Stay home and say hello to the birds and butterflies in your garden
“Any suggestions for locations for birding this weekend given the current situation,” was a question posted on birdwatching society the Field Ornithology Group’s Facebook platform last week. “Right now, the best place is your own backyard,” was the quick reply given by Dr. Nishanthi Perera, the secretary of the society.
If the birds can why can’t we: Social distancing munia. Pic by Gerard Ravindra Mendis
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread to Sri Lanka, the public was asked to stay home. The curfew continues and should we just be glued to the TV, computer or our mobile phones browsing through social media or find other ways to occupy our time?
“Well, get out of your seats and step into your garden, watch birds and other elements of nature in your own backyard. It would help to get your mind that is filled with so many worries relaxed,” says Dr. Perera. “A home garden located even in the suburbs of a city attracts dozens of different species of birds. So, it would be particularly relaxing to watch the birds. Planting trees, bushes that bear fruits and flowers that attract birds, having a food table or a bird bath are some ways to attract birds – so engage with such activities if you have the resources,” Dr. Perera recommends.
This is also the breeding season for a number of common garden birds, so pay attention to mating rituals and look out for baby birds in coming weeks, but never disturb nests, Dr. Perera adds.
“It was amazing to hear the bird calls when I woke up this morning. Never would we hear this in the city with all the noise on a normal day,” said RoshieKahandawela, another member of the same Facebook group.
Guess who violated the curfew?
Butterflies are visitors to most home gardens that often go unnoticed. “An average home garden would attract at least a dozen common butterflies. By planting nectar bearing flower plants and host plants that the butterflies in an area lay eggs on, we can attract more butterflies to our gardens,” says Narmada Dangampola, the president of the Butterfly Conservation Society of Sri Lanka. “Even grass like undupiyaliya attracts some small butterfly species – so it is not hard to invite butterflies to our gardens and these COVID-19 lockdown days would be a good opportunity to get our gardens biodiversity friendly,” she urges.
Some are already focused on growing vegetables in their gardens. “The time we get to spend at home due to COVID-19 can definitely be used to plant some edible varieties like chillies, tomatoes, beans etc. that can be easily grown even in a pot,” says Indika Herath on the Green Beees Growers Community – a social media platform of volunteers who do home gardening. “It is indeed fun and relaxing to watch plants grow. The harvest can be handy, as the corona virus pandemic may affect the supplies in future,” he points out .
You can get to know more about garden birds on www.gardenbirdwatch.wordpress.com. See also websites where you can learn about home gardening.
Bee-eater in flight. Pic by Gerard Ravindra Mendis