August is a great month for wildlife spotting, and residents of Bassetlaw are very fortunate to live so close to the Idle Valley Nature Reserve – the largest nature reserve in the East Midlands.
Bellmoor Lake, in front of the Rural Learning Centre, is home to vast numbers of water birds, including mute swans and a variety of gulls. There’s always something unexpected too for those sharp-eyed people who remember their binoculars.
It’s well documented that a connection with nature can be good for our mental health and wellbeing – and if we exercise care and respect for our environment, it can be good for nature too. It’s worth spending a little time thinking about our connection and cultivating it.
Don’t just spot the different types of bird, tick them off your list and leave – that’s contact, not connection. Connection goes deeper. Stop for a few moments; really look at what those birds are doing, listen to their calls. Think about why they’re important to you, how watching them makes you feel. Do it every day and you will notice a difference in yourself.
It doesn’t have to be birds, of course. There are plenty of flowers, trees, grasses, insects… Just do it with whatever takes your fancy and start changing your life.
For further information, phone Jan on 01777 709974 or 07969 180067 or email janwilliamson133@gmail.com. If you would like to receive email updates of Local Group activities, please email Jan with your request.