How a local duck pond could help you make sense of your inner world

The world orbits the duck pond near my home. At the moment, coot couples are feathering their nests, while visiting herons are picking off frogs returning to spawn.

But it’s the swans that are the constant spectacle. During the pandemic there was a breeding pair, and the female, sitting resolutely on her eggs night and day (at least whenever we passed on our ‘one form of exercise’ daily strolls) felt like a show of solidarity with the rest of us living in lockdown. We were socially distanced but closer to nature. The first sight of chicks (pictured above) was a rare highlight in the long letdown of 2020.

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There had been a couple of swanless seasons since – bird flu seeing to that – and the pond felt barren without their majesty. They chose to return at the end of last summer, at the same time as my wife and I returned from a longer than planned, difficult, stay in hospital bringing our own little hatchling home.

Now I push a pram around the pond most days and a new layer is revealed with each loop. The latest swan count is eight: mostly juveniles with rust-fringed feathers, a dominant couple constantly reminding them of the literal pecking order. Besides the typical waterfowl, a cormorant has been visiting, diving into the murk for sticklebacks.

There’s life around the edges too. Lots of children, of course, come to feed the ducks but they’re outnumbered by the number of grown-ups doing the same, often by themselves, faces giddy with panicky joy if a hungry beak nips too close. Like me, they feel how the natural world can reflect and help make sense of their inner world.

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Access to green space is life-enhancing. The good news is 80% of people in England and a similar number in Wales are within a 15-minute walk of a ‘green’ or ‘blue’ space. Measuring differently, 66% of Scottish households are within a five-minute walk. But it also means millions don’t have as easy access.

For those without a garden, finding a way to connect with nature is essential. To mark Earth Day on 22 April, this week’s edition of the magazine explores how that connection can be made whether you have acres to mow or barely a windowsill-dwelling pot plant.

There’s deputy editor Liam Geraghty digging into how the housing crisis is preventing young people discovering their own green fingers, then top tips from TikTokers who are going viral with their massive veg.

Plus, the wildflowers that tell the story of Britain and prove that you don’t have to go far beyond your doorstep to appreciate plant life – in fact it might be growing out of your doorstep. Encouraging us to look again at cracks in the concrete is Amanda Tuke who frequently takes a walk on the wild side, leading guided “pavement plant walks”.

She argues that in urban areas we are surrounded by more biodiversity than some parts of the countryside dominated by the intensive farming of single crops. It’s certainly true around my duck pond.

Steven MacKenzie is editor of Big Issue. Read more of his writing here. 

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