Posted by At this time of year, nature changes fast. New flowers are emerging near-daily along the canal, ducklings are growing at speed and cygnets are imminent. Even if it’s cold, it’s worth wrapping up and getting outside to make sure you don’t miss anything. Here are three ways to connect with nature this weekend.
Count the Ducklings
Now that duckling season is in full swing, there are lots of them to spot along the canal. Head to your nearest patch of water and see how much new bird life you can spot. (If you’re based in the Netherlands, you could also help solve the mystery of the missing ducklings). Watch out for cygnets and baby moorhens too. The moorhens near me have had three tiny and adorable babies. Listen for cheeping and see if you can hear the difference between moorhen chicks and ducklings.
Go Flower Spotting
Many flowers burst open this week. A patch that was previously green is now a joy-filled explosion of dog roses, nettles and choisya (thanks to @pipkazan for identifying the latter).
Take time to appreciate the flowers that are emerging near you. And look closely. There are many tiny flowers that are only visible from ground level.
Share your favourite flower pics using the #rainbowblooms (11am-6pm) and #wildflowerhour tags (8-9pm) on Twitter each a Sunday. There are lots of citizen science projects you can get involved with too, monitoring everything from bluebells to moss.
Identify the Clouds
Even if the weather makes you stay indoors, you can still watch clouds through the windows. How many types can you spot?
groweatgift 