Harnessing the Sun's Energy
This month's theme is harnessing the sun's energy and, as I write, we have just had four glorious days of sunshine. The veggies in the garden have taken full advantage and are putting on a spurt and we have been enjoying the first radishes in our salads. The blossoms on the apple and pear trees are beautiful and smell wonderful and at the weekend I was sitting watching some bees enjoying the nectar blossom.
It's amazing how a little bit of sun suddenly catapults everything into action. Bees appear, butterflies flutter around looking for a promising spot to lay eggs, insects scurry about around rocks and logs trying to avoid the birds that are dashing from tree to tree looking for dinner for their chicks, and close on their tails will be a sparrowhawk doing the same.
It's all very frantic! And yet, as I watch this frenzied action in my garden I realise that I'm harnessing the sun's energy in a very different way. I'm using it to relax, to take my mind off work, to take time out for ‘me' and it's bliss. Not that there aren't exciting moments too, moments that set the heart racing. Watching the sparrowhawk swoop in, trying to catch the poor little blue tit is heart-stopping; catching sight of something new in your garden is thrilling. Believe it or not, the first time we had a greater spotted woodpecker in the garden was this very morning. Amazing!
Try taking the time to eat your breakfast by a window, preferably sitting, so you can take in the scene outside. Or enjoy an early evening cuppa in the same place. Mornings and evenings tend to be when wildlife is most active in daylight hours. So by doing this you will be harnessing the sun's energy, by proxy almost, and it might help you feel more relaxed and ready to tackle the day or more chilled and ready for bed, and you will be learning more about the wildlife in your garden on the way.
You could also check out the ‘What's On' section on your local authority website to see what nature walks are going on, or what organisations are in your area that you can join. Wildlife is amazing and important and it makes us smile, and getting involved in its protection is good for the soul.
So to help you make a start I want to tell you about another fabulous survey which I hope you will want to take part in. Again it's with the RSPB and in their own words:
‘Basically, we'd like you to tell us what crawls, hops, flutters and flies in your garden this summer!'
So, between the 8th and 14th June, they want you to pick an hour to record what you see in your garden, much the same way as you did in the Big Garden Birdwatch, but this time they also want to know about any other wildlife in your garden. So if toads, frogs, squirrels, foxes, badgers, mice, rats, butterflies, moths and of course (and perhaps most importantly) bees visit your garden you can count them. In fact, even though they are not a wild animal, they want to know if cats visit your garden too!
The RSPB are hoping that the Make Your Nature Count campaign will help them to build a picture of the wildlife that visits UK gardens in summer and show how important they are. Follow this link below for the full details and in the next couple of weeks there will be a downloadable form for you to complete with your results. This will be an invaluable survey so please, if you can, take an hour out, take part and hopefully enjoy the sunshine.
Oh and don't forget that Springwatch starts soon too!
Fiona Sharp
photos (c) Becca Sharp 2009
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14 May 09
