The jigsaw puzzle

The jigsaw puzzle only has the straight edges on the outside and inside, the pieces are all over the place and just as in nature there are no straight edges and yet all the pieces fit together and work in harmony with each other.

However, our modern world has many straight edges, buildings, roads, fields, bridges; in fact a friend of mine shared with me his experience from the other day. He was walking over a bridge that spanned the local estuary, he stopped to look out.

He told me that when he looked out at nature the word harmony came to him and when he turned and looked towards the town he saw the church and the word disharmony came to him. When we take the time to see how our society is functioning we see nothing but problems the kids are in disarray, is it because straight edges are being applied to them, be it through the law, the lack of true guidance, don't do this, don't do that, you can only play conkers if you wear a hat, gloves and goggles, don't let your children climb that tree in school in fact we will replace it with a plastic one and put a soft mat under it, where will it end.

As a child my mother would say to me when I was bored "go out and play" and I would not see her until it was nearly dark time, when we go into nature it all changes, everything becomes an adventure as a child and as an adult. I was walking with Merlin (my European Eagle Owl) one day along the estuary during that time around twenty people stopped to talk to me about Merlin as I watched them I could see that Merlin by just being who he is invited lots of questions, people were smiling, they took pictures why, perhaps because they wanted to take a part of nature home with them. They wanted to stroke him and as they walked away I could hear them chatting with excitement, the children were telling their parents about how they stroked Merlin and what that felt like.

Then the next day I heard from someone that the day before someone had phoned in to the local radio station to tell the programme about how they encountered a man walking his eagle owl along the estuary and how nice that was to experience.

Who knows what concentric rings were sent out as a result of their experiences with Merlin, with Nature, perhaps they told their friends and shared their photos with family on Facebook, who knows all I know is that we belong in nature and I am very aware about how powerful she is to our health and well being.

I will leave you with this thought... "Go out and Play" take your kids, your friends, your family but most of all take yourself.

Bird Language is it changing?

Over the years I have read about bird language and how it is changing. Researchers have over the years been investigating into the regional accents many birds seem to have and it has even been said that city birds are or have changed their song so as to be heard over the noise pollution of the traffic. As a keen birder I have always been aware of minor differences between the birds in the various regions here I the UK.

However, something took place the other weekend that was completely new to me, in fact I have slowly been aware in recent times that things are not quite the same as before. I was teaching on a tracking course for a friend and while out doing one of the tracking exercises I heard a bird directly above me. I did not recognise the song so I looked up to see what it was and to my complete surprise I was looking at a Great Tit singing a song that I have never heard them sing before, it could have been a song from an African bird but as far as I am aware Tits do not mimic other birds not like Jays or Warblers for example.

So , I made a mental note of this and then the next morning in the same wood I heard another bird this time it was a blackbird whose song was partially different from the norm. And just this weekend I was on the coast at Penzance working with another friend on a Natural Awareness exercise and my attention was drawn to a Rock Pipit who did not sound like a Rock Pipit to me.

So what is going on here? Well I figure one of several things, either the birds really are changing their song, perhaps in response to the changing times that we find ourselves in or my hearing is changing with my age and I am now picking up on sounds that I was unable to detect before?

Picture: Male Great Tit

Spring Watch

Over the last few days I have become acutely aware of our birds and their song. I have come to realise how much I have missed the uniqueness of our birds. Having travelled throughout the world to see as many birds as I can, and maybe this is the Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) coming out in me, nothing can replace the sound of the skylark high up in our sky, it always reminds me of lovely spring days with a fresh breeze blowing, or the drumming of the Great-spotted Woodpecker in the distance even the chatting of our Magpies.

When I look at why the answer is simple they all come with a memory of a distant past, an association, reminding me of places and experiences I have had as a child, like my first ever Green Woodpecker I can still see it on the lawn at boarding school in Gloucestershire while I had to sit and eat them school dinners.

Sure the birds from far of countries have memories as well, but dare I say there is not really an emotional attachment to them that gives you a sense of PLACE.

