Audience Participation

June is here which means it's time to encourage everyone to get a little wild. The Wildlife Trust's 30 Days Wild campaign is designed to get people reconnecting with nature by doing a random act of wildness each day on the month.

I don't think many days go by where I don't do something in nature but of course I have signed up and will be making a concerted effort to persuade others to join me and get outdoors even just for a few minutes.

Yesterday was all about my granddaughter who is nearly 4. She played out in the paddling pool, grass beneath her feet and when she was finished she helped in the garden recycling the water onto my flowers.

Today we walked 6 miles around our local National Trust nature reserve - Wicken Fen. We often walk here and today we spotted a little owl, marsh harrier, meadow pipits, skylarks, goldfinches, cuckoo and brown hares. One of the hares was quite close before he/she spotted us.

We also saw a few dragonflies, the first of the season, and a painted lady butterfly.

As well as 30 Days Wild we also have BBC Springwatch back on our screens and they have a citizen science project - Gardenwatch - running with various missions to complete. I completed Mission 1 last week which is just telling them about your garden. You don't need a big garden, all sorts of garden data is helpful. I will be completing the other missions if possible next week.

One other project I noted was this survey to record sightings of 'cuckoo spit'. These contain the spittlebug or froghopper as it feeds on the plant and the data being collected will map the distribution of the insect in a pre-emptive strike against Xylella, a deadly plant disease.

Back to the Fen

Wicken & Burwell Fens, 12th May 2019, 7.15am-10.15am, Bright, dry, calm, 4-10 degrees

Needing to stay local and contactable we decided this morning to go back to Wicken. The last few days have finally seen some much-needed rain. Probably not enough but at least the ground has dampened down and everything looks green and new.

The sound of the cuckoo welcomed us as we walked towards Burwell Fen. The water was fairly quiet, just a few Lapwings circling and some indistinguisable water fowl with their heads still tucked in. In the distance a Marsh harrier.

A single swan glided towards us down Monk's Lode with its wings up in the classic heart shape. Alone?

The Little owl was on his perch, grumpily watching us before flying off into a back tree. Disappearing now amongst the leaves. We spoke to somebody later on who said he had once seen four Little owls at one time here so I hope there is a breeding pair.

Little owl

Over the bridge and no sign of either Barn or Short-eared owls but lots of goldfinches dashed backwards and forwards across the pathway and Skylarks sat atop the scrub bushes. The Marsh harrier was never far away the entire way round, sometimes joined by another, both sending up protesting Lapwings.

Skylark

At the far bridge, although I didn't see it, a stoat disappeared into the long grass. I hung around and spotted a Whitethroat on the bridge and a brave vole attempting to venture out before spying me and wisely retreating back into the undergrowth. The stoat didn't reappear.

Whitethroat

We sat for a while and watched a kestrel perched on a pylon and still the Marsh harriers hunted low over the water birds.

Kestrel

Marsh harrier

The Short-eared owls were nowhere to be seen but back over the lode two photographers with tripods signalled the possibility of the Barn owl and sure enough as we walked down past its hunting field it swooped down onto a far post before finally taking off and flying right past us as it returned to the barn.

Barn owl

As we made our way back the cuckoo called closely and I photographed what I thought might be it, but then as I checked the back of the camera thought it was probably a pigeon. Once home and able to zoom in I am pretty sure there are bars on the tail indicating it was the cuckoo after all. Two Marsh harriers sent up a pair of large birds. I didn't catch them but Nick thought they might have been cranes. A Grey heron was perched in a tree nearby though.

