In The Stubborn Light of Things: A Nature Diary, Melissa Harrison observes that her life’s purpose is “trying to connect people to nature.” I found this comment inspirational and it has led me to hope that I can contribute to this endeavour.

I live in a small village in South Warwickshire and can walk in every direction from the house into rolling countryside. The land is mainly used for agriculture but there are also pockets of woodland, green lanes, extensive hedgerows and an enchanting all-too-scarce wildflower meadow.

When out walking at this time of year I can hear abundant birdsong but find it difficult to see the birds due to the thick foliage in the trees and hedgerows. To help with this I often use the free Merlin Bird ID App (developed by CornellLab) which ‘listens’ to birdsong and identifies the bird. I would say it is very accurate too.

 On a recent early morning walk of only about one hour, Merlin registered twenty-one different birds. Some were birds commonly seen in gardens, but Merlin also recognised a green woodpecker, tawny owl, buzzard, goldcrest, long-tailed tit, wren, chiffchaff, blackcap, song thrush, chaffinch, dunnock, whitethroat and carrion crow from their calls. Whilst we mustn’t be complacent, it is an encouraging list at a time when our natural world is being so brutally depleted. However, the RSPB lists six of the twenty-one as amber, and one as red (the house sparrow), in terms of their UK Conservation Status.

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A ‘charm’ of goldfinches is a perfect collective noun for such delightful and colourful birds. In the same way a ‘clattering’ of jackdaws fits these characters entirely. Even as a birdwatcher it is easy to ignore these small blue-eyed crows, at least visually if not aurally. This year, we have a small but very noisy clattering in the village, as well as a pair who last month managed to raise chicks in our chimney pot during scorching temperatures.

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The Bank of England are conducting a public consultation to choose images of wildlife for the next series of banknotes. You can discover more and cast your vote at:

Help us celebrate the UK’s wildlife | Bank of England

The consultation ends at 11.59pm BST on Friday July 3rd, 2026.

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My June Book of the Month:

Melissa Harrison, The Stubborn Light of Things: A Nature Diary (London: Faber & Faber, 2020).