5 ways nature helps me to unwind

 

A pool of calm, in dappled sunlight, under a willow, beside the river . . . (Photo from personal collection)

Life, it seems to me, is full of noise. There is an awful lot of confusion over what is important and what is simply being made to seem important, all the things other people bluster and fuss over. The stuff we are told ought to be worried and fretted over. Sometimes, when you stand back and take a breath, you see that, really, it needn't be quite so anxiety inducing. That it's just others projecting their wants and needs, transferring their stresses and cares.

This being a blog that concerns itself with nature and wildlife I am, of course, on the brink of telling you all about how I go to nature to unwind, and take a step back from the anxieties of day-to-day life. And I do find a kind of meditative peace in the embrace of our natural world. I hope that as you read this little list of ways in which nature helps me to unwind, you remember to find a little pool of peace in this often confusing world for yourself.

1. Silence and stillness in a nature reserve

Not a great photo, but depicting a busy bumblebee take a moment amongst the verdant green, in a nature reserve local to me. (Photo from personal collection)

I believe that nature does not ask without giving. It does require from us that we care, understand, and appreciate, but if we can foster that care and appreciation, if we can nurture it, then nature rewards us. Perhaps the most precious gifts it can bestow are those lessons in the value of silence and stillness. It is when we can be still and silent, just watching and breathing, that nature rewards us by revealing the beauty of its grace and interconnectedness. When we stop still, more and more comes forth from the verdant canopies and undergrowth, put at ease by our calm.

If we can love nature, appreciate its beauty and intelligence, naturally a consideration follows. Then we come closer to a state of peacefulness and wellbeing. Not quite Nirvana, perhaps, but something wonderful.

2. The sound of raindrops

There are many sounds from nature that I could have chosen for their calming effects. There is birdsong, the sound of wind through the treetops, or the sound of a natural spring passing over rock. I choose the sound of rain falling because, as I type, rain is falling outside my window. There is an inexpensive little storage unit out there, with a thin corrugated metal roof, and listening to the drops performing their percussive song upon it is extremely relaxing. At night, when all else is quieted, there is something gorgeous about falling asleep with rain against windows and roof. 

3.Smelling the flowers

The season of  buds, blossoms, and flowers blooming. (Photo from personal collection)

Plants are fascinating in their beauty, and also in what they are capable of. In supplying food, and shelter, and their giving us breathable air, even cleaning water, their value is priceless. That alone would be enough, but there are a number of studies which also reveal plants as being beneficial to mental health. A quick internet search even throws up a study from the University of Michigan which found that time spent outdoors, amongst plants, can increase memory retention.

For those with a green thumb, and budding gardeners, there is a little extra good news. There is a bacteria found in soil, mycobacterium vaccae, which has been found to have effects on neurons similar to antidepressants, stimulating serotonin production. Digging in soil can stir up these microbes which, when inhaled, can make you feel relaxed and happier.

4. Sunlight on my face

Raindrops sound just fine, but I much prefer the feel of sunlight on my face over rainwater!

Ah, some of that precious, precious Vitamin D, please!

Vitamin D, as well as helping to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, has been shown to have an effect on low moods. Studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D have been linked to depression and that, in some cases, increasing vitamin D can improve low moods. The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin, so as the spring and summer months bring brighter and longer days, getting out in the sunshine is a must for those that want to unwind.

5. The taste of fruits and veggies

Picked from last year's strawberry plants in the garden last year. (Photo from personal collection)

There is something extraordinarily satisfying about picking a fruit or vegetable from a plant that you have nurtured from a seed or a small potted plant. Along the way, there is all the fascination of watching them grow, and the surprise at their strength and ability. Then, to see blossoms become fruit, and to taste the sweetness of them. It reintroduces an appreciation for food, growing something for yourself, that might be lost by simply selecting it from supermarket shelves and having it delivered to your door.

Thank you for reading. Just before you go, can I ask you to please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine certainly isn't relaxing, but it does keep me writing!

I resist ad space, wanting to generate more than sales here and, with writerly ambitions, I throw myself on the kindness of readers to support this blog and my endeavours and adventures in writing.

If you can, please visit ko-fi.com, where you will also find links to other blog posts and other of my writing.

Here's my nature lover's to-do list . . .

 

A good scratch; even more satisfying than ticking something of a to-do list! (Photo from personal collection)

Hey there, to old friends and new readers alike! In this post, I'm just going to take a little look at a few things on my to-do list. Some of the things I have planned to explore my love of nature and wildlife, and that will, hopefully, benefit some of the plant and animal life with which I share this little corner of the world where I live.

1. Create a pond

In a corner of the room where I write there is a plastic storage container of a pretty decent size. It's the sort of thing in which you might usually store some half-important paperwork, but I intend to make a pond out of the thing. Which, in my opinion, will be putting it to much better use. 

I also have some sand, some pebbles, bricks, and plant pots to aid in the creation. The plant pots so that I can make little hidey-holes for anything that might end up moving in. All I need now are some oxygenating plants and water. Water's fairly easy to get hold of, in a sense, but the plants will require a little more effort and consideration.

