Hello!
A cosy, warm welcome to this week's newsletter.
It's suddenly turned so chilly here in Sussex. We had a flurry of snow yesterday, and Iris went off to forest school delighted to play with her friends in the icy, white patches.
Our new edition was published today - get your copy delivered to your door here. The theme is stillness and slowing down and it makes for a great read snuggled by the fire, or under a duvet!
We've had an outdoorsy week - I had a coastal stroll with a friend accompanied by wild waves, some beautiful early morning walks through crunchy golden beech leaves, and a big family ramble through a rewilding project. My brother took the photo above, which shows my daughter, niece and I strolling through the rewilded landscape.
It's my nephew's 13th birthday today, so we've a weekend of celebrations ahead - I'm a proper, proud auntie - he's such a bright, funny, insightful young man.
Here's what we've been up to this week:
Learning about Swifts
Inspired by a chat at last weekend's Lewes STEM festival, I've joined Brighton and Hove Swift Group. The swifts in Brighton and Hove fly from Mozambique and can be spotted around the city from May to August. One of the biggest challenges, they face is the decline in flying insects, which is why pesticide-free gardening, and lobbying the council to stop pesticide use in parks and green spaces, is vital. Suitable nesting sites are also important. Swifts are “site faithful”, they return to the same nest each year where they are joined by their life-long partner.
Swift bricks or boxes can ensure that these birds continue to be able to find places to build nests. I'm going to put one up on the north facing wall of our house before next spring. Here are some swift facts and a book that Iris and I love!
• Swifts are the fastest bird on the planet in level flight.
• They are in constant flight for 9 months of the year!
• They eat, sleep and mate on the wing.
• They are one of the last migrating birds to arrive in the UK and one of the first to leave.
• Unlike most birds, they rely solely on urban developments for nesting.
We've been reading Swift: An Epic Story of a Small Bird's Courage by Lorna Hill - it's a gorgeously illustrated, heartwarming tale of friendship and survival.
