The Natural World Surrounding Us

Many of us who take pleasure in the great outdoors do so partly because of the wildlife that we see there

. Wildlife is, after all, all around us and I think it is in particular pleasurable when one has to stray no further than ones own home to see it. We live in a quiet place in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales and have a stream or beck as they are known around here running right through our small garden. Over the coming few articles I will catalogue the many and varied species that we are able to see from our windows; what we call our window list

At this point of year in early March we are, of course, eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring but we can already see and hear signs of it. For me the 1st indicator that Spring is coming is the banging of the woodpecker. Here in the North of England the male begins to establish his territory and attract females in February. The local birds also become more vocal for the same purpose. Great tits in particular seem to develop a great assortment of great tuneful songs at this time of year.

However, we have recently had a visit from a rare bird for us, a siskin. The Siskin is a small finch, about the size of aBlue Titand with similar agility. They are a glorious bright lime green colour with a dark streaked belly and striking yellow rump, wing bars and sides of the forked tail. Other birds that we see regularly are the Great, Blue, Coal and Long Tailed Tits. The long tailed tits are invariably in flocks of about a dozen all year round and being in such a grouping makes them very brave, 10 birds have 20 eyes and so greater chance to spot trouble. They have a lovely pink colour and my wife refers to them as lollipops due to their distinctive shapes.

Another bird popular because of its apparent braveness is, of course, the robin with its lovely bright breast and willingness to come very near to catch seed and other food thrown in its direction as I replenish the feeders. The robin is possibly the best liked of all wild birds and very bad are the omens should you kill one. The story that it happened to be a robin who covered the unlucky 'Babes in the Wood' with leaves to help them remain warm and toasty has achieved a lot to attract it to youngsters everywhere. Tradition tells us that it acquired its distinctive red breast after it tried to pull the blood soaked thorns from Christ's head as he hung on the cross.

As I sit here writing this I am also treated to the sight and sound of a wren on the fence near to the river. The wren is one of the UKs smallest birds but it for sure has one of the loudest and prettiest songs as it marls its territory and tries to attract a mate. Finally I can also see a field vole that lives in the walls of a 200 year old outbuilding as it flits in and out for food. Many people confuse these with mice, however, the latter have longer tails and bigger ears.

by: My Outdoor Store

POST COMMENT

Force Factor Reviews - Should You Acquire Force Factor? Teaching Social Abilities To Infants How To Source For A Freelance Job The Never Ending Craze For Tuxedos Through The Contents Of Seo The Problem-solving Parent- How Parents Teach Independence Heathrow Taxi Minicabs: Giving The Time Edge Debit Card Advances- Get Out Of Critical Situation Instantly Activities That Complete Madeira Holiday Deals Tips For Successful Parent Conferences Buy High Visibility Clothing To Stay Protected From Unpredictable Accidents Is There A Cure For Chlamydia The 3 Facets Of Mobile Phone Administration