Robins are all the rage in London this week. Believe me, I've spent so much time this week talking red breasts I'm hoarse.
We're urging people to put out food for robins now - to increase the likelihood of a Christmas day visit from these iconic birds. David Lindo, otherwise known as BBC TV's The Urban Birder, is supporting the plan and will be urging people to join us on THE ONE SHOW this week.
It's a simple idea that also helps other small garden birds survive the winter. There's something special about robins though. Native robins are quite sociable little balls of fluff, quite happy hopping around your feet in the garden. It must be a learned behaviour thing because their cousins from across the English Channel are far less brazen.
They love mealworms so a dish of these will certainly attract some to you. If you're squeamish about these things or don't want to buy mealworms, then seeds will do. Maybe some crusts of cheese, but not salty cheese. They can't handle salt but the fat in cheese helps them maintain their body temperature on these cold winter nights we're experiencing.
I'm hoping the coming weekend will buck the weather trend. I'm working outside at Hampstead Heath on Sunday for the next weekend of our Aren't birds brilliant events there. We set-up a telescope or two to show passers-by the ducks, swans, cormorants and coots or moorhens on the ponds there. On good days, we'll get to see kestrels, maybe a sparrowhawk or a kingfisher. Come and visit us for a chat about life, robins and the simple things you can do to make a difference in life.
On Friday, I was lucky enough to visit our Rainham Marsh reserve alongside the Thames at Purfleet near Dartford. I was working but took the opportunity of visiting the shop there for a quick present buying spree and took advantage of the vistor centre's cafe too. Out on the reserve, the water channels were all full, making it look more amazing than ever. Howard, who sits on the front desk and helps visitors get the most out of their visit, showed me a magnificent photo of a kingfisher he'd snapped that morning. It appears to have taken up residence and is happy to pose for visitors. One man, who's becoming a regular, had never seen a kingfisher before so was delighted when Howard pointed it out to him.
You don't have to be interested in birds or nature to appreciate and respect a wild creature surviving in our landscape. Walking around Rainham, Hampstead Heath or along the busy southbank in central London you could come across a fox, a heron or maybe just a plant growing out of a wall. That's all it takes sometimes to make you stop in your tracks, stare and wonder at something that hasn't been manufactured nor put there by people. Something that simply 'is' holds you in its thrall; it defies us and shouts, "This space is mine too".
Put out some food for a robin. It will make you smile.