(If you are able to do so, and if you want to, read to the bottom of the post to see how you can help out with this endeavour)

2. Read, read, read . . .

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. (Image source: waterstones.com)

As well as being a nature lover, I am nursing a life-long passion for the written word!

There are so many books on my reading list, and Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, what looks to be an essential read, is only one of them. In fact, I wrote about some of the books on my wish list here, in my last blog post.

With a love of nature, there must be a desire to learn so that we can understand it better, and so we might be better equipped, with a deeper understanding, as we work for and with the natural world.

3. Taking notes, taking pictures, researching, blogging . . .

As I meet others with a passion for nature and wildlife, I see that the passion is explored and shared in a number of ways. Some, like I, write and blog, some take photographs, some write poetry, and some teach their children. There are a great number of creative, scientific, and social ways in which we can explore and express appreciation for the natural world. And they are, all of them, tremendously important.

Somebody told me, not too long ago, that she teaches her children about nature and wildlife, allows their fascination for it to grow, because if they care for it, they are more likely to do what they can to protect it. And that is why we, those of us that care for nature, must share that love; it might very well spark care and concern in someone else.

4. Tend to the garden

A planter, which is home to oxeye daisies and common poppies. (Photo from personal collection)

When I was little, animal life seemed so much more fascinating than plant life. Animals were dynamic, graceful, ferocious, wonderful things, and plants were just sort of there. They looked pretty sometimes, and I definitely appreciated them in a vague and poetic sort of way as I went bumbling and stumbling around the countryside where I lived. I loved the green of spring and summer. But my eye always drifted to the animals rather than the plants.

It's only in recent years that plants and I have become better acquainted. It started with a deeper appreciation for their place in the ecological interconnectedness of the natural world and has bloomed from there. I find myself fascinated by there resilience and their strength. A number of times I have been in the garden, noticed a problem and thought a plant done for, that it wouldn't survive, only to see, a few days later, a small green bud of hope.

Nowadays, I take quite a bit of pride in the verdant green wildflowers and strawberry plants. This year, I have planted chilli pepper plants and evening primrose, which I hope will establish themselves and continue the success I've seen with other plants in the garden. 

5. Ramble a while

Common toad pair. The season of new life is upon us! (Photo from personal collection)

Anyone that has read entries here before will know I am an avid walker. In fact, if you are a regular reader, you're probably sick of reading about it as I wax lyrical about our public footpaths. Well, just in case, I am sorry . . . But not that sorry.

With the warmer and sunnier months here at last, and storms that blew a mighty wind only memories now, I happily go off wandering walking routes. And, you know, I have learned valuable lessons on those paths. Lessons of silence, stillness, and stopping to just breathe. It is in stillness and silence that Nature reveals herself, in all her beauty. And, as you stand there with a quieted mind, you feel a little peace descend . . .

Thank you for reading. If you would like to support this blog, and contribute a little something towards some of these endeavours, please consider a small donation via ko-fi.com - a small tip could be all I need to get a plant pot, or finish off the pond.

I resist ad space here, wishing to generate something greater than sales. And so, with writerly ambitions, I must throw myself on the kindness of readers. I am a low income writer, and any little contribution will be of great help.

If you are able to do so, please consider supporting through ko-fi.com, where you will find links to other blog posts and other of my writing.

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5 books on my wishlist

 

My bookshelves. (Photo from personal collection)

Disclaimer: this blog has an affiliation with bookshop.org. If you should make a purchase through links in this blog, I might earn a small commission from the sale. However, this does not affect the price of the books, and it has not influenced the content of this blog post.

Wondering what the ultimate solution is to supplementing your love of nature with knowledge? Well, there are nature documentaries, magazines, email newsletters from reputable organisations . . . All sorts. But, my favoured means of gaining knowledge about nature and wildlife is by immersing myself into the pages of a book.

I am a book lover, perhaps as much as I am a nature lover; my shelves are straining under the ever increasing collection of literary loveliness. And, alongside all the biographies, travel writing, fiction, and non-fiction, there are the nature books. But, one can always have more . . .

So, in today's post, I am going to run through five nature books on my wishlist . . .

1. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

This prize-winning book on fungi has been on my horizon for a while now. 

In this book, Merlin Sheldrake demonstrates the impressive abilities of fungi, their importance to life on earth, and just how integral they have been to human history and progress. 

With fungi being one of those life forms in the natural world that I could learn much more about, and with the great reviews this book has received, this work sits comfortably somewhere at the top of my bookish wishlist!

You can buy Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake here.

2. Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori, Illustrated by Lucille Clerc

When I was younger, my interest in nature was mostly concerned with the apparently much more dynamic animal life, and it wasn't until I got a little older and a little wiser that my interest began to encompass an interest in the equally fascinating plant life with which we share space on this planet. So, I am playing catch up, and am happy to find any good book on plants.

And this book looks like a really, really good book!

The author takes a trip around the world, and takes a look at eighty plants from across the globe. As well as looking at the life science of these plants, Drori explores how they are entwined with human history, culture, and folklore.

You can purchase Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori and Lucille Clerc here.

3. Do Earth: Healing Strategies for Humankind by Tamsin Omond

Tamsin Omond has spent over a decade in climate activism, and she has discovered that the crisis this planet faces is bigger than any one group of activists can tackle. It needs all of us. And so, she penned this work, taking a look at the ways in which humanity can heal its relationship with nature, and therefore help the planet to heal.

