Going through primary school and the lower years of secondary school I always found it really easy to find time to watch wildlife. Actually I didn’t ‘make’ time, the time was just there because I didn’t have any other pressures.
Now that I’m in my final year at school, especially this term, I’m finding it impossible to spend anytime with nature. Revision takes up a huge amount of time and one of my GCSE’s is Graphic communication. While there isn’t revision for this subject there is a large amount of time consuming background research and artwork.
The fact that it is dark around an hour after I get home from school doesn’t help either.
I know this is the sign of things to come as school will be replaced by college and college replaced by work, so I wonder if this is one of the reasons why many young people who were so passionate about wildlife start drifting away.
I put a ‘tweet’ out on Twitter the other day and so many others around my age replied with similar issues and some good advice, as follows.
- Reward yourself with a walk
- Plan something special for the holidays
- Make the most of the long summer holidays
- Time management (not my strong point)
The following day I was just opening my curtains first thing in the morning and I saw 2 foxes playing in the garden. It was as if they had come to visit me because I couldn’t go out to them. (Rubbish phone capture)
I have also found that using a trail camera is a good way to ‘see’ what wildlife is up to when I can’t get out.
Despite the cold weather the badgers are still active, the trail camera filmed 3 different badgers.
The fox is regularly visiting the garden to scavenge food from under the bird feeders or drink from the pond
Appleton Wildlife Diary by Alex White 
Pingback: Appleton Wildlife Diary – Making time for wildlife – Wildonline.blog
I’ve just discovered your blog Alex because I was looking for some information on the age of the badger setts in Wytham woods- I think its 500 years but wondered whether you knew? I’m enjoying reading back through your blog posts. My youngest son is 17 so a little older than you – I understand the pressures of school work and passing exams and getting to the next stage of education, but life is about balance, and time given to something you love that makes you feel happy and content isn’t time wasted. Also, as we know, British wildlife is under threat and we need young folk like you to be its champions and to carry on the good work of older conservationists and ecologists when the time comes. I hope you can continue to find the time for it and to keep educating, informing and encouraging others through your blog.
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Hi, Thank you so much for your comment. I’m really not sure how long the badgers have been at Wytham.
Have you looked on the WildCru website?https://www.wildcru.org/research/the-badger-project/
Thank you for looking through my blog.
Alex
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I hope you can find the time, Alex, because it will make you a happier and more complete human being.
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It definitely makes me happier when I spend outside. Just need to get through my GCSE’s then hopefully off to college.
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Good luck getting through your exams!
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Those four pieces of advice are excellent, plus one more “ACTION………..! I look forward to reading more here and learning from you too, even though I’m +50 years older than you. Good luck.
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Thank you
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Being a teacher I understand the pressure you’re going through and face equal difficulty finding the time for wildlife. However, I think when the pressure begins to increase it almost becomes more important to find some way of reconnecting with nature as it’s the best way to detach yourself. Great advice. I recently acquired a camera trap and am looking forward to getting use out of it.
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Good luck with the trail camera
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The trail cameras are brilliant. Maybe you can switch your day around a little? Can you sneak out for an hour immediately before or after school and then make up the work time after dark?
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Thank for you comment. I’m hoping in a couple of weeks when the days are a bit longer I can get out for an hour after school. It’s also getting a bit lighter in the mornings. There have been some great sunrises on the way to school.
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