Cuckoo

Spotted: Brown hare, Cuckoo, ? Warbler, Goldfinches, Marsh harriers, Skylarks, Reed bunting, Stoat, Vole, Roe deer, Kestrel, Barn owl, Pied wagtail, Swans, Greylag geese, Canada geese, Shoveler, Lapwing, Sheldrakes, Swallows, Whitethroat, Buzzard, Grey heron, Pipit (prob Meadow), Crows, Magpies, Egrets, Terns,

Morning walk in the woods

Rampton wood and meadow, 7th May 2019, 8.30-9.30am, partial cloud, bright, calm, 7-8 deg

A grey squirrel scurried up the oak tree in the churchyard as I passed by and a pair of Dunnocks flew along the fence. Today I opted to first cross the meadow where buttercups, dandelions and grasses swayed very gently and a bird (unidentified) called with a high pitched single note.

The crops in the next field are beginning to show now and the ditch has a little water. Magpies and wood pigeons called out from the trees.

I stopped to have a look up The Cut and noticed two very small warblers in the reeds on the bend. Having taken a quick photo and checking at home I think they were Whitethroats.

Whitethroat

Back into the woods and the cow parsley is now around shoulder height. The woods are green and dense and it is difficult to make out the birds and yet it is noisy with calls - blackbirds, thrushes, great tits. The undergrowth rustles as I approach - blackbirds or rabbits - and flies appear as I brush the grass.

A tiny Chiffchaff's big voice fills the canopy as I come to the large oak trees with their leaves bright and new, unfurling fully now. The undergrowth is encroaching the pathway, nettles, sticky weed and cow parsley the greens interspersed every now and then with a touch of hot pink from the Red campion.

Red campion

Out of the wood and along the path towards the church a small tree is covered in tiny bees enjoying the yellow flowers and two Long-tailed tits hand from the branches. A woodpecker (probably Green) calls across from the fields beyond the hedge.

New Nest!

I had neglected this blog - apologies! But more and more I find the time I spend outside walking in nature, or even watching it in the garden through the window, is time well spent. It calms, makes me mindful of my surroundings, the weather, the changes in seasons and it is my go-to therapy when I'm feeling grumpy. I am very lucky, I don't have any specific mental health issues, bar feeling a bit down or moody every now and then as most people do. But I know being outdoors absolutely, without fail, always lightens my mood and lifts me. I am guilty of spending way too much time on the tech, in front of the computer or phone, so getting outside for a walk, listening to the birds and watching the bees busily pollinating my flowers has become even more vital for my well-being.

So! Along with revitalising this blog, writing about what I come across, taking photos and enjoying the experience I have also started nature journalling with watercolours. It is not a skill I have learnt, I didn't even do art at school after 14, but is something I've always wanted to try. I'm not the best at sketching, I struggle with proportion and scale but I enjoy it and it is not tech based or done on a screen! I will share some of those entries on here and the first few are below.

The Beast From the East Brings Snow and Visitors

It's been a while hasn't it! I've been busy with building a new business whilst still working, grandma duties and general life! But I've still been walking and definitely still been watching nature go through her seasonal manoeuvres. One curve ball was thrown at us last week when an icy blast of weather came our way bringing windchill and snow. In Cambridgeshire we got off very lightly with a few centimetres of snow on and off for a few days whilst other areas had drifts of 10 and even 20 feet.

Weather watchers soon nicknamed this front The Beast From the East although towards the end of the week it had also combined with a European storm called Emma - much less fierce sounding but the one that hit us with the most snow.

One advantage of the freezing temperatures and the ground being covered was some new visitors to the gardens. Photos appeared everywhere of people seeing fieldfares and redwings for the first time. And where the little birds feed the bigger birds follow with sparrow hawks and buzzards being seen brazenly sitting on fences and sheds.

I made a point of putting out more food each day, topping it up and keeping the water from freezing.

Watching the birds it was interesting to see their behaviour change. The robin who would normally see off any other robin reserved its energy - at one point we had three in the garden - the blackbirds stopped chasing each other for a few days too. But bring in a few outsiders and the dynamics changed again. The robin took exception to a male blackcap who appeared one afternoon, the jackdaws saw off a stray gull and the blackbirds and a fieldfare fought it out over an apple - the fieldfare arrived on the second day of snow and having found some apple stood guard over it for the next few days.

