Wandering and Wondering
Me yakking on about butterflies - not that we saw any on such a cloudy day!
I led a short nature walk through a local park this weekend (Queen Mary’s Park in Carshalton), the first time I’ve done such a thing. It was interesting, enjoyable, and seemed to be well received. I thought I’d scribble a few notes about it in case I need to refer back, and who knows, maybe you’d like to give this a go too? To be clear - I am no expert - simply an enthusiast who appreciates the benefit of spending time in nature.
I introduce my ‘philosophy’ as being made up of Curiosity : Patience : Persistence. Although I did more of the talking - the session was very much about dialogue, and shared experience. The time we spent together was about nature and us, not nature and me.
Around 20 of us gathered against a backdrop of cloudy skies. The plan - such as there was one - was to wander slowly through the park - stopping in various locations, to listen and look.
Pausing to talk briefly about plants, and their role in attracting and sustaining different species.
Being led by sound is a great way to improve our understanding of what is going on in the trees and hedges around us. I sometimes use technology to help me figure out what I’m listening to, and increasingly I prefer to use my ears and try to figure things out myself first - then use tech as a back up or a check.
I often find I see interesting things when I have the time to stop and wait a while. Birds frequently fly off when they see and hear movement, and when we've the time to stand and wait - that patience can be rewarded. Birds can be territorial - you notice this more and more after repeated, slow walks around nature. That repetition helps you build mental maps and imagery.
I kept a note of what was seen and heard - not a complete list but an interesting one I hope.
Swift
Mistle Thrush
Crow
Magpie
Chiffchaff
Wood Pigeon
Greenfinch
Skylark
Starling
Wren
Blackbird
Great Tit
Robin
Mallard! Yes - a duck wandered along a path by a wooded section of park just as we were finishing up.
Firecrest
Jay
The hour or more we spent together passed in what felt like a few minutes, and as is often the case in times like these, we headed for home with the words of WH Davies drifting through my head.
"What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?" WH Davies