I see the broken relationship, when I take myself off walking, and I stop amongst trees, sitting on a log beside a stream, hoping for some Wordsworth scene of natural beauty, but instead find polystyrene, plastics, and aluminium floating on the water and the breeze. We all see it when leaders speak of the need for more trees, but then advocate for the destruction of ancient woodland so that some building, train line, road . . . can take its place.

With a love for nature must come a desire to see its health and wellbeing supported and sustained. After all, if you need further reasoning, we are a product of nature, and what happens to it will eventually come back to us.

You can purchase Do Earth by Tamsin Omond here.

4. Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Tom de Freston

A children's novel that Waterstones describes as "an exquisite reflection on family, science and the fragile yet sublime beauty of the environment." 

If a novel can introduce children to the wonder of nature, the environment, and the sciences with which we discover more about our world, then that's worth a look, in my opinion.

Inspired by an article about a 400-year-old Greenland shark and themes of parental mental health, thrown into the spotlight particularly by the pandemic and lockdowns, this book was written by prize-winning author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and illustrated by artist, and the author's husband, Tom de Freston.

You can purchase Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston here.

5. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a botanist, as the cover of this book points out, Kimmerer brings understanding of both indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge in this exploration of plant life and its wider ecological reach.

As with many of the best, in my opinion, books on nature, this is a celebration of the living world, and an advocate for understanding it more, so that it might thrive.

As with Do Earth, this book suggests that we can embrace lessons from our natural world, and reestablish a good relationship with the world, and that we must learn to hear again lessons that the living world has to teach us.

You can purchase Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer here.

Just before you go, can I ask that you please consider supporting this blogger with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the support might just get me one step closer to all the books I would love to read!

I resist ad space here, and so, to support the blog, throw myself on the generosity of readers. It takes time to research, write, proofread, edit, and rewrite every post and, with writerly ambitions, I seek support for this blog from those that read it.

If you can, please do visit ko-fi.com, where you can also find links to other blog posts, and other of my writings.

And, thank you to every reader and supporter!

Caribbean shark attacks

 

Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier. (Image sourced from darwinfoundation.org)

As I type, one of the most searched topics on Google, according to Google Trends, is "Caribbean shark attacks". This follows reports yesterday that Italian tourist, Antonio Straccialini, 56, was attacked by a shark, and later died due to his injuries, as he swam just off the Caribbean island of San Andres. The attack has been attributed to a Tiger shark, which is known to swim near coastlines and be one of the least discerning predators, with a wide and varied diet. However, attacks on humans are still extremely rare.

According to National Geographic (nationalgeographic.com/animals), Tiger sharks "are second only to great whites in attacking people." As well as this, they are known to be less discerning than other shark species and will take a wide variety of prey, if they are able to do so. Indeed, tiger sharks have been recorded with stomach contents that include dogs, cats, car license plates, and oil cans. This lack of a discerning palate means that they are more likely to persist with an attack after an initial bite, unlike other shark species. However, once again, attacks on people are still extremely rare.

Statistics and scientific observation, of course, will, do little to ease pain for the loss of Antonio Straccialini, for his friends, family, and loved ones. We can only hope that, in time, they take comfort in the good memories they have of him, and that the pain of loss does not overwhelm.

What we mustn't do is to allow tragic events like this one to colour our perception of these animals, we mustn't demonise them for their behaviour. Rather than calling the shark a "beast" (dailymail.co.uk), implying rage and monstrosity as that word does, we must remember it is just an animal living according to its physiology, the needs it has according to its nature. As we come into contact with the natural world, conflicts may sometimes arise. Sometimes, it will be us that loses in those conflicts. Most of the time though, it is nature that is the loser.

Tiger sharks are a threatened species, according to International Union for Conservation of Nature, with a declining population trend (iucnredlist.org). This unenviable status is due to heavy fishing by humans, for the fins, flesh, and livers of these animals. In seas where this shark was once common, such as Arabian waters, it has either declined noticeably or disappeared completely. There are some scattered efforts to conserve the species, but nothing cohesive and specific. These are not monsters, rage-fuelled killers, but an animal doing what it must to survive and which, on rare occasions, has come violently and tragically into our lives, through no fault of its own.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the coffee keeps me reading, collating, and writing!

Resisting ad space here, wishing to generate more than sales here, I must throw myself on the kindness of readers to support blogging and writerly ambitions. Much time is invested in trying to get the writing and information correct here, and if readers are able to show their support it is very much appreciated, and is a real boost to the writing.

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Thank you, every reader and supporter!

Spring time ramble

 

Here comes the sun, and I say, it's all right. - The Beatles

Familiar footpaths

It seems to me, that spring is here. At least, the storms of winter have been quickly forgotten, with the sun shining and coaxing forth blossoms. This is the time of year for blooming flowers and buzzing bees. My favourite way of embracing the spring sun is to take myself off on the footpaths. And so, yesterday, I did just that, with my ears and eyes wide open. But not before stopping in the garden a while, to check on the birdfeeders and the plant life there, where the oxeye daisies especially seem greener and taller by the day. I gave the plants some water, hoping that quenched thirst and sunshine might expedite flowering, but knowing that nature needs time to achieve its beauty, to do what it needs to do. And so, with my boots on my feet and a cloudless sky overhead, I headed off for familiar footpaths. I wanted out of the town where I live, and more rural, countryside surroundings.

