This is a time of year when my senses get a bit confused – I know it’s early January and there are probably at least two more months of winter to endure, but in my heart I feel it’s spring. Getting up at six this morning – and yes it is mild at the moment so its easy to think that it’s nearer March than Christmas – but there was a definite feel of activity outside as the sun rose. It wasn’t long before a mistle thrush began to sing from a tree at the top of the hill, and by 7.30 a song thrush was singing heartily from the wood next door. Other birds were joining in just a little – great tits were calling, nuthatches making a lot of noise and the odd dunnock was contributing with a short snatch of song from the top of our hedge. Yesterday I watched a blue tit thoroughly investigating one of our nest boxes, going in and out, and sitting on a twig outside, looking carefully around to make sure this was a good place to bring up a family. I also noticed a flurry of movement in the pond in the field next door (an early frog??) and our snowdrops are in bud. All this activity helps increase anticipation – spring is not far away and the wonderful wildlife cycle starts again in the garden.
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About wildlifegardening
Jenny Steel was a Plant Ecologist at Oxford University before becoming a writer. She has more than 20 years experience of writing about and teaching ecology, natural history and wildlife gardening. She is also a photographer, journalist and former plant nursery owner, and a lecturer and tutor in adult education. She has appeared on a variety of radio and television programmes including Gardener’s World with Alan Titchmarsh, and she presented a series of items on the BBC 2 gardening show, How Does Your Garden Grow. She has worked with and written for a variety of organisations including the Royal Horticultural Society, Natural England, Atropos, Ernest Charles, the Adult Residential Colleges Association (ARCA), Haiths, Usborne Books, Complete Gardens, Oxfordshire County Council, the charity Growing Native and several of the Wildlife Trusts. She is also the Garden Bird Guru for the wild bird food company JustAddBirds of which she was a co-founder. The Emmy Award winning film company Panache Productions are currently making a film about her wildlife garden in South Shropshire. She has written 10 books on wildlife gardening. Her website can be found at www.wildlife-gardening.co.uk and her bird food company at www.JustAddBirds.co.uk
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Understand where your coming from Jenny. I feel something like a weight has been lifted when we pass the shortest day 🙂 SN