Big Garden Birdwatch 2021

This weekend is the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch! 🐦

Birds are such an important part of the UK's ecosystem and there are around 574 different species that have been recorded around the country.  Birdlife present in all different shapes, sizes and colours and live in a variety of environments from remote coastal outcrops to busy city centres.  Among other things, they help to pollinate plants, spread seeds and control pests, as well as being a critical part of the food chain that they both consume insects and are preyed on by larger mammals.  

The UK sadly has several bird species that are endangered, including puffins, skylarks, cukoos, and the lesser spotted woodpecker.  There are also thousands of little birds such as the willow tit and house sparrow that are under threat due to habitat changes (mainly to woodlands) and climate change which can affect bird migration patterns.  

Back in October, I was lucky enough to be involved in some conservation work to manage a willow tit habitat beside a Staffordshire reservoir.  By simply altering the willow habitat slightly, it made it easier for the birds to fly into the safety and shelter of the trees, and it also helps them nest which make it more likely for them to breed successfully.  Conservation work like this is vital to giving native bird species a helping hand and a chance to thrive in the wild.

This weekend, the RSPB is calling anyone and everyone to take part in a bird counting survey in your back garden or from a balcony.  All you need to do is spend an hour watching the birds in your outdoor space and note down how many you count and what species they are.  It's a great opportunity to contribute to community science and learn a bit about what is happening with the wildlife right on your doorstep!  Visit their website here to find out more and to record your results.  Happy bird watching!  🐦

A Happy Green New Year :)

I think many of us hoped that as the clock struck midnight on the 1st January that things might start to change for the better.  Whilst I know that will be the case (eventually!), I think right now our reality is still a little distant from what we had hoped for.  

Environmental awareness seems a little lower on the agenda than it was before, but my hope is that environmental issues will not be forgotten after lockdown, and that people will become even more passionate about protecting their local green spaces and will strive to make the most of the nature that is always around them. 

If anything, lockdown is teaching us to get outside and appreciate the local wildlife on our doorsteps!  I have definitely noticed an increase in the number of people walking and biking when I go out for my walks and runs, and the little changes between seasons become even more precious and beautiful when you tune in so often to the world around you. 

Schools are having a particularly difficult time at the moment.  As someone who currently works in primary education teaching SEN children, I know the challenge of keeping the sense of school community and normality going for these young people.  However, for me I also see it as an amazing opportunity to get children excited and exploring their gardens, parks, school grounds... wherever they can get to!  Taking the time to get outside (which is definitely more germ-friendly anyway!) and learning about the world is so important and this period of time is a great opportunity to get kids involved in exploring outdoor spaces and beginning projects such as planting bulbs or making bird feeders for the winter. 

This new year, I'll be taking a bit more time to post about how to encourage green education and make your school green too, as I believe that our actions and behaviours have as much impact as any school lesson, if not more so!

Stay tuned for more #learningthroughnature this spring 🌳🌸📝