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| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 30 Days Wild is a challenge created by The
Wildlife Trust in which participants are invited to do something
wild everyday throughout June. A simple mission to help
reconnect people with nature. As I had so much fun last year, I have decided once again to have a 'Big Month'. I am hoping to spot as many different species of bird as possible in 30 days. Last year my record was 81 species, I'm not aiming to beat my record, I just want to enjoy God's beautiful birds! |
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My 30 Days Wild of 2021 and of 2022 - previous years can be found at my Wordpress blog. |
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The start of my 'Big Month'! | |
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I have been looking forward to 30 Days wild, like I do every year. Deciding to do a 'Big Month' so I have a month of birding just adds to the thrill. I got off to a great start, as I eat my breakfast this morning I listened to the neighbourhood House Sparrows. As I left the house, my first bird spot was Jackdaw. Which makes a change from Wood Pigeon - those I spotted later! My day ended with a beautiful surprise, a gorgeous gift of a John Beswick Puffin! Isn't it lovely! I am looking forward to seeing them for real again later in the month! |
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Watched a Buzzard soar! | |
| I managed to add 13 species to my list today. My highlight of the day was taking a few moments to watch a Buzzard soar! A truly graceful and magnificent sight!
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Ducklings! | |
| Today I had the delight of watching nine adorable
little ducklings with their diligent Mum. They were tiny, cute
and very fluffy!
I was also able to add 7 new species of bird to my list!
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Swooping Swallows! | |
| I only managed to add two new species to my list
today, but I was thrilled to hear the Cetti's Warbler visiting at my
local patch was still around. I have been listening to it since the
beginning of April, but I had not heard it sing for the past three
days. My whole day I saw both Swallows and Housemartins swooping and gliding through the bright blue sky. I loved being able to listen to their chattering calls above my head!
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Kestrel | |
| I was able to add one new species to my list, a beautiful Red-Legged Partridge. I got a good long and
close look at the partridge at the side of the road, before it ran
off into the fields beyond. Though I didn't get a photo for this
blog it was the best view I have ever had of a partridge! I also watched a hunting, hovering Kestrel. Though not for too long as it was seen off very swiftly by the neighbouring Housemartins and Swallows. I have never seen such an annoyed Kestrel!
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New birdfeeder! | |
Today I added 4 new species to my count, including Sparrowhawk. I managed to see not one, but two! Both whipped through the air mid-hunt, the second being chased by a Crow. I replaced my window birdfeeder. The old one was broken by the local large Wood Pigeon perching on it, the tray bending at a good forty-five degrees until it cracked. The new feeder is a little smaller, so hopefully the pigeon won't perch on it. And don't worry, I always throw extra seed out for the pigeon, there's plenty for everyone. I am pleased to report it has already had visitors! I also continue my read of a great book called 'The Seabird's Cry', I had saved the Puffin chapter until today. I made sure to read that chapter today, preparation for tomorrow's expedition! |
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A wonderful local walk! | |
| A little update on yesterday, the expedition had to
be postponed, but it will still happen just a little later in the
month! The new birdfeeder has been filled up twice and is proving
popular. I have spotted it being used by a Greenfinch, Goldfinch and
a Blackbird already! I went for a wonderful local walk and in doing so added three new species to my 'Big Month' list. Including a Mute Swan family with three adorable little Cygnets. I also saw lots of colourful and musical passerines! All those lovely perching birds where sat up high singing their feathered little hearts out. What a beautiful sight! |
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Bees! | |
Today I watched a huge beautiful Buff-Tailed Bumblebee foraging on a big flower bush. Due to her weight bent the flower stems she did look to be struggling a little bit, but taking her time, she ended up having a good filling meal! I also signed-up to be a Beewalker for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, to help survey the bumblebees in my local area.
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Great Crested Newt Survey | |
| I am currently working towards my Great Crested
Newt license, so late last night and early this morning I companied
a lovely (license holding) ecologist to do a newt survey. While no
newts where found, we spotted a tiny froglet, several toads and some
fascinating aquatic invertebrates; including Water Boatmen, Water
Scorpions and Water Stick Insects!
You can see in the photos below the bottle traps we put out and the wildlife we saw by torch light. We were sung to by a Sedge Warbler in the morning, and a little later I spotted a Jay to add to my 'Big Month' species list. A wonderful experience! |
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An evening walk at golden hour | |
| After the lovely weather of the day, I decided to
go for a nice walk during the lovely light of golden hour. I saw a
very handsome Buzzard and a herd of cows with their adorable calves!
A great way to end the day.
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Bee Orchid | |
| It was a treat to find some lovely Bee Orchids in
my local nature reserve. You should be able to see in the photos that
one of the flowers is, for some reason, upside down!
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Kelham Bridge - Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve | |
| After a break from the bird theme for a few days, I
got back to birdwatching today. What better place to visit than
Kelham Bridge. It is a small Wildlife Trust nature reserve but it is
beautiful.
