Becoming more intuitive as you learn
Kingfisher spotting along the Medway
At the end of my last email, I included a short voice note. I doubt many people listened to it, because every time I ask for reader feedback people request shorter emails (our attention spans seem to get shorter and shorter and despite the fact I edit other people’s words for a living I always struggle to cut my own down, sorry!).
Anyway… the short recording documents me walking along the river near my home and spotting a kingfisher at the exact moment I was thinking about seeing kingfishers.
On Tuesday morning the same thing happened. I was thinking about seeing that kingfisher, and recording the voice note, when WHOOSH, a kingfisher flew out of the tree in front of me and darted along the river like a shiny blue bullet.
Wait, am I psychic?
Er, no. I think what’s probably happening is that I'm just unconsciously remembering the spot along the river I've seen kingfishers the most. Perhaps they're nesting nearby or maybe that tree is a particularly good fishing spot. Both, probably.
This got me thinking… Am I becoming more knowledgeable? Well yes, if you count knowledge of semi-successful kingfisher sighting spots. I’m still pretty rubbish at remembering any of the interesting things I’ve learnt about kingfishers, other than the fact they nest underground. But my kingfisher ~psychic powers~ did make me realise something about myself. The more I’ve noticed and the more I’ve learned, the more intuitive I’ve become too.
If it’s an especially windy day, I know my chances of seeing a kestrel are heightened.
If I’m staying somewhere with honeysuckle in the garden, I know to look out for hawk moths in the evening.
If I come across an oast house on a walk, I know it’ll be a good place to look for hops.
If there are hawthorn trees around, I know to look for blackbirds or mistle thrushes.
I started Nature Notice Board after becoming obsessed with the kestrels in my local South London park. Noticing those kestrels led me to notice more of the natural world around me. I wanted to share the things I was learning with others, and I thought if I wrote down the things I was discovering, maybe I’d be able to remember some facts to share with people in real life too. It turns out I’m still pretty crap at retaining facts, but I am better than I was and my confidence has grown with each real-life event I host or attend. Becoming more intuitive, and spotting more kingfishers, is just an added bonus.
Your task
This week, rather than looking for a particular thing in nature, I’d like you to tap into your intuition. What are you noticing right now when you’re out and about? Did noticing this thing lead you to look for something else or notice another thing entirely? Let me know in the comments how you get on…
P.S. Sorry about the lack of email last week, I had too much fun in Edinburgh and completely failed to write a newsletter! I did see a lovely sand martin in Leith though.
I love this, Zabby. 100%. This is definitely happening to me too. It's such a gift. I'm not great on the facts either (yet) but the amount we've just picked up by being out more, being observant, sharing things, watching things like Springwatch etc. And of course your newsletter! I'll never forget that I learnt the chiff chaff call because of you :) Prob one of the first tweets I ever consciously learned. So thank you for the gift of your writing.
I've had similar experiences with Kingfishers sometimes too! Amazing birds, and they can become predictable as to where they might turn up. Glad you enjoyed Edinburgh!