Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WINTER’S WILDLIFE Happy sharing nature’s tweets Of the week Primula vulgaris
Watching garden birds go about their business has been just what the doctor ordered for nature lovers during lockdown.
Seeing blue, great and coal tits dangling from feeders and listening to robins pour out their winter song has certainly done wonders for my wellbeing.
Even during the hours of darkness, the joy of birdwatching is there to behold, with wildlife enthusiasts posting captivating photos and videos on social media.
Scrolling through my Twitter feed recently, I was enchanted by footage captured by TV doc Dr Amir Khan (@DrAmirKhanGP).
The good doctor first came on my radar on Channel 5’s GPs Behind Closed Doors, where his caring manner shines out with warm smiles and comforting words of wisdom to patients.
As one of Dr Khan’s 117,000 Twitter followers, I have been enthralled by the expert way he captures garden birds on film. There are scenes of beautiful bullfinches and gorgeous goldcrests as well as blackcaps and great spotted woodpeckers, all taking advantage of the bird food he serves up at his garden in Leeds.
A visiting flock of long-tailed tits made the biggest impression, with Dr Khan saying: “Definitely the cutest visitors to my garden – balls of feathers with gorgeous tails, each one has its own personality.
“They are a joy to watch, and the little squeaks they make are adorable.”
I caught up with Dr Khan to ask why birds are such an important part of his life.
He said: “The birds in my garden offer me a moment of pause in an otherwise extremely busy day. The simple joy they bring when they choose to feed at one of my feeding stations seems like a small thing but can have a huge impact on me after a tough day at the surgery.
“Watching them bicker over the best position to eat, listening to their song and then, in the springtime, seeing them bring their young to the garden to show them the ropes are the simple pleasures I cherish most.”
‘‘ The simple joy they bring can have a huge impact after a tough day
The English primrose is now blossoming in woodlands and roadside verges and is a sure sign that spring is here.
One of the nation’s favourite flowers, its name derives from the Latin “prima rosa” meaning the first rose to appear, although it’s not related to the rose family. Providing early pollen for bees, this cheerful little perennial with its pale yellow scented flowers looks lovely planted under trees but doesn’t like to dry out.
Occasionally in the wild some of the flowers may be pink.