Garden shed used as a look-out for viewing wildlife

16:01:20 22nd January 2010

School pupils are hiding out in garden sheds to keep a watchful eye on the local wildlife.

The Scunthorpe Telegraph reports that pupils from Leys Farm Junior School are monitoring and recording a variety of birds spotted in the school grounds, as part of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' (RSPB) Big Schools' Bird Watch.

The campaign is taking place in hundreds of primary schools across the UK.

Year six pupil Lewis Hewson told the Telegraph how he joined fellow pupils in the garden shed with their binoculars, waiting to see which birds would come into the garden.

"Earlier in the week I was on duty when two song thrushes landed under the bench. It was really exciting and it was nice to see them close up and admire the different colours and patterns," he told the newspaper.

The annual Big School's Bird Watch is a free activity for all UK schools and youth groups. Last year saw record numbers taking part, with just under 90,000 children and teachers.