Cathkin pupils watch the birdies for survey
NIKI TENNANT
Move over, Sir David Attenborough – young twitchers at a Cambuslang school have been winging it by taking part in the world’s largest wildlife survey.
Kids from Cathkin High were participating in the RSPB’s Big Schools Bird Watch – a simple survey for pupils to enjoy together.
S1 pupils took to nearby Holmes Hills Community Park last week in search of our feathered friends.
The project – part of a nationwide study – involved identifying species and counting the number of birds in grounds near UK schools.
Results of the study will also contribute to Big Garden Birdwatch – the world’s largest wildlife survey.
The hour-long expedition into woodland was led by Cathkin High biology teacher Alec Smith, whose childhood love of wildlife inspired him to become a biologist.
“Every year, wildlife charity RSPB do a big bird count, and people can get involved at home over the weekend,” explained Mr Smith.
“As part of the Big Schools Bird Watch, we went out for an hour, counting the species in the different areas. It gives kids a shot of doing proper field work and submitting results to a national survey and tracking birds that are in decline and those that are on the increase.”
The pupils, armed with RSPB worksheets and binoculars, braved the wind and rain last Tuesday to venture into the community park in the hope of sightings.
They were treated to a rare sighting of a bullfinch – a species not even on the list – and a wren.
“Some of the kids wre totally unaware they have a big source, with ponds and all sorts, right on their doorstep,” said Mr Smith, who was assisted on the field trip by three senior school volunteers.
While some pupils gained an insight into the various species of bird for the first time, other S1s demonstrated a keen interest in wildlife and were itching to find out more.
Alec Smith will now collate the results of the study and send them off to join the tally submitted by around 500 other young bird watchers from across the UK who are taking part in the RSPB’s Big School Bird Watch.