Topic

Getting involved in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Ben Whittaker
Ben Whittaker • 29 January 2024

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch took place this weekend, with over 5 million birds counted so far.  There’s still time to get involved with service users or colleagues and tell the RSPB what birds you see before 18th February: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

At Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust they took mental health inpatients out to watch, record, and enjoy their local wildlife.  Stephen Tucker (Voluntary Services Co-ordinator) said, "These sessions are extremely popular with both patients and staff.  We run them at our sites across the county and are lucky that we have some lovely green spaces so can always find somewhere to sit and watch the birds."

"Last week we did an event with our forensic unit.  We were joined by staff and patients and saw Great Tits, Blue Tits, Robins, including a particular bold and gregarious one, Black Birds, a Green Woodpecker and a Wren.  There was also a Nuthatch that was heard and not seen!  The patients got involved by making fat balls and feeders for the garden area and we'll be doing another event this week with the acute team."

"In the past we’ve seen a Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Kingfisher, and when sitting in a group of birch trees, we had a flock of Long-tailed tits fluttering around the branches.  This is a great opportunity for patients to engage with the natural world, be part of a practical conservation activity, and to get off the ward for a bit." 

"The sessions are run with the Occupational Therapy teams who use the activity to provide stimulation and also to take back ideas and activities to the ward, giving it more meaning, depth and therapeutic value.”

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