Wildlife from your Window
My brain is foggy and I’m definitely finding it harder to concentrate on tasks in hand. Sitting at my impromptu desk in the spare room with the occasional sound of a car humming down the road I realise how much nature lifts and inspires me during the day. Working on a nature reserve is very different to working from home, but like millions of others around the world, I am adjusting to it.
We love our reserves. They are places to find solace, respite from hectic schedules, enjoy quiet moments and those filled with squawks, cackles, croaks, calls and booms. Heathlands, salt marsh, woodlands, reedbeds are all theatres where wildlife enact the circle of life and we are used to having front of stage views. Now that we are mostly cooped up in makeshift offices or school rooms, how can we incorporate the sights and sounds of nature into our day?
Balconies and gardens are ideal starting points. As spring unfurls little will have changed for the insects, birds and animals that visit our green spaces and now is the perfect time to get children involved in building bug hotels, making bird baths or sowing some wildflowers from seed. The RSPB has a myriad of activities to inspire young minds and keep tiny hands busy with simple ‘how to’ guides and downloadable resources. You can find out more by visiting the Wild Challenge website at https://bit.ly/2wHTxUZ. So grab the kids and go wild!
Last year we launched our Let Nature Sing campaign to highlight the loss of over 40 million songbirds in the UK. Following on from this, we’ve created Birdsong Radio so you can enjoy the sound of the dawn chorus at anytime of day, anywhere. You can listen live on our website at https://bit.ly/3bGz69B or download the Birdsong app on Apple or Android. If you want to know more about nature’s rocks stars then sign up to the Chorus Hub for species highlights and exclusive articles. Another way to let nature come to you is through the live microphone in Titchwell’s reedbeds which you can access from our Twitter account @RSPBTitchwell. So far, we’ve captured over 40 species! If you’re up early enough, we are talking about garden visitors in our #BreakfastBirdwatch which runs between 8am and 9am during the week. Set at a time when we might usually be doing the school run or commuting to work, this is a chance to connect with nature from the safety of our homes. You can join in by sharing photos, videos or artwork using the hashtag #BreakfastBirdwatch.
If you’re a regular visitor to our social media accounts you’ll see that we have displayed some of the fabulous artwork done by visitors and volunteers. The Natural History museum is also showcasing artwork through their Twitter account @NHM_London using the hashtag #naturedrawingclub. This is a great way to connect with the natural world through art and ideal if you are missing regular visits to galleries or exhibitions.
Another great forum to share our love of all things birding is through the Self Isolating Bird Club. Set up by keen birder and naturalist Chris Packham this is a wonderful platform to have a virtual experience of nature through photos, videos, art and stories. Available on both Twitter and Facebook and easy to find through all search engines.
Don’t’ forget to keep popping into Titchwell’s own social media accounts @RSPBTitchwell for regular news and updates. Although we are unable to go onto our reserves at the moment, we are still determined to help you all connect with wildlife seen through windows, from balconies and rooftops. We’ll have species profiles, video footage, advice on wildlife gardening, Q&A sessions, virtual moth mornings, links to family activities, quizzes and caption competitions with regular links to our community blog!
Take care everyone, stay safe and take time out for nature every day (or night) if you can.
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