I have spent the last few days feeling a sort of paralysis in response to world events. With a tight knot in my stomach I’ve struggled to do any activity without a ‘what’s the point’ voice in my head. I’m guessing a lot of you are feeling similar.
This morning
I couldn’t sit in front of my computer again with that inner voice rolling around. I had to quieten it, move my body, go for a walk. Did you see Chris Packham’s programme the other evening called ‘The Walk That Made Me’? in which he speaks about the power natural environments can have to help us heal. He speaks so candidly about the really dark days he experienced, so dark he thought he could not carry on. But getting out into the landscape and experiencing wildlife saved him.
Why I watch birds
I often walk alone and on some days I’d love to share what I’m seeing, feeling & hearing with someone else but the real BONUS to walking alone is that I can stop whenever I like, walk as slow as I like, be as quiet as I need to be and this allows me to really tune into sounds. I attempt to focus on every single sound and pick it out, much like musicians can do when they listen to a piece of music, identifying each instrument. I want to know exactly what is around me, hear the birds I can’t see.
It is a meditation
to absorb your mind fully in your surroundings. Identifying birds and their calls is such an interesting and rewarding way to interact with our environment and for me it frees me from my busy brain and I think more clearly for it. I tune out but I tune completely in at the same time.
Today
my reward was Skylarks. I have never heard them this early in the year. It’s the 1st of March, a beautiful crisp and cold blue day. The smile came to my face as sure as I was sure and wasn’t imagining it. Is it early for them? Let me know in the comments.
The cycle of nature continues despite what humans are inflicting on each other, there is a certain freedom and solace in observing these cycles. Even maybe a glimmer of hope.
Not Skylarks, but another bird with an impressive aerial display and call. Not a great shot I know but can you tell what they are? Leave me a comment below
I’m no bird photographer, I’m usually only armed with my phone and binoculars so no stunning bird shots here but I take LOADS of pictures, here are a few from some of my walks recently.
Thanks for reading, take care
Kate