Care Home Twitchers Take Part In Big Garden Birdwatch

ELDERLY Chester-le-Street twitchers have been monitoring their garden for flying visitors as part of the world’s biggest wildlife survey.

Residents at Pelton Grange Care Home spent an afternoon bird watching for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

The survey involves over 500,000 participants each year, with their findings helping to paint a picture of annual avian population changes.

The residents and staff at the care home spotted chaffinches, blue and great tits, pigeons, sparrows and starlings.

They made fat balls to attract the birds to the garden, which saw them flocking to the feeding station outside the home’s conservatory.

Maintenance man David Purdey brought his bird watching telescope for the residents, who had a front-row seat to the birding bonanza.

Lindsay Sale-Thorn is the activities coordinator at Pelton Grange Care Home, on Front Street, Pelton.

She said: “The residents knew the names of all the birds. I was really surprised.

“Dave also helped residents to spot the birds with his telescope. It was a lovely, gentle afternoon of just watching the busy birds.”