Oct 2021
Chilterns Court’s wildlife watch
Chilterns Court Care Centre in Henley-on-Thames took part in Henley’s Great Big Green Week recently, an annual event where everyone in Henley is invited to celebrate the town, its environment and the planet.
To celebrate, Chilterns Court’s residents decided to learn about some of the wildlife they see in the home’s garden. They learned about butterflies and birds, took part in a garden bird watch, and created some butterfly art.
Wrapping up against the chill on a sunny autumnal afternoon, some residents watched for birds and wildlife in the garden, and spotted several different species that they noted down such as robins, wood pigeons, blue tits, and a blue rocks thrush.
During the birdwatch 101-year-old Dickie reminisced about what birds he used to see in the orchard where he worked as a gardener and the many species of butterflies that now seem to be less common.
Resident Jean enjoyed observing a family of wood pigeons and said she loves hearing the birdsong from the big trees at the back of the garden.
Mary, whose favourite bird is the robin, observed from a indoors vantage point, checking the species in a bird encyclopaedia whenever she spotted one.
Initiatives in recent years like the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch has emphasised the importance of taking note of the wildlife in our gardens, and the residents enjoyed being able to experience this first-hand for Henley’s Great Big Green Week.