A ost with things to see and do in Nature in August

Welcome August (Almanac 2024)

Sue Cartwright • 1 August 2024

Inspiration for things to enjoy in Nature at the peak of the harvest season

Welcome July (Almanac 2024) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

At the beginning of August, Nature is flourishing in fine weather and sunny days that bring visitors to coast and countryside to enjoy the holiday season. Although the Swifts have gone following their brief three month stay, we can still enjoy the Swallows busily collecting food for their second brood.

The first of August is known as Lammas Day when cattle are traditionally returned to the fields to graze after the mowing of the hay.

August is a time to find a place in Nature to watch Butterflies dancing as the breeze blows Thistledown up into the air. Similar in appearance to Dandelion seeds, Thistledown seeds have the same whitish, feathery appearance which seem to explode from their bright purple flowers. Grasshopper and Crickets forage for food in the long grass which Bumblebees hum in the warmth of the late afternoons.

In August, fruits and berries on trees and bushes begin to ripen from green to rosy reds, yellows, oranges and plums. Elderflowers froth at the peak of their harvest season and Hawthorn and Blackthorn bushes become weighed down with ink-black berries and sloes. All these and stalwart Brambles readily give up their fruits to the birds.

In August, fledgling Great Tits pooter in the foliage with young Chiffchaffs as Robins with orange breasts marking their age as an adult keep watch over their juveniles with speckled brown feathers. Young Blackbirds, Thrushes, Finches, Sparrows, Wood Pigeons and Great Spotted Woodpackers can be heard going about their day in gardens, woods and hedgerows.

You can find gardening tips. vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts in season, and things to forage, in my Almanac for August (2023).

Poem for the month

Read or listen to my first poem - Welcome August - a celebration of Nature's 'opening up' as Spring comes into its own.

Recipe for the month

There is no better time of the year for making Super Fruit Smoothies from the abundance of ripened berries, soft fruits and melons using this mix and match recipe. Melons hydrate all the cells in our body which means they can be used on their own or mixed with other fruits for delicious flavour. Try this recipe using raw coconut milk (or similar) to add a creamy texture to this simple recipe.

Dates for Moon phases

Sturgeon New Moon - Sunday 4 August

Sturgeon Supermoon - Monday 19 August

Times for Sunrise & Sunset (Devon)

First Dawn - 5.42 am

First Sunset - 8.59 pm

Last Dawn - 6.27 am

Last Sunset - 8.01 pm

Welcome August (Almanac 2024) by Sue Cartwright, Spiral Leaf

Button

Visual odyssey across continents

Button

Things to watch out for and do in Nature in August.

Rock Pooling

Now is the time to take a trip to the coast to soak up the sun and go rock pooling. There is nothing quite like exploring low lying rocks on the beach and peering into the clear water pools that provide a open lens into an entirely different world. DIscover all kinds of life in these micro-underwater worlds including tiny fish, colourful coral, ballooning sponges, barnacles, seaweed, algae, mussels, crabs and more.

Help a Hedgehog

If you are sitting in your garden at night during August, you may be lucky enough to spot a Hedgehog foraging for food. With an ever-decreasing number of bugs available to feed a hungry Hedgehog family, these little creatures typically need to roan around a mile each night to find the food they needs.

When leaving food out for Hedgehogs, we need to be careful as certain foods in large quantities can be detrimental to the health and well being of our native nocturnal friends. Hedghogs enjoy wet meat based cat or kitten food either in jelly or gravy; dried cat and kitten biscuits or reparatory hedgehog kibble. ALWAYS leave a bowl of fresh filtered water, especially with dried foods.

Weed Tea & Vegetable Water Fertiliser

Just like grass clippings, many of the weeds found in your garden are very high in nitrogen and will make an excellent fertilizer. To use these (without the seeds) make a Weed Tea. Fill a five-gallon bucket no more than 1/4 full with weeds, then fill the bucket the rest of the way with water. Let the weeds soak for a week or two and when the water turns brown (like tea), use this nutrient-rich weed tea to nourish your garden.

Another good tip for nourishing plants and vegetables is to keep the water after boiling or steaming vegetables in your kitchen. Strain into a watering can and use for a special boost of nutrient filled water when cool.

Preserving Fruit

Making jams, pickles and jellies is a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones in Nature (or on the allotment) picking the ripened fruits of the Summer season. All the fruits mentioned above can be preserved in various ways (or made into pies and puddings for freezing) with apples being the most suitable for storing as long as they are kept dry and well ventilated.

I hope you find many ways to enjoy the last of the sunny days in Nature, and look forward to seeing you here for my next Almanac on 1 September 2024.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf