After years of not engaging in nature, my love of it is has been reignited thanks to RSPB Cymru's Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff project. Nature is in everyone’s nature, you just might not know it yet.
I had been watching an old cine-film (the old style film projected onto a screen) that was taken when I was a four year old child and it was obvious I loved nature. I was digging around in the mud and exploring what was there, turning to the camera and asking my parents what it was I had found in the earth. I knew at this moment that I had missed out on many years of not engaging with nature for one reason or another. It was then at over 40 I decided that I didn’t want to miss out on nature anymore.
How could I reignite this interest - volunteer for a conservation charity? That’s what I decided to do and I am absolutely loving the experiences that volunteering for RSPB Cymru brings.Image: Nick Cunard (rspb-images.com)
One of the events I have volunteered on was a moth and butterfly identification day, jointly run by RSPB Cymru and the City of Cardiff Council Park Rangers. I learnt so much but not only that, I saw how important initiatives like this are - as over ten children and ten adults turned up who became totally engrossed in the activities.
After a brief introduction it was on to the activities and identification of a couple of moths - the popular one with children being the largest colourful elephant hawkmoth to the smallest shining green fan footed wave.
Then the ranger took everyone outside to see what moths had been caught the night before (and just to say they do all get released). We learnt about buff ermines, beautiful hook tips, heart and darts and that there are not just moths - there are micro-moths like anania stachydalis. All in all we identified over 50 moths thanks to the experts involved. We then went on a short walk to identify some butterflies and also saw some dragonflies and cardinal beetles along the way.
Image: Martyn Poynor (rspb-images.com)
Reflecting on the day it reminded me of the old cine-film. Some of the children would get really excited as the moths were released and as some had the tendency to fly straight off (the moths that is not the children) - they would run after them. A while after one moth had flown off, one child came running back to say they had spotted a ‘snout’ - the moth they discovered earlier - now if that’s not proof of nature is everyone’s nature then I don’t know what is.
I just hope these children keeps exploring throughout their life. I know though, that thanks to organisations like the RSPB they will, as these are activities provided across Wales on a regular basis, most free of charge. See, if nature is in your nature take that step to get involved, whether it is attending an event or volunteering - you will discover so much.
For more information on how you can volunteer for Giving Nature a Home in Cardiff, email cymru@rspb.org.uk #WildCardiff #CaerdyddGwyllt