Residents at a care home in Stowmarket have dusted off their binoculars ready to spot robins and wrens during the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

East Anglian Daily Times: The residents listened to a talk by Clare Ryland from the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association. Picture: SIMON JACOBSThe residents listened to a talk by Clare Ryland from the Hammersmith Community Gardens Association. Picture: SIMON JACOBS (Image: FREE PRESS, EDITORIAL AND PR USAGE. See special instructions for terms. ©under licence to simonjacobs.com +44 (0)7515 359 014)

Preparations are underway at Care UK’s Cedrus House in Bittern Crescent as residents get ready to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which will take place from Saturday, January 26 until Monday, January 28.

On the Monday, from 2pm to 3pm, the home is inviting the community to join residents in identifying and counting the number of birds visiting the garden as part of the Big Garden Birdwatch Survey.

The home has invited Alex Bass, a wildlife tour guide and speaker, to join them for the occasion.

He will be doing a presentation on local wildlife, including bird identification by sight, song and call.

Residents and members of the home’s day centre will also be taking part in a variety of activities related to our feathered friends, including a special trip to wildlife oasis, Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve, as well as creating artwork with children from a local nursery and taking part in a bird trail walk.

Home manager Michelle Webster said: “We’ve got our binoculars at the ready and we’re raring to go for this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

“The annual event provides a great opportunity to get outside and connect with nature – something which has many therapeutic benefits, especially for those living with dementia.

“It’s a real sensory experience for residents, who have the opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and textures of a crisp January day – all while looking out for visiting feathered friends.

“We’re sure this year’s event will be a flying success, and we’re looking forward to finding out which types of wildlife we are sharing our garden with here at Cedrus House.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which encourages people nationwide to count the birds in their gardens.

This provides the charity with data that allows them to monitor trends and understand how different species are doing.

Data from more than 500,000 people is then compared year-on-year to provide a snapshot of bird numbers across the UK.