Letter from a student...

Here is a letter from a friend who attended one of my courses, I really liked what he had to say about his nephew and ADHD. When I was a lad I was labelled Maladjusted maybe that was the forerunner to ADHD who knows. What I do know is society likes to label and yet if we just paid attention to each person learning needs we would have more people in work and a much better society because the children would rightly be learning from their mentors according to their needs, thus placing them in a position to serve others in our society. Just my opinion, it may not be yours?

***

Hi Geoff,

“… I was chatting to a friend of mine who is a forest school instructor and she is doing some "In the woods social work" with some kids with minor social issues. I found myself referring her to your website/blog. I have since left civil engineering and am now studying environmental conservation in Bangor (North Wales) - what a lovely place! This conversation with her reminded me of you and I thought I’d say "Hi".

My brain started spinning thinking about all the possibilities of "Natural Awareness". Ecosystem services (the woods used as a 'valuable' classroom), social adjustments, behavioural issues and addiction issues. Then I started thinking if this is an area that would be of interest to both conservationists who may be able to "increase the value of the land" by its use as a psychological tool and also by the psychologists. It just happens that a few of my friends are studying psychology at Bangor too. Unfortunately, at present, I do not have the time to consider it further (lots of essays and reports due on Friday!) but I think it is another area of mutual, potential, interdisciplinary benefit. Perhaps even worth a seminar at some point ;)

Anyway, here is my little story that may interest you.

I have a young nephew. For his 8th birthday I took him on a 'Family Bushcraft' course. His dad has never been there or even seen him. No contact. Callum has been "diagnosed" (I put it in brackets as I do not believe it to be a diagnosis - more a social issue -i.e. modern society being no good for us) with ADHD. He misbehaved! And would not participate, was throwing sticks, bashing trees etc. I'm sure you know the score. I almost had to passive-fy him with his lifeline - er, I mean his Nintendo DS, but thought "bullocks".

I took him away from the group and we went tracking! I taught him basic tracking sills and we followed a badger trail to a set even the instructors didn’t know existed. We found a predated bird egg shell and some fresh deer prints. I promised him we would see the deer later. We went back to the group for tea time. I told the instructors what went on and they were keen to go "deer watching" as they trusted my ability to gauge a fresh trail. That evening we went to watch the deer. The instructor "Knew where to sit", I disagreed. So I took Callum a little further away (from them) but also closer to the trail. It got dark and after 45mins Callum was getting a touch restless. I promised him we wouldn't be much longer.

Muntjac

I heard a noise. I said to Callum, "I think something is coming - stay still and quiet". After a few minutes I said to Callum "VERY slowly turn around and look behind us", there was a Muntjac standing on the trail about 5ft away from us. It looked at us and carried on undisturbed. We were the only two to see the deer. On the way back I explained to him about the rod and cone receptors in your eyes and why we do not need torches. The other kids were waving torches and making a racket. Callum said to them "you should be quiet, you will disturb the deer and turn your torches off or your rods will stop working". They were all stumped! We returned to the fire, Callum was well behaved and told his experience to the group. He mentioned how you should be quiet and still and be part of the nature then the deer aren't scared of you. He then proceeded to explain how amazing the fire was with all of its many colours and how much better than the DS this was.

The next day Callum was well behaved and integrated with the group. The other children were fatiguing and becoming troublesome, Callum was as good as gold! I have since taught him how to stalk, tracked further with him (he stalked a fallow deer to about 10ft) and how to shoot an air rifle. He wants to go bow hunting with me too. I have told him I will take him if he learns to shoot a bow and also after my degree.

He behaves very differently around me now.

Just a little story I thought you may appreciate. One, that makes me smile. I now seem to have written quite a lot. Ha ha, probably an essay 'avoidance' tool.

How are things with you? I like your blog. Is the nature awareness going well? I also like your little video on "Action indicators vs pressure releases" very diplomatic and spot on, in my opinion...”

I hope all is well.

Regards

Martyn Smith