Since lockdown began I have taken a keen interest in the wildlife around me. I find birds and nature a great way to practise mindfulness and I wanted to share with you a live streaming YouTube account where you can watch a Blue Tit building her nest in preparation for a new family.
I have been watching her build her nest from the very beginning and hope you find this as interesting as I have. I feel incredibly privileged to be able to witness this process.
Did you know?
Like most birds, blue tits can see ultra-violet (UV) light. Studies have shown that the blue crown on their heads glows brightly under UV light. The brightness of the feathers is thought to provide a variety of signals; for instance, male blue tits have been shown to choose females with brightly coloured crowns as they make fitter mothers.
How people can help
Whether you live in town or country, you can help to look after garden birds by providing food and water for them. To find out more about encouraging wildlife into your garden, visit the wildlife gardening section of the website, there’s plenty of facts and tips to get you started. To buy bird food, feeders and other wildlife products, visit the Vine House Farm website (www.vinehousefarm.co.uk) – an award-winning wildlife-friendly farm that gives 4% of every sale plus £10 commission for each new customer to The Wildlife Trusts.
A familiar garden bird, the blue tit can be seen around bird tables and feeders, as well as in woodlands and parks. Listen out for its trilling, ‘tsee-tsee-tsee’ song. It is smaller than the great tit.
I check in every day when I have my morning cup of tea and watching this industrious Blue Tit restores balance in my life. getting back to the simplest forms of life is good for your mental health and keeps your priorities in the right order.
Mandy X
If you live in Surrey in the UK and want to know more about the local wildlife, you can visit the Surrey Wildlife Trust website.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
