Now you are stuck at home and looking longingly at the street and garden. Walking in the garden more often with your phone as a camera. Up pop pop animals, or even poo on the lawn.
What I learned in England.
UK flag
Foxes
I remember the first time I saw a bushy tailed animal in the back garden in London. I called out, 'There's a dog - in our garden.'
The animal had disappeared showing only a bushy tail.
'No, it's a cat.'
'It has a dog's face and a cat's tail. It's a fox!'
Now, twenty years later, we know that our neighbours started feeding their cat by leaving out food in the evening, were visited by foxes, and eventually had a fox's lair.
Now foxes are common all over suburban London. (Reputedly the result of the campaign against fox hunting.)
Bird Watch
A garden birdwatch was the first survey which got me involved. That was just in the UK.
Singapore flag
Now the idea is alive in Singapore and elsewhere, as I discovered this week.
But why watch only birds?
Animals
What about animals/ Back in the day, back in London, I had holes. Yes, I had holes in my lawn in London. What was causing holes? Later the culprit caught my eye. Something small was digging, with an oscillating grey bushy tail. A squirrel!
In the early days you could join the World Wildlife organization, and Whale watching and whale preservation. But the animal websites seemed to me to be all about big game. I was not keen on preserving animals which ate the little and lovely creatures I wanted to protect.
Along came the campagn to save the hedgehogs. I was in favour of that.
A couple of years after I started doing the birdwatch in the UK, organized by the RSPB, they introduced an animal watch. I have just discovered another website offering animal watches and information on animals. They have information on animals, a shop and links to all over the world.
My first thought was, this UK based website is no use to people in the USA and they won't all be interested.
However, it might be worthwhile joining such a UK based website, or their Facebook page. One reason is that if you receive linked advertisements, the ads might be for international organizations or for organizations in your area.
Now with the Coroavirus keeping people off work, plants and animals can command more or our time and attention and provide a distraction and a soothing interest. Enjoy!
More photos and websites will be added throughout athe day.
https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/garden/living-with-mammals/living-with-mammals-results/
See previous posts. Please share with friends and family and colleages far away useful links to your favourite posts.
About the Author
Angela Lansbury is an English speaking, born in Britain; lived in Spain, the USA and now yoyos between the UK and Singapore with stopovers in Europe and the USA when flights are running, before, and hopefully after Coronavirus COVID19.
You can connect on Facebook or Linked and read about Angela's books on Amazon and Lulu.com
