The Simple Things

Taking time to live well
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • SHOP
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Work with us
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • SHOP
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Work with us

Blog

Taking Time to Live Well

  • All
  • Chalkboard
  • Christmas
  • Competition
  • could do
  • Eating
  • Escape
  • Escaping
  • Fresh
  • Fun
  • gardening
  • Gathered
  • Gathering
  • Growing
  • Haikus
  • Interview
  • Living
  • Looking back
  • Magazine
  • magical creatures
  • Making
  • Miscellany
  • My Neighbourhood
  • Nature
  • Nest
  • Nesting
  • outing
  • playlist
  • Reader event
  • Reader offer
  • Shop
  • Sponsored post
  • Sunday Best
  • Think
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellbeing
  • Wisdom

Photography by Alice Tatham

January | Things to Appreciate

Iona Bower January 2, 2024

A few things to see this month, and an outing idea to read, too


While the trees are still skeletal, leaving nothing but catkins and the odd seed head, and the skies big, it’s a great chance to spot birds and be able to see them in more detail, while they are unhidden by foliage.

Banish all thoughts of twitchers and musty mackintoshes; birdwatching is ‘having a moment’, so an outing that blows away the cobwebs is just the ticket.

Before you head out you’ll need a birdwatching kit. Think binoculars, a notebook and pencil, and a field guide – Collins Bird Guide is a good buy, or Birda is a free app for your phone. A phone camera is useful to snap any birds you want to identify later. Pack snacks and drinks, too – you don’t want to have to go off in search of a sarnie just as a wood warbler appears.

Finding your local RSPB reserve is a good place to start as they may have their own hides and knowledgeable staff, but you can plough your own furrow location-wise if you prefer. Don’t forget, 26–28 January is the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (rspb.org.uk) so you’ll have an opportunity to bring birdwatching home and use your new skills from your kitchen window, too.

This outing idea was featured on our Almanac Pages of our January issue, where each month we collate a few seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. The nature table image above was taken by Alice Tatham of The Wildwood Moth who takes a photograph for our back cover each month, featuring things to appreciate in nature. She also runs workshops on seasonal photography and publishes seasonal journal stories from her home in Dorset.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our Nature Table…

Featured
Back Cover.jpg
Jan 2, 2024
January | Things to Appreciate
Jan 2, 2024
Jan 2, 2024
Back Cover.jpg
Dec 5, 2023
December | Things to Appreciate
Dec 5, 2023
Dec 5, 2023
November Back Cover.jpg
Oct 28, 2023
November | Things to Appreciate
Oct 28, 2023
Oct 28, 2023

More from our blog…

Featured
Screenshot 2025-05-21 at 08.52.06.png
May 21, 2025
Playlist | Great Heights
May 21, 2025
May 21, 2025
Watergate Bay 2.jpg
May 21, 2025
Competition | Win a two-night stay at Watergate Bay
May 21, 2025
May 21, 2025
Belt Bag pic.jpg
May 21, 2025
Make | Summer Scraps Belt Bag Template
May 21, 2025
May 21, 2025
InNature Tagsissue 139, nature table, January, birdwatching
  • Blog
  • Older
  • Newer
Featured
  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
Join our Newsletter
Name
Email *

We respect your privacy and won't share your data.

email marketing by activecampaign
facebook-unauth twitter pinterest spotify instagram
  • Subscriber Login
  • Stockists
  • Advertise
  • Contact

The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

facebook-unauth twitter pinterest spotify instagram