Mike Linstead, E-Communications Co-ordinator at York Museums Trust, discusses the amazing wildlife on show at this time of year in York Museum Gardens. 

It’s a Wednesday morning, and I’m being snowed on.

A biting westerly wind cuts through the city as I make my way past York Minster which towers over the gloomy skyline.

Heading down Museum street I turn into the entrance of the Museum Gardens.

Like most people at this time in the morning I’m guilty of being in my own little world, with earphones in and head down, as I make my way into the office.

Except today, despite the flurry of snow, I take out my earphones and lift my head up to have a look and listen to what’s around me.

What’s prompted the sudden change in behaviour you might ask?

The answer is bird watching. I can already hear your brows furrowing. Bird watching?!

Granted it might seem an unusual activity for a mid week commute but this week I’ve been working with our Assistant Curator of Natural Science, Stuart Ogilvy, to support an event taking place later in January.

Stuart is the font of all knowledge when it comes to matters of the feathered variety and is a big advocate for the RSPB’s Big Garden Bird Watch.

You may or may not have heard of this event. If not, think of it essentially as the country’s annual ornithological audit.

The event itself is taking place nationally on 24-25th January and York Museums Trust is supporting the initiative by running an event on 24th to welcome visitors on tours of the Museum Gardens to note what bird life they find.

In the build up to the event we’ve worked on a few bits of promotional material, including a blog by Stuart, for which I spent half an hour wandering round the gardens with him to take some pictures to accompany his piece.

I’ll hold my hands up and admit that I don’t venture to the more out of the way areas of the gardens as often as I should, but I think thanks to a few fleeting minutes I will be making more of a conscious effort to do so.

In the 30 minutes that we spent observing and photographing some of the wildlife in the gardens we saw dozens of species of birds.

Aside from the ubiquitous pigeons, we saw Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Long Tail Tits, Wrens, Robins and the elusive Coal Tits to name but a few.

 

 

This brief encounter has certainly prompted me to be more observant of what’s around me.

I am incredibly lucky to be able to work in a place that is so rich in wildlife and, being a big fan of all things outdoors, I really should take advantage of it more.

So next time you’re in the Museum Gardens I’d urge you to take a few minutes to divert off the main paths and observe what’s around you, I think you’d be pleasantly surprised!

The RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch takes place in York Museum Gardens on Saturday 24 January from 11am-2pm. Click here to find out more.