This new season is the season of life and abundance. Butterflies, bees, and birds were all out and on the wing as I walked through their world, flitting and fluttering above and about me. A brimstone butterfly, or something very like a brimstone, and I followed the same path for a while. (The pretty yellow-winged butterfly flew constantly beside the path, over and about the green grass and hedgerows, was never at rest, which made certain identification difficult.) So, as people in cars went wherever they were going, I was lost in the nature. Not for the first time, I wondered how other people on the path could resist looking up into the branches of trees we walked beneath. With the bird calls, the songs, and all that fascinating life that was happening up there.

Towards the end of my walk, I stopped beside the river, in a small village meadow; Oakley, Bedfordshire. The river was running eastward, and the sun was low in the sky, to my right. On the horizon, the sky was yellow-orange, but higher it was darkening blues and purples, not a cloud to be seen. I sat at a picnic table, made of some kind of plastic, but intended to look like wood, at least from a distance. About me was grass, the running river, and cooling evening air. Behind me, a road which took drivers over a small bridge, and which brought the sound of passing cars to my ears, though my eyes were towards the river. It was the golden hour, and people were turning homeward from a day's work, and the birds were singing their last songs for the day. I heard tits, a robin, blackbirds, and, a little further off, something corvid. The flap and clap of a woodpigeon's wings overhead, as it rose and then glided away. With sore legs, and poetry in my head, I turned my steps homeward, a hot shower and a cold beer on my mind.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me rambling and writing.

I resist allowing ad space here, wanting to generate more than sales. So, I throw myself on the kindness of readers to support this blog and my writerly ambitions. If you can, please do support, and visit ko-fi.com, where you will find links to other blog posts and writing.

Thank you to every reader and supporter!

Nature recovery green paper; positively gripping or worryingly vague?

 

Wide open, blue, Bedfordshire countryside skies. (Photo from personal collection)

Yesterday, 16 March 2022, the Nature recovery green paper was published, which sets out initial thoughts on driving nature recovery in England through protected sites and species protection. The targets are to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030, and to put an end to species decline by the same year. (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delivering-on-the-environment-act-new-targets-announced-and-ambitious-plans-for-nature-recovery)

In a blog post from Natural England's Chair, Tony Juniper (https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2022/03/16/green-paper-can-herald-nature-recovery/), we find an ambitious but optimistic vision; acknowledging some of the challenges and work that has to be done, but with a generally sunny outlook for the future of English nature.

However, other campaigners and organisations have responded with disappointment.

Responding to the Government's publications on nature protections and environmental targets yesterday, The Wildlife Trusts showed hints of optimism, but not without doubts and concerns. And the response from Greenpeace held even more concern over the vagueness of the publications. Indeed, it would seem spokespeople from many of our conservation organisations and charities, including those mentioned and RSPB chief executive, Rebecca Speight, are underwhelmed by the government's Nature recovery green paper and environmental targets.

Of most concern is an apparent lack of focus on protecting some of our most important land, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest. From Joan Edwards, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, The Wildlife Trusts: "It's absolutely vital that it [the Government] resists calls to lift the rules that protect our most important wild places. Currently, nationally important protected sites for nature such as Swanscombe Peninsula are still threatened with inappropriate developments which increase flood risk, put wildlife at risk and set us back in the fight against climate change. The Nature Green Paper must ensure that these special places have stronger protections and that decisions to designate them are led by the science."

There are further concerns around the Government's target of having 10% more nature in 2042 than in 2030, by when they aim to have halted species decline and have protections in place for land and sea. However, it has been pointed out, by more than one voice in conservation, that with just how much adversity our nature and wildlife are facing, and by how much some species are expected to decline in the intervening years, that could still mean a dismal future.

The headlines have been prominent in recent years. Our wildlife is in trouble and, with one in ten species in England only just steps away from extinction, action is needed now, not ten or twenty years in the future.

Generally, the concerns are that the targets are too vague and aim too low. As ever, the ask from conservationists is that the rhetoric be done with, and positive actions take its place.

Further reading

Save Swanscombe Peninsula, Kent Wildlife - https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/save-swanscombe

Nature recovery green paper and consultation - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nature-recovery-green-paper

Delivering on the Environment Act, Gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/delivering-on-the-environment-act-new-targets-announced-and-ambitious-plans-for-nature-recovery

Nature Recovery Green Paper: Protected Sites and Species, DEFRA - https://consult.defra.gov.uk/nature-recovery-green-paper/nature-recovery-green-paper/

The Wildlife Trusts response - https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/rhetoric-masks-meagre-nature-recovery-plans-wildlife-trusts-say-government-targets-must-aim

Thank you for reading. Just before you go, can I ask that you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com; I resist ad space here, but with writerly ambitions I must seek support for my writing and blogging. So, I throw myself on the kindness of readers.

If you are able to do so, please visit ko-fi.com where you can support this blog, find links to other blog posts, and other writerly endeavours.