As the snow eventually thawed and the visitors disappeared back to the woods and the fields the garden became calm again and the regular birds went back to the job in hand - spring!

RSPB Needingworth

It's been a few weeks since I last updated. August generally is a bit quieter nature wise but we've still been walking most weekends, although it has to be said the summer has been a bit damp! We've been to all the regular places but also to a new reserve for us - Needingworth RSPB reserve. It's local so not sure why we've never been before but we had a great treat watching a green woodpecker taking a bath.

Perseid Meteor Shower

Every August the Earth passes through the debris of the comet Swift-Tuttle and we can see the resulting meteor shower. These 'shooting stars' peaked Saturday night so I set up the camera in the garden and spent a few hours dodging the clouds and hoping to catch a meteor as it flashed past. It was a good night for them, they didn't peak until after midnight but between 10-11pm I saw quite a few, some faint wisps but a couple of good tailed streaks across the sky. Beautiful.

A walk at Wicken

Wicken Fen is becoming our 'go to' Sunday morning walk. We seem to find ourselves there at least once a month so it is interesting to see how it changes and what you can see changes. During the winter the flocks of migrating birds along with the short-eared owls are the obvious draw with lots of birders and photographers around.  During the summer it is quieter and as you first start to walk you wonder if you will see anything interesting at all. But it is there. The undergrowth is heavier, the trees are in leaf and the fens are tall with crops and reeds but if you listen and watch and look carefully you will find all sorts.

Meadow Pipit

Green woodpecker

Pied wagtail

Swallow

Hare

Winchat (possible)

More plants!

As part of 30 Days Wild I added some more plants to the garden (as if I need any excuse!) specifically bee and butterfly friendly.  I appear to have added some more!

My girls had bought me tickets to Hampton Court Palace Flower Show for my birthday and on Thursday, after sitting in horrendous traffic and with the mercury edging over 30, I found myself overwhelmed with what to purchase next!

Whilst looking at the great gardens on show my eyes were drawn to the hot purples, reds and orange planting - colours I wouldn't normally go for, preferring the pinks and mauves of cottage flowers. This I decided would be ideal for my south facing front garden. Since removing the old huge lavender bushes from the front I have planted a few bits and piece but hadn't really got a grasp on where I wanted this garden to go but now I have in mind tall agapanthus and globular alliums with dark lavender, sea holly, ladybird poppies and hot pink echinacea. A riot of sexy, deep shades and textures.

Well that's the plan!

It was a little too hot to spend lots of time pursuing the stalls but I have photographed the ideas I like and will plant it up gradually. In the meantime I did managed to buy the sea holly (it was covered with bees!), echinacea and a poppy to get going and remind me of a fabulous day. I will definitely go back hopefully on a slightly cooler day!

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

30 Days Wild - Day 29 - What's the difference..

... between a grasshopper and a cricket?

This was my task for today's 30 Days Wild.  We found this one at Wicken Fen the other day - in fact I very nearly stood on it! I immediately said a cricket, my husband said grasshopper.  Grasshoppers are green aren't they he said? No it's something to do with their antennae I replied. No surely it's more than that he wanted to know.



So...

according to the Amateur Entomologists' Society (AES):

"One of the commonest questions asked about grasshoppers and crickets is how to tell them apart. There are a number of ways to tell if you're looking at a grasshopper or cricket:

• The main difference between a grasshopper and a cricket is that crickets tend to have long antennae, grasshoppers have short antennae.
• Crickets stridulate ("sing") by rubbing their wings together, while grasshoppers stridulate by rubbing their long hind legs against their wings.
• Grasshoppers detect sound by means of little 'ears' at the base of their abdomen; in crickets these are on the front legs. 
• Most crickets are crepuscular (which means they come out at dusk) whereas grasshoppers tend to be out and about during the day. 
• Grasshoppers mostly eat grass, but crickets are partial to animal matter aswell."

