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You do not need to know anything about nature to be aware of it. You can use your senses of sight,
sound, smell and touch to increase your awareness when outside.
Sound
On your next field outing be aware of which sense
you use first. When you see a wild animal - it may be a bird, fox, frog
or an insect; ask yourself how many times did you hear it before you actually
saw it? In the autumn, listen to the
sound of the leaves crunching beneath
your feet. In the spring look for new buds on the trees, young plants
pushing up through the leaves on the woodland floor. Look closely at the
under storey and you will see the new shoots emerging amongst the dead
leaves. In the summer you will be surrounded with colour. Trees covered
in blossom, flowers in bloom, insects in a variety of colours. The acidic
grassland heaths on the Coversands are an abundance of colours, due to
the profusion of cushion-like flowerig plants. In the autumn, notice the
changes in the colours. Look up beyond the trunk of a tree into the sky
above for a different perspective. Look for the berries on the trees -
an important source of food for wildlife before the onset of the winter.
In the winter, how has the landscape changed? In a woodland look for plants
that are still colourful. What wildlife can you see now?
Smell
Not all flowers smell nice. Certain flowers have distinctive
smells to attract insects. The insects are tricked into visiting the flower
and collect pollen at the same time.
Colours That Communicate
Animals see things very differently
to us. When we look at a field full of wild flowers or watch a butterfly
in flight - we admire the colours and see the beauty in our surroundings.
Animals do not see the spectrum of colours that we see - this is due to
differences in their brains and in their eyes. Animals see colours as
a form of communication. For example: they see colours as advertisements
to potential mates or pollinators, or as warnings to enemies. The bright
colours of a flower will advertise the nectar and the pollen found within.
This will attract birds, butterflies, bees and other insects that feed
on these substances and at the same time they actually pollinate the plant.
Some animals can change colour. Certain male birds do this during the
mating season to attract a mate and to ensure that other males will notice
them. However, it can also allow predators to spot them easily so species
tend to only display their colours under certain circumstances. Poisonous
or harmful animals can be vividly coloured. This can act as a warning
to other animals. Some harmless animals actually copy brightly coloured
poisonous animals to look dangerous. The Viceroy butterfly copies the
Monarch butterfly to deter predators. By looking similar to a foul tasting
butterfly the chances of survival are increased.
What Can You See?
Look at the heathland, what can you see on it?
What colours can you see?
How many birds can you see?
What colours are the birds?
Are all the birds the same or do they look different?
Can you see any other animals?
What animals do you see?
What Can You Hear?
What noises can you hear?
Can you hear any cars or other people?
What Can You Smell?
Can you smell anything on the heathland?
Is it a pleasant smell?
Can you smell the flowers?
Can you smell the trees?
Can you smell anything else?
How Do You Feel?
What feelings do you have when you visit the heathland?
Are they happy, sad, peaceful, angry...
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