NATURE
Humble Habitats With Kate Humble
am always hesitant to pack my winter woollies away too soon but with the promise of lovely sun- ny days on the west coast and the hint of milder weather this month, I think we can safely say spring is here. Traditionally a month of both sunshine and showers in Ar- gyll, March and April can be a frustrating mix of lovely days in the garden followed by wet and windy days that make gardening more of a chore than a pleasure, but it is still an exciting time of year to be outside.
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This is not a time to be lop- ping away at our hedges and bushes – the window for do- ing this safely has passed and we are likely to disturb early nesting birds if we do it now. Leaving things to get a little unruly provides the perfect haven for all sorts of wildlife, so you can spend more time enjoying nature and less time tidying the garden and every- one wins! Nature will be at its busiest this month. Flowers, shoots and buds are bursting into life, the garden is full of birdsong and everywhere there are busy birds establishing territories, nesting material.
On the farmland next door to us – just like in Argyllshire
- the curlews and lapwings have started calling and dis- playing and the woodpeckers and tawny owls have been drumming and hooting in the woods. And it’s not just our resi- dent birds that are busy this month. This is the time when we’ll start to see the welcome return of some of our mi- grants. House martins, swifts (screaming over Oban in a month or two) and swallows are quite easy to recognise, as is the unmistakable song of the ‘chiff-chaff’ calling its own name. It’s usually their close cousin the willow war- bler that you hear most on the west coast. But its also worth keeping your ears and eyes open for the more unusual - ers, (golden orioles, nightin-
gales – which probably won’t make it as far as you) and, of course, cuckoos. If you’re looking for something to do with your family during the Easter holidays and want to branch out a bit further than your garden, have a look for your closest RSPB Date with Nature project or RSPB Nature Reserve. You don’t need to be an ex- pert birdwatcher or own a pair of binoculars to enjoy a visit, and with wonderful wildlife on tap, leisurely walks aplenty carpets I defy anyone not to come away with a spring in their step! - er RSPB Date with Nature projects and reserves visit
www.rspb.org.uk/datewith- nature/sites/mull
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