BIRD ENTHUSIASTS AT QUEENS PARK IN CREWE

Budding ornithologists at Queens Park have been presented with bird boxes for their own gardens.

The park held a bird box information day attended by local residents and children who wanted to learn more about how to care for wild birds at home.

Bird watching is a perfect summer past-time and the park has 15 nesting boxes, carefully built and placed by resident gardening expert Adrian Birchall and ranger Mervin Goodwin.

The boxes attract a variety of birds including blue tits, nuthatchs, tree sparrows and great tits.

During the autumn, owl boxes are planned which will involve the construction and siting of very large boxes.

Queens Park also supports bird-breeding programmes, and once the park restoration work is completed, staff would like to encourage the spotted flycatcher bird. Bird boxes will be modified to attract this variety as Britians population has halved over the last 25 years.

Two young enthusiasts, Matthew and Phoebe Hallows, of Franklyn Avenue, took home their own boxes kindly donated by Crewe resident and park lover, Janet Tirrell.

Councillor Andrew Knowles, Cabinet member with responsibility for Health and Wellbeing said: “Once the Queens Park restoration project nears completion, we hope to repeat this event, and raise greater awareness of Britains wild birds and how to care for them in your own gardens.”