Tuesday 16 December 2008

Daylight - or the lack of it

Summer nights when it never gets fully dark are of course complemented by winter days when it never gets very light.  As we approach the 'shortest day', the fully daylight hours here are about 8.15am to about 4.15pm.

This isn't a problem for us, and Basil has become happily adjusted to having his 'evening' walk mid afternoon.

Something I do wonder at, though, is how the wildlife copes with the reduction in foraging time. Our birds are frenetic on the feeders from the first glimmers of dawn until it gets too dark for them to see, but they still only get eight or so hours to feed, and then have to cope with 16 hours of often cold, wet and windy darkness. The same must apply to all the wild animals.

Isn't nature wonderful!

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