Students help local wildlife in Big Schools’ Birdwatch

Students at Melksham Oak Community School have been helping local wildlife by taking part in the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch.

The birdwatch involves students watching and counting the birds that visit their school grounds or outdoor space before submitting their results to the RSPB.

It takes place during the first half of the spring term and gives young people the chance to participate in a UK-wide citizen science project.

In preparation, students transformed the school’s Outdoor Education Area into a bird-friendly space.

They made bird feeders from recycled materials, created habitats for birds to hunt for invertebrates, cleared litter from the area, and became more familiar with the birds that visit the site. The most commonly sighted birds included robins and blue tits, while some of the more exciting visitors were a trio of mallard ducks, a buzzard, and a very elusive green woodpecker.

With over a million schoolchildren taking part since its launch in 2002, the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch has become a much-loved annual event that provides a valuable snapshot of how school birds are faring in the UK.

Rich Lavery, Haven Manager at Melksham Oak, said, “The opportunity to take part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch coincided with the school wanting to really push outdoor education. This survey has given the students involved something to aim for while contributing to the renovation of the outdoor space. It has been a pleasure to watch their enthusiasm and growing confidence over the last term, culminating in this Birdwatch. The students have all worked wonderfully together, collaborating to identify birds and really taking ownership of the entire process. Many have mentioned enjoying the experience so much that they want to continue birdwatching outside of school, which has really shown the impact of this project for me.

“Over the last two decades, more than 70 different species have been recorded in school grounds, giving the RSPB an astonishing amount of insight into how our wildlife is faring.”

For further information about Big Schools’ Birdwatch, visit the RSPB website: www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch