April 2020

The lockdown is continuing and the Government is asking us to stay indoors a bit longer to save lives and protect the NHS. To help you enjoy nature from your own homes, we thought we would bring the sights and sounds of Spring on Cannock Chase to you! We asked one local resident living on the Chase to share with us the wildlife that is returning to its forests and heaths.

An early morning doorstep walk on the Chase

An early Spring morning; chill, but a low bright sun sparkling through trees gives promise of a warm day to come. Hawthorn and Birch have sprung into leaf, and the gorse is in full flower, the bright green and yellow a welcome relief from the brown drab of winter. The silence that has pervaded the Chase over the last months is no more.

Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Chaffinches proclaim loudly, interspersed with the more subtle and fluid notes of the Robin and the liquid waterfall song of the Willow Warbler. Standing still I can also hear the the beautiful strident song of the Blackcap, while numerous Tits and the metronome of the Chiffchaff, now eclipsed by their lookalike cousins the Willow Warbler, add to the orchestra. Spring has arrived with a sudden rush of exuberance this year.

A stroll down the hill through Brocton Coppice, where the ancient oaks are just beginning to spring into life, reveals a Redstart, as usual proclaiming from the tree top, bright handsome plumage striking against the blue sky. A male Mandarin Duck sitting on a horizontal branch several metres above the ground is a strange but welcome sight. These naturalised immigrants nest in tree holes, often some distance from water, and it seems they are now adding a touch of the exotic to our local patch.

On the heath and in the valleys Tree Pipits parachute gracefully, singing as they tumble, while skylarks hang high overhead, their liquid notes floating on the breeze. Fallow Deer are everywhere, seemingly enjoying the peace of an empty Chase, the females fat with the promise of new life. At our feet Peacock Butterflies race past, and Green Hairstreaks flit among the Bilberry and Gorse. An occasional Brimstone floats past, while in woodland glades a lone Speckled Wood chases off all comers, defending his patch.

A Cuckoo echoes his call, elusive as ever, safely arrived back from sub-Saharan Africa.

Spring has truly sprung.

Please remember what you need to do during the Coronavirus crisis – ‘Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives’.

Our normal lives may be on hold for the time being, but there are ways you can bring nature into your homes or learn about the environment. Here are some suggestions to help you keep up your spirits during the lockdown.

Staying in touch with nature

Staying in touch with nature during the coronavirus lockdown might seem a tricky thing to achieve while we are being told to stay away from each other, avoid unnecessary travel and exercise locally. However, there are still many ways we can experience our natural environment, even if you have limited local access to greenspace. Chris Packham, for example, has launched an online birdwatching community called the Self Isolation Bird Club, to offer an escape for those self-isolating due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Drawing people together to focus on enjoying and engaging with wildlife, Chris has created a space for wildlife-lovers across Twitter and Facebook to share their findings with one another. From beautiful blue tits in the garden to the sound of robins singing, the videos and photos are celebrating the best of the great outdoors — and it’s easy for everyone to get involved. You can join the thousands of nature watchers taking part through the Facebook page he’s set up, the Self-Isolating Bird Club . Chris is also live-streaming from the New Forest at 9 am every morning.

Farmers launch #LockdownLearning initiative for home education

Farmers and growers from across Britain are hoping to inspire and educate children about food and where it comes from as a part of a new #LockdownLearning project. The free, online resource comes as thousands of parents are now home-schooling their children due to the coronavirus. The project, which was developed by the NFU and the team of farmers at EatFarmNow, provides exciting educational farming activities for children while they are away from school, helping to build their knowledge of science and technology alongside learning all about food production. Children will hear first-hand about how their food gets from farm to fork, with well-known farming faces such as Countryfile’s Adam Henson and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty documenting their farming journey through online videos and social media. The project will focus on different themes over the next four weeks, starting with an Easter theme for over the Easter holiday and then focusing on horticulture, food and technology in agriculture. Educational resources designed by the NFU’s education team of former teachers will be available for parents to use, as well as activities from other educational farming programmes.

Bumblebee Conservation Trust Learning Zone

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has a range of free educational activities designed for children and young persons from age 4 to 11+ to develop their knowledge and understanding of bumblebees, the challenges and threats they face, and how children can become a guardian of bumblebees to secure their future.