SCHOOLCHILDREN across Hampshire have been taking part in the biggest survey of birdlife in UK schools.

Running until today, the Big Schools’ Birdwatch encourages children and their teachers to discover and learn about the birds that share their school environment.

Last year, 48 schools in the county took part in the nationwide survey, with a total of 2,666 Hampshire school children getting involved.

Don Fuller, RSPB south east Youth and Education Officer, said: “For more than a decade, young people have joined in counting the birds in their school grounds.

“As well as contributing to our understanding of the changes in bird numbers, Big Schools’ Birdwatch is a brilliant way of connecting young people with nature by getting them interested and excited about what they can see.

“It’s all too easy for them to miss those opportunities to get outside and understand the world around them.”

The survey also provides a purpose for their observations and helps the RSPB build a picture of birds visiting school grounds and the population changes.