Unearth the secrets of wildlife with the Big Castle Birdwatch
Big Castle Birdwatch 2016 - Credit: Chloe Baker-Cooper
Discover the wildlife right at your doorstep with the Big Castle Birdwatch at Norwich Castle.
Big Castle Birdwatch 2016 - Credit: Chloe Baker-Cooper
Now in its fourth year, The RSPB and Norwich Castle Museum are hosting a weekend of family fun-filled activities, including:
• Bird-spotting on the 'Big Castle Birdwatch' bird trail.
• A VIP tour by Norwich Castle Museum Curator Dr David Waterhouse of some of the museum's fascinating natural history galleries.
• Balance like a blue tit or a goldfinch challenge on a 'slack line'.
You may also want to watch:
• A Big Garden Birdwatch bird ID station, where you can bring along your questions for the experts and find out how you can best look after your garden birds and other wildlife.
• Plus all kinds of nature themed arts & crafts; swan and kingfisher costume making and face-painting.
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RSPB communications officer Rupert Masefield believes the event helps families become more familiar with their surroundings and is a great way to practice birdwatching.
He said: 'The Big Castle Birdwatch is a fantastic, fun, sociable family event, but it does have a serious message about the importance of the places we all live and how we can help nature by making room for it in our gardens.'
The event attracted over 2,300 visitors last year, including more than 1,200 children dressed up as otters, woodpeckers, and dragonflies.
Visitors can take their new-found bird-spotting skills home and take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2017 survey online on Jan 30.
Mr Masefield added: 'Knowing what wildlife is living in our gardens is just the first step to turning our gardens into havens of wildlife habitat for frogs, bats, birds, insects, and all manner of other creatures.
'Once we get to know and love the wildlife that lives in our gardens, there are lots of things we can do to help make it welcome.'
Big Castle Birdwatch Weekend: Saturday, January 28, 10am–4pm; Sunday, January 29, 1pm–4 pm.
Adults £2. Free entry for children under 16. Some of the activities will be chargeable.
For more information ring RSPB Strumpshaw Fen on 01603 715191 or visit their website rspb.org.uk/strumpshawfen.