Exciting choices . . .

 

Still from Trainspotting, upon the opening monologue of which I based . . .

Choose green energy. Choose decarbonising agriculture. Choose reading nature blogs. Choose planting evening primrose for night-flying moths. Choose great big long fucking walks in the countryside. Choose putting up nest boxes, learning the names of birds, learning the names of wildflowers, and learning about climate change. Choose expressing your love for nature and wildlife through writing, painting, and taking photographs. Choose creating a high home for swifts. Choose a more vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Choose rewilding your garden. Choose making space for nature and growing some of your own food. Choose beavers because they are one of nature's ecosystem engineers and they reduce fucking flooding. Choose reading nature magazines or even subscribing. Choose recyclable products, and less fucking plastic. Choose reading books like Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones, Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, and The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs by Tristan Gooley. Choose stopping to smell the flowers. Choose nature . . . And why would I want to do a thing like that?

I most definitely choose nature - I choose nature because I am a product of nature! More reasons? This world is not only ours. Besides, have you seen how beautiful it is?

This week, I am putting up homes for bats and swifts, in the hope that it will provide a space for these animals. If you would like to help with some of the costs of these boxes and their being put up, could you please consider a small donation, the cost of a coffee, on ko-fi.com - a £3 donation helps to support this blog and other nature/wildlife considerate pursuits I undertake.

I resist ad space on this blog, preferring to generate conversation rather than sales, and so, to support my endeavours and writerly ambition, I throw myself on the kindness of readers. If you can, please do consider taking a look at ko-fi.com - and I thank you, every reader and supporter!

Domestic cats in nature

 

Cute cat (Image found on Pinterest)

Oh, to live like a cat! 

To spend trouble-free days lazing when I pleased, in sunny spots and cosy spaces. Perhaps watching the birds flitting and flying. Though, I would minus out the instinctual desire to pounce and predate those feathered friends in my fantasy feline existence . . .

Whenever I am out and about, traipsing some public path, on one of my rambles, and I spot a cat lurking in hedgerows or bushes, conflicting feelings arise. You see, I can't help but be charmed by the animal because, well, they are beautiful in their grace, and perfect. But, in the back of mind, hover thoughts of how they, taken together, all those domestic cats out there, are adding to the pressures on wildlife populations that are struggling. I think of Scottish wildcats, and birds, and amphibians . . .

Concerns about how domestic cats, given the freedom of the outdoors, and their impact upon wildlife populations, are shared by conservation charities and organisations, especially, it seems, those organisations which are fighting to protect and conserve songbirds.

The RSPB website tells us that no scientific evidence is available that suggests cats are causing a significant decline in bird populations. However, the page does acknowledge that domestic cat predation is affecting bird species that are declining, and it would therefore "be prudent to reduce cat predation as, although it is not causing the declines, some of these species are already under pressure."

Some dispute this claim that there is "no scientific evidence", however, instead suggesting that there have been no adequate studies undertaken in the first place. Songbird Survival, an independent UK charity that strives for the conservation of songbird species, has undertaken studies of cats, domestic cat predation, and the attitudes of cat owners towards cat welfare and the welfare of wildlife.

Whenever I spot a cat in our garden, I open the French doors and spook it away. I do this because there are spaces in the garden that have been intentionally created for the birds out there - bird bath and feeders, for example - and I do not consider that domestic cat predation is natural. As far as I can see, the domestic cat is, well, a domestic animal, an animal under the care of human beings, and therefore human responsibility. 

As a past dog owner, I feel, if I were to have allowed my dog to play on her every natural instinct, she would have been labelled a "problem dog", and removed from my care. That isn't to say, of course, that dog owners can't be more responsible in how they impact local wildlife and nature - dog mess in the countryside and dogs off lead being allowed to run as they please through woodland, for example, are greatly problematic!

As I say, I love cats as much as I love any other animal, and I wouldn't see the welfare of domestic cats decline. But, to be responsible cat owners means to consider not only their welfare, but also how their behaviour impacts upon others, just as we suggest dog owner responsibility doesn't end with the welfare of the dogs, but continues into how owners mange their pet's impact. Cleaning up after dogs, for example.

When I shoo cats from out the garden, I notice that they tend to have something in common - no collars. It is suggested, by conservation charities such as Songbird Survival, that cats wear collars with bells on, or collars like the BirdBeSafe collar, which give birds a better chance to spot any domestic cats that might be caught in their instinctual drive to hunt.

To sate that natural instinct, owners might also incorporate games into their cats lives that satisfy hunting instincts.

Having drawn comparisons between expectations placed on dog owners and how cat owners care for their animals, I do recognise that these animals are very different. However, it is not that I am suggesting similar methods of care be employed, but that similar levels of expectation with regard to responsibility be placed upon owners. If the dog owner must take responsibility for mess and their pet's behaviour towards people and other animals, it seems a shame that some cat owners simply open their doors for their animals, and allow them to do as they please. And, yes, again I acknowledge that many dog owners are not perfect and do behave irresponsibly. The comparison is made because of my own perceived disparity in expectations of responsibility. But, maybe I am wrong, and I would be happy to read your thoughts in the comments!

