If you wait until spring has sprung to get outside and connect with nature, you’ll miss out on some incredible wildlife encounters.
Can you believe it’s nearly the end of January already? February is the month of love and there’s no doubt that we’ve all fallen in love with our garden birds this winter, from witnessing the wonders of nature through Winterwatch, to wrapping up warm and getting into the garden for Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. A big thank you to everyone taking part. Whether you have had birds flocking to your feeders or a zero result, it’s all valuable data for the RSPB, so don’t forget to submit your results online by 20 February.
It might still be winter, but the early signs of spring are here, with new shoots beginning to peep through the soil. February is the perfect time to do some nature-friendly gardening; wrap up warm and get outside before the call of the sofa grows too strong! If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or balcony, that’s as far as you need to go to spend some time outdoors, refresh your senses and do something simple and satisfying to help nature.
Blackbird perched on apple tree, Credit: Rob Carmier, RSPB Images
One of the best things you can do for nature is to grow a tree, and there is one to suit every garden, small or large. A fruit tree such as an apple, cherry or crab apple is a great choice, as it provides somewhere for birds to nest, roost and makes the perfect song perch whilst also providing a natural food source. Winter is prime time for planting bare-root trees (trees that don’t come in a plant pot) and it’s a surprisingly straightforward and cheap job to do and the benefits are lovely.
For more seasonal wildlife tips, latest know-how and garden wildlife inspiration visit the RPSB’s website. You could also consider joining as an RSPB member. Members receive free entry to nature reserves, a fantastic quarterly wildlife magazine, and you’ll be helping to protect the wildlife and wild spaces you love – rspb.org.uk