Page 13 - NT 2022 Almanac

Just as the festivals remind us
that January is a month of hope
and looking forward to new things,
nature is doing its best to give us
hope, too. If you go out into the
garden, the park or the woods near
where you live, you will see signs of
new life even on the darkest day.
It depends on which area of the
country you are in, of course. In the
colder northern regions, plants take longer to appear, while down in the south you might see daffodils as early as 1st January.
One of the first plants that starts to peep up out of the ground this month is the snowdrop. These tiny white and green flowers might look fragile, but they can survive during the coldest weather – even with snow and ice!
Other plants are growing, too: have a look at the trees next time you go on a walk. Can you see any hazel catkins? They grow long before there
are any leaves on the trees.
And then there are all the animals and birds to look out for. Squirrels are about, trying to remember where they buried nuts and seeds
in the autumn! Have a look for birds building their nests, too – it may seem early, but blue tits and coal tits are very busy collecting twigs and feathers and fur for their nests. If you do find a nest, don’t touch it even if it looks old – birds will not come back and lay their eggs there if a human has disturbed it.
12