With spring and summer months around the corner, I am thinking of those fledgling birds that will be leaving their nests a few months from now. I am thinking of the world that they will be entering, and the adversities they will face. I am thinking that their are enough odds against them, that we should be doing everything we can.

Pet owners need to consider the ways in which their furry family members affect the nature and wildlife around them. When dog owners take their canine friends into the woods, consider that their will be ground nesting birds and young mammals out there that are striving to survive. And, cat owners, your feline friend is beautiful, but its every instinct oughtn't to be indulged if it comes at the cost of wildlife that has enough troubles to face already.

I once had a lovely experience, when I traipsed through a local churchyard. I stopped a while, taking to a bench to rest, and the most wonderfully friendly little black cat came and sat with me. And we sat together, this cat and I, and his company definitely made it harder to leave. He snoozed, and I stroked his soft fur. Cats are awesome, but I love other animals and wildlife too - they are a gift - and these domestic animals are our responsibility.

Disclaimer: this blog is not in affiliated with any of the products or organisations that are linked to in this post. These links are simply there for readers to consider.

Thank you for reading. Just before you go, can you please consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com  the caffeine keeps me considering my own impact on the natural world!

I resist ad space in this blog, wishing to generate greater things than sales here, but with writerly ambitions and the time that it takes to create every post, I seek support from the readers. 

If you can, visit ko-fi.com - the price of a coffee is a real boost - and I thank every reader and every supporter, thank you!

Um, not your usual humdrum nature blog post, that's for sure . . .

 

Just for fun . . .

Read to the rhythm of Stan by Eminem (M. Mathers, D. Armstrong, P.Herman) -

Chorus x2

The peat's been spread on gardens and it

Adds to greenhouse gases

The rainfall patterns are now changing

We can see it happen

But there's still those who deny the changes

So, I spend time with some plants and

They remind me, that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

Verse

Dear Boris, I tweeted you but got no reply,

I just want to know how you feel about climate change and why

We care more 'bout money, and we can't seem to realise

This is probably the last generation - there ain't no more time -

Because nature's worth saving; it enriches all of our lives.

But, anyways, fuck it, what's been up, man? How's all your kids?

The ones we know about! Nah, I'm just taking the piss!

Do you, BoJo! You don't care what anyone thinks!

At least, that's how it seems.

During COP26, you gave a real nice speech,

'Bout a change of mindset, but HS2 is killing ancient trees,

I know you probably hear this everyday, but you're not making sense,

But maybe that is the plan, you're just messing with our heads,

Like a toxic partner, you don't believe in what you've said.

Like the women you've laid, you're just out for what you can get.

Anyways, I hope you get this, man, hitting "send",

Just to chat, truly yours, I'm not your friend,

from Phil's pen.

Chorus

The peat's been spread on gardens and it

Adds to greenhouse gases

The rainfall patterns are now changing

We can see it happen

But there's still those who deny the changes

So, I spend time with some plants and

They remind me, that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

Verse

Dear Boris, you still ain't making sense, I hope you can see that,

I think it's kinda fucked up, and we're getting sorta mad,

If you want to exploit our ills, make money for your friends,

At least be honest, better yet, break the mould, deliver what you 'ave promised.

Generations will remember, historians note

How political jargon became hot air;

"Blah, blah, blah." Action comes too slow.

That's pretty shitty, man, you're, like, our fucking leader,

The one that we look to, and you're pulling our ancient trees up.

You say, people be used for animals to feed on.

Do you remember that from last year? When asked about biodiversity?

And the crises that it's facing?

At a panel conversation with kids!

But, that kinda stuff happens when you go off script,

And you mumble and fumble your way without thought.

So when I have a shitty day, and when life is coming up short,

I keep away from news of you, 'cause that shit hurts when I'm depressed,

I take myself off for long countryside walks instead,

Sometimes I just sit and let the birdsong inside my head,

It's such a perfect peace, just to be, listening to the wind washed leaves,

See, nothing you say is real, and there is no way I can respect you,

But you are what we have, your party, though I would rather forget you.

But there is still time to make a diff'rence, there's still time,

To address how vital ancient woodland is to sequestering carbon, how we will,

Strive to improve the health of what we have,

Sincerely yours, Phil,

P.S. Your message is falling flat!

Chorus

The peat's been spread on gardens and it

Adds to greenhouse gases

The rainfall patterns are now changing

We can see it happen

But there's still those who deny the changes

So, I spend time with some plants and

They remind me, that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

Verse

Dear Mister "I'm Too Good For The Unwashed Masses",

Learned at Eton how to look down on the lower classes,

It's been three years, still you're a joke, we don't deserve it!

I know you got my last two tweets, I tagged you in and I hashtagged 'em perfect!

So, this is an open letter for you, I hope you read it.

I'm in the garden right now, I'm getting ready for the spring.

Hey Bo, I drank a cup of coffee,

You dare me to hike?

You know the song by Eminem, the one that is called "Stan"?

About that fanatical guy who is obsessed with Shady

But Eminem answers too slowly, and the guy kills himself?

That's nothing like how this is, except for how I have framed this,

But that's just for fun, you're not the sort that I could have faith in,

Let alone become obsessed with, or kill myself over.