Okay well ours wasn't eating or singing and I couldn't see any ears. It was out during the day so could be a grasshopper but its antennae were definitely of the longer variety so I'm right cricket...?

Actually having researched it a bit more and compared my photo with others online I have decided it could be a Roesel's Bush-Cricket (Metrioptera roeselii) but if you think otherwise please feel free to enlighten me! 

30 Days Wild - Day 28 - Reminiscing

I've been reminiscing a bit today for 30 Days Wild.

Someone posted a photo of some old Ladybird fairy story books on Twitter which reminded me of the i-Spy books I had as a child of the 70s!

I remember going shopping in Saffron Walden and my treat would be a visit to the book shop that sold these small pocket books. Then the hunt would be on. Birds, insects, shells, even not so wild London landmarks and car journeys featured!

My interest in nature was caught earlier than the i-Spy books though by a story called The Children of Cherry Tree Farm by Enid Blyton. These sickly city children get sent off to stay at their Aunt and Uncle's Farm where they befriend a 'wild man' in the woods who teaches them about wildlife. I remember so desperately wanting to be those kids as the fox came and sat by the fire to hide from the hunt. I downloaded it recently to read again. Still loved it!

 

Another favourite, although it scared and worried me equally, was the much loved Watership Down. I also had a nature handbook. I've been trawling the web to see if I can find a photo of it but nothing so far. It might still be on the book shelf at my mum's house so I'll have to have a look next time I visit. This handbook and going on a Saturday morning to a nature club got me hooked. Unfortunately it didn't last long though. The mid 70s saw me off to secondary school and all those wishes to conform. We had the long hot summer of '76, Elvis died, Grease was at the cinema and nature wasn't cool anymore.

In fact it didn't really feature in my life again until fairly recently. Having a digital camera and the freedom to fail when a bird took off before I pressed the shutter helped. Finding happiness in walking or just being outside is a big factor.

You can still buy i-Spy books I've found out so they will be a part of my granddaughter's Christmas stocking or shopping treats in a few years time, although I've yet to figure out how i-Spy Dinosaurs will work!

(Images from Google Images)

30 Days Wild - Day 27 - Snail Trail

And then the rain came!  After our heatwave of last week where I couldn't move for sweating today the drips are coming from the skies!

Some people may not enjoy the rain but my garden is crying out for it! My water butt is on empty and the grass is curling at the edges. So welcome the rain! It is forecast to continue for a couple of days, which it needs to soak through - the initial downpours just running off the hard earth.

Today in the office, we saw the lightning light up the dark oppressive sky and we jumped as the crack of thunder came immediately behind. The gutter leaked under the deluge with a waterfall outside the door.

Then the snails came out. Outside one of the office windows the foliage has not been cut back for a while and is covering the glass. Three snails made their way across the windowsill to the tender shoots on the other side. My 30 Days Wild act for today was to encourage my colleagues to put down their pens and stop looking at their screens for a few minutes and come to the window to see the snails. They may have thought I was mad but they came and we watched and we chatted about the rain and the snails and how not a ripple could be seen as they slid over the glass.

A nature break without leaving the office.

30 Days Wild - Day 26 - Curious Creatures

After a heavy day at work I was sitting eating my dinner this evening, half wondering how I was going to fit in a Random Act of Wildness for 30 Days Wild before I fell asleep on the sofa, and I idly flicked on the TV.

Onto BBC Two and there were Kate Humble, Chris Packham, Lucy Cooke with guests for the new wildlife quiz programme Curious Creatures! What a timely tea-time treat!



So, I have now learnt:

• The most poisonous animal on the planet is a frog and the only predator it has is a snake.
• Some (herrings) fish fart to communicate.
• The narwhal's 'tusk' is actually a tooth, and...
• The capybara is "bigger than a chicken"'and is actually the largest rodent in the world.

Not a bad fact cache for a meal time! 

PS - below is a frog from my garden not a golden poisonous dart frog (in case you didn't guess!)