STAFF at RSPB Saltholme will be offering visitors handy hints on how to feed and spot birds in their garden this Saturday (January 19) and Sunday.

The involvement of the Teesside nature reserve comes ahead of the RSPB's annual Big Garden Birdwatch event over the following weekend, January 26 and 27.

About 600,000 people across the UK took part in the last survey in 2012 and between them counted more than nine million birds.

Joanna Keene, from the RSPB charity, said: “Everyone who takes part in the Big Garden Birdwatch is contributing to the world’s biggest wildlife survey and helping us find out more about some of our most-loved garden birds.

“The declines of starlings and sparrows over the last 30 years or so have been alarming, but Big Garden Birdwatch has helped us find out more about their numbers and distribution across UK gardens, and that has been the first step in helping to put things right.”

To register to take part in the survey go to www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch or call  0300-456-8330 to receive a free Big Garden Birdwatch pack.

For more information about events at Salthome call 01642-546625.