Nah, then I'd miss out on Oxeye daisies and Red clover,

For you, BoJo? No, I'll take bees and heather; think about it,

Don't ruin it now, I hope when you sleep you dream about it,

And when you dream I hope you see trees and flowers around you,

I hope your conscience eats at you and you see we cannot live without it,

Oh, BoJo! It can be rich! This whole world!

BoJo, listen to the birds in the treetops,

The Robin, a national favourite, will sing up there all through the year,

If we give them the space; we've got more than we really need here!

Well, gotta go, gotta tend to the garden,

Oh shit, sorry for the swearing, I do beg your pardon . . .

Chorus

The peat's been spread on gardens and it

Adds to greenhouse gases

The rainfall patterns are now changing

We can see it happen

But there's still those who deny the changes

So, I spend time with some plants and

They remind me, that it's not so bad

It's not so bad

Well, thanks for reading. That was just a bit of fun. Before you go, can I ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me trying out weird things, like setting nature blog posts to rap songs from the early 2000's!

I resist ad space as much as possible, wanting to generate greater things than sales here. But, with writerly ambitions, and the time and effort that goes into every post, I throw myself on the generosity of readers to support the blog.

If you can, donate the price of a coffee here, it really makes a difference. And, thank you, to every reader and supporter!

The future of nature and wildlife . . .

 

Will cuckoo calls be heard in spring time fifty years from now? Will hedgehogs still be snuffling in gardens when our children are all grown up? What will the repercussions be for our grandchildren, for the pollution, for dumping of sewage in rivers and coastlines?

Even those casual naturalists must find it hard to avoid the facts and figures, those that demonstrate just how much nature and wildlife has been struggling to hold on. In 2021, more birds than ever before were added to the Red list of greatest conservation concern (www.rspb.org.uk). And, with seventy birds added to the Red list last year, the list is double the length it was when it was begun, in 1996, twenty-six years ago. That's not a long time. So, fifty years from now, will those birds still be flying overhead? Or, will it be empty and silent skies that meet the gazes of future generations?

It was also reported, in 2020, that a quarter of native British mammals are at risk of extinction. Animals that are synonymous with our natural landscape, the Red squirrel, the Water vole, Scottish wildcat, are all in danger of being lost (www.mammal.org.uk). 

However, there are success stories. Red kite, once common throughout Britain, were persecuted in the 18th and 19th centuries, driven to near extinction, but careful conservation efforts have seen them returning (www.theguardian.com/environment). At one time, they were confined to Wales, but they can now be seen in a number of areas around the UK, especially in Wales and the south of England. Here, in my home county of Bedfordshire, I see Kites often, gliding in the sky as I traipse public footpaths, or even in the centre of town. But, the success of Red kite reintroduction has taken almost one hundred years of careful conservation - to be sure, saving a species is no quick fix!

Predicting the future of our natural landscape, its health, the biodiversity, its richness, is difficult. For a long time, nature and wildlife has been fragmented, denied the spaces they need. The ways in which we have planned and built our infrastructure has been to the exclusion of the natural world. We have managed land with increasing intensity, driving away the habitat and vital corridors needed by nature. And that must change if nature is to survive. And the good news is that there are signs of that change, but it is just a beginning.

Those people from the past, the ones who cut down woodland, who burned fuels that poured smoke into the skies, that dumped effluence into the waters, that persecuted wildlife for conflicting with our own interests, they might be forgiven. For, it can be argued, they were limited in their knowledge and understanding. But, as the impact that we have had, that we continue to have, becomes more and more apparent, we must mend our ways. The proof that it is in how we treat nature which affects its wellbeing can be found in those sad figures, and the success stories; we can see that when we act without consideration the figures fall, but when we make the effort to give nature the spaces it requires, and support its needs, it can thrive.

Nature can be strong and resilient, but it can also be delicate. I have hope for our natural world, a hope that is driven by a personal love for it. But, even those that care little for the nature with which we share this planet must come to understand its importance. Ultimately, the health, well or ill, of nature is going to impact our lives. From the pollinators that do so much for our food production - for free! - to the weather and climate that is evidently already changing, we are still bound to nature and its processes.

We have proven that we are capable of great and terrible things. It is true that there is no other animal like us on this planet. But, rather than taking our position of power, our "dominion", to mean that we can exploit and cull as we see fit, for our own interests, what if we took it as a position of responsibility? What if, rather than having dominion, we were guardians of this world?

I don't know what the future holds. I expect that, unfortunately, there are children being born today who will not know birdsongs their parents knew, that our landscapes will change. Sadly, nature may, for a while yet, have to strive on in the pockets that we allow it to occupy. But I also have hope, because we have seen the successes, and there are good people out there, right now, who are doing what they can to resist. We still have a world worth fighting for, but the need to fight, unfortunately, still remains.

