Nature Notes: December 2024

PEACE ON EARTH

Highlights of November: Yellow wagtails, beaming 'out of season' buttercups and tumbling lemon sunshine leaves brightening the grey cloud gloom during the first half of the month; fieldfares arriving out of the fog; the last supermoon of the year illuminating shadows and bathing the village and fields in an ethereal milky light; listening out for those migrating birds who favour clear super-moonlit nights to navigate across the North Sea; more fabulous fungi; glowing amber leaves and a comma butterfly swirling and twirling in the sunshine the day after Storm Bert; blackbirds feasting on early bright orange Spindleberry seeds bursting from hot pink petals; diamond dew on clover.

Lowlights: The mysterious slurry stench of petrol tinted puddles in the pools of water in some of our fields. A number of rats seen out and about during the day. The sudden dip and then rise in temperatures in our village from -2C to 15C in two days. The unbelievable 27C recorded in the middle of the night in SouthWest France on 24th November 2024! Flooding all around the UK, our footpaths under water and top soil being washed from our fields by Storm Conall, immediately following 'Bert'. DEFRA figures showing all of our wild bird species continue their 'alarming' decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate breakdown and bird flu.

Key messages: As plastic continues to pollute our environment and contribute to climate change, why not break your addiction this Christmas? Make decorations and swap wrapping paper with brown paper or recycled material, buy re-usable plastic-free gifts and/or make your own (e.g. scarves, jumpers, socks, seed-bombs, tray-bakes, bird-boxes etc). Reduce environmental impact by purchasing food locally. Give yourself and your time.

What to look for/listen to in December: The low, soft croaks of woodcock at dusk, migrating from Finland and Russia to join our resident populations; the dark, fluffy and aptly named 'December moth' attracted to windows by the Christmas lights within; the smell of pine resin and woodsmoke.

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More likely to see/hear:Dawn frost sculptures and ice crystals covering trees, plants and smooth bare branches; our church bells resounding over still, crisp or soggy fields; nature's signs of Christmas - Robins singing extra heartedly from holly branches bearing bright red berries, mistletoe balls adorning the crowns of otherwise naked trees and wending waves of ivy, wrapping trees and plants like 'natures scarves' to keep out the winter chill.

What you can do:

a) Make natural garden Xmas decorations this year which benefit wildlife

Create ice sculptures by freezing (outside overnight or in your freezer) patterns of berries, seeds, nuts and fruit inside small round saucers of water, with additional lengths of string or wool for hanging. Loosen from their surround by placing in a bowl of water, then add to trees/branches. As they melt the contents can be enjoyed by birds and mammals.

b) Help yourself: Be mindful, peaceful and re-energised by spending time outdoors. Wrap up and go for a walk or sit, listen to the birds, ponder and be grateful for the delights and miracles of nature that you've enjoyed over the past 12 months.

May your soul continue to be enchanted by, and filled with love for, all of God's creation in the year ahead. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!