry event at the home which also proved popular.

In the past 12 months, everyone at Winchcombe Place has been helping to attract more wildlife to the garden.  Shrubs and other plants have been introduced to provide food and shelter for birds and residents have been keeping stand feeders topped-up.

Throughout the weekend of the Birdwatch residents will also be decorating bird boxes which will be placed in the garden.  Then on Tuesday 9th February, residents will have the chance to get up close to some lesser-spotted feathered friends including Barn Owls, Tawny Owls and Indian Owls when representatives from Feathers and Fur visit the home. Members of Age UK Berkshire will also be dropping-in to Winchcombe Place for the event.

Home manager, Stephanie Jones, explained why Winchcombe Place is taking part in the Birdwatch again this year: “Staying active and enjoying the outdoors can be extremely valuable for the residents, particularly those living with dementia. The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch provides a great opportunity for residents to access outside spaces and reap the emotional, social and physical benefits this can bring.

“The quiet, calming nature of bird watching can help lower anxiety, while the colourful sights and distinctive sounds of our feathered friends provide plenty of sensory stimulation. Bird watching can also be a valuable reminiscence activity, with the appearance of certain species and the sounds of birdsong evoking memories and helping residents recall their love of nature.

“With so many benefits, we were keen to repeat the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and hope it will be bigger and better than before. This year, we have been busy preparing our gardens to attract more birds and making fat balls to provide them with vital nourishment over the winter months. The recipe can be downloaded at: www.careuk.com/birdwatch.

“Playing an active role in preparations for the birdwatch has helped to provide meaningful and fulfilling occupation for the residents, and everyone is now looking forward to welcoming Feathers and Fur to Winchcombe Place as we get ready to play our part in the RSPB’s important national survey.”

For more information on Winchcombe Place please email customer relations manager, Amanda Speck, at amanda.speck@careuk.com. Visit www.careuk.com/birdwatch for more information about birdwatching and to download Care UK’s fat ball recipe.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch has taken place annually over the last 35 years, with the information collected each year helping the RSPB form a picture of bird populations across the country and highlighting any trends or changes. For more information, please go to www.rspb.org.uk.