A few things we can do, with hope, for nature

• Write to your MP. If we want nature and wildlife to remain a part of the conversation, we must let those that we elect know we care, and that we need to see more done. Remember, they work for you! You can find your MP here.
• Write to your local planning authority. Remind them of, as they plan local builds and infrastructure, the importance of being inclusive of nature and wildlife. You can find your local planning authority here.
• Rewild the garden. Gardens in the UK, taken together, account for more green space than all of the nature reserves we have combined. That's an awful lot of space that could be used by birds, insects, mammals, plant life, and other of our nature and wildlife. If you and your neighbours get on board with a little rewilding, you might even find yourselves with a little nature corridor just outside your doors!
• Volunteer. If you have a local nature reserve nearby, consider donating a few hours of your time. They are vital spaces, and they can spark a love for nature in young visitors! A list of RSPB reserves can be found here, but there are many more out there to find!
• Share your passion. As I look around, I notice that many people with a love for nature share that love in many ways. There are photographers, poets, writers, painters . . . And when they share that passion, it can inspire love and care in others.

This is not an exhaustive list. Far from it. And I recommend looking for other ways in which you can help, because what is on this brief list might not be applicable to your own life at all. But there is something out there for you, and if we all did just a little bit it might add up to something great!

Thank you for reading. Just before you go, can I ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me writing!

I resist ad space here, hoping to generate things greater than sales. But, with writerly ambitions, I seek to support this blog through the kindness of its readers.

If you can, do consider a small donation through ko-fi.com, because it can make all the difference. And I thank every reader and supporter!

Who else loses time in nature?

 

Crocus in the park. (Photo from personal collection)

I took a stroll into town, decided upon a visit to the museum. An exhibition of work created by artist Arabel Labrusan had caught my eye, but my eye is always ready to be distracted by nature and wildlife. And my eyes, and ears, were most definitely distracted.

Around the museum are gardens, where my attention was first drawn to the snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), and then the daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus); signs of coming spring. I lowered onto my haunches, trying to get a half decent picture of some flowers on my phone. The flowers are a natural reminder that everything passes, capturing their image a futile attempt at holding onto the beauty a while. Then, there are those of us that insist upon sharing that beauty, in spaces like this one.

The snowdrops stood, their perfect little white heads downward turning, looking like melancholy figures. The daffodils, by comparison, seemed happier with their open yellow faces. The trumpets, tending toward a richer and deeper yellow than the paler tepals, could have been calling out gloriously for coming spring. But, of course, that's just the romanticising anthropomorphising side of my love for nature.

A host of golden daffodils? No vale and hill, but in a museum garden. Bedford, Bedfordshire. (Photo from personal collection)

After the sights, it was the sounds, the bird calls and songs, and in following them I saw that I was surrounded by activity. Blackbirds (Turdus merula) were out, collecting materials and food, a number of them present in the garden. They rootled in amongst fallen leaves, and picked at things invisible to my eye on the grass. One, a female, with her feathers earthier than the coal coloured males, had a little trouble with a piece of material she had collected. A long and stringy looking piece of plant material, longer than it seemed she had estimated, she looked to be having some difficulty managing it in her bill.

I stopped, and stood a while, just watching and listening. The Robins (Erithacus rubecula), with their cascading songs, were easy to identify, their music being so present in both town and countryside. And then, there were the tits. A Coal tit (Periparus ater) call caught my ear. Their blue and yellow relatives often visit the feeders at home, but the Coal tits I only see and hear when out in parks and woods. Its calls rang in the gardens of the museum.

In a yew tree, in branches over my head, a brilliant red face, the colour of blood or rose petals. A little song, not as loud as others in the garden, but a pleasant little twittering. A Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) perched, its head turning, taking in the scene. On its wings with golden-yellow bars, it flew from the evergreen to a small bare tree, and stayed briefly on a branch before taking off, and away.

Long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus), a pair at least, flitted from place to place, and a grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) sat in a fig tree. Every feathered and furred life was out, busy in search of food and materials, the season for breeding almost here. The Goldfinch returned to the yew tree, something in its bill. When I saw another Goldfinch in the tree, I fancied that they were building their nest, setting up a home for imminent spring.

The various chirps, twitters, and pit-chu calls and songs carried on the air. From treetops and shrubbery, from the Blackbirds rootling around in leaves and other plant matter, tossing unwanted things aside, the sounds of nature and wildlife. People walked about. But, for a little while, the lives of these little birds seemed so much more interesting. As did the only briefly present flowers. I was lost in the purity of it all.

I didn't get into the museum, so lost I was in the birds and flowers. Nature and wildlife are like alien abductions; you can get taken away by them, and return having lost time without realising. Still, I suspect that visits to nature are more pleasant than the abductions. And much easier to believe in too.

I don't mind getting lost in nature, in parks and gardens and woodland, and I don't mind being distracted by the sights and sounds of wildlife. Sometimes even the smells. In fact, I hope that for a long time yet I am still lost and distracted, because when I am not I will have lost something pure. Something not influenced by practical day-to-day desire and needs, something that was there in childhood, and which has run like a thread through my life into adulthood. The thing that inspired Wordsworth. Yes, I hope that I am easily distracted a long time yet.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, can I ask that you consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine does, sometimes, get me where I mean to go!

I resist allowing ad space in this blog, preferring to generate greater things than sales in this place. Or, at least, hoping to generate greater things. But, with writerly ambitions, I seek support for my writing by throwing myself on the kindness of readers.

If you are able to do so, take a look at ko-fi.com - the price of a coffee can be a boost. And, I thank you, every reader and supporter!