The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of pink-blushed Dog Roses, and I was completely surrounded by the sounds and songs of so many different birds. I did see that a new Sandmartin nest bank had been built since last year and the birds had lost no time in moving in. The unmistakeable chuckle of a Little Grebe could be heard throughout the reserve. I was also lucky enough to both listen to and watch both a Cetti's Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler. It took patience but it was worth it! My final highlight was watching the Zebra Jumping Spiders exploring the hides, I don't think I have seen so many in one place. Wonderful creatures! I managed to add four new species to my 'Big month' list, which now stands at fifty-five species either seen or heard since the first day of June. |
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A quiet (and cooler) day | |
| After the rather warm romp around Kelham Bridge
yesterday, I needed a quieter and cooler day today. I popped out to get myself copies of 'Birdwatch' and 'Bird Watching', only to find my 'BTO News' had arrived! It has been a nice day of relaxing, reading my new magazines and listening to the witter of Goldfinches in song! |
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Middleton Lakes - RSPB Nature Reserve | |
| Today I took a trip out somewhere new, the RSPB
nature reserve Middleton Lakes. It was well worth the effort, I had
a great time. The first treat was the heronry, I have never seen so many herons! Such large nests too, very impressive! After a lovely long walk through a shaded cool woodland, I crossed a canal that stretched on for what looked like forever! Then out onto the large wetlands area filled with waterfowl. From Cormorants to Lapwing, Oystercatchers to Shovelers, Egyptian geese to Great Crested Grebes. So many beautiful birds, many looking after families but most just going about their daily lives. I ended up adding twelve species to my 'Big Month' list, I also added a badger RSPB pin badge to my growing collection. This is a place worthy of a return visit! |
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Whitethroats at Golden Hour | |
We are halfway through 30 Days Wild, and I have spotted 57 species of bird so far for my 'Big Month'. Though today I haven't added any new species. I went for another evening walk and watched a family of Whitethroat singing, displaying and flitting between two hedgerows. All while bathed in the golden light of sunset.
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An early morning walk | |
| Today I was up bright and early for a walk
round my local nature reserve. The weather was sunny and
warm, but thankfully not yet at its peak. Absolutely perfect
to enjoy all sights and sounds of all the wildlife and flowers. I revisited the Bee Orchids, more are flowering now. The colours seemed more vibrant in the morning sun. Lots of birds were singing their hearts out and foraging for food. I finally saw a Chiffchaff, which up until now I had only heard. The flocks of Goldfinches and Linnets had grown in number, I could see young fledglings in their midst. The bramble flowers were alive with bees, I spied at least three species of Bumblebee along with Honeybees. A fierce looking Broad-Bodies Chaser Dragonfly landed on some wildflowers long enough for me to admire every detail of its body and wings. It was tranquil and relaxing, a thoroughly pleasant start to the day! |
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Little Owl | |
| As the evening drew-in and the day drew cool. I
headed out to enjoy the evening air.
I was in for a treat, I saw a Little Owl! All the way up on a telegraph-pole I could still see that it looked unsurprisingly, annoyed! Though I think it is fair to say I have never seen a happy Little Owl, I didn't take this personally! We watched each other intensely before he decided to head off hunting. My best spot so far this month! |
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Walking in the rain! | |
| A thunder storm passed over my house today, as it
drew to a end I decided to go for a walk in the rain! It was lovely and cool, while also being damp (especially when I accidently stepped in a very deep puddle!). I saw a family of Great Tits and a family of Blue Tits, with harassed the parents dashing from one hungry cheeping mouth to another! While the parents looked ragged, they were clearly doing a good job as they sizable family had very healthy looking chicks. I did also spot a few other species of bird, all with soggy feathers and all rather vocal. The rain was much needed for both the wildlife and the plants, all seemed to relish in the cool refreshing shower. That of course includes me too! |
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Enjoyed watching the visitors to my birdfeeder | |
| I was stuck home today waiting for the plumber, but
that was ok because I got to sit and watch my birdfeeder and see all
the feathered friends visit! I signed up for the BTO's Garden Bird Watch, so all my records will be submitted this time next week! |
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One fascinating little moth! | |
| I was absolutely mesmerised by this moth today. It danced up and down in front of me, wings flashing yellow and the antenna drifting with the motion of the moth. I couldn't make out what I was looking at, the little insect just kept moving. At first I thought the antenna could be its tail, all I wanted was for it to stop so I could admire it properly. When it did finally stop I was able to indentify it as a male Yellow-Barred Longhorn moth. I also learnt that the antenna on the male can be as much as four times longer then its body! It is beautiful! |
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Hungry Wagtail | |
| Today I managed to add two more species to my 'Big
Month' list, I now have 71 species seen so far this month. I saw a swift and elegant Hobby swoop overhead and then quickly off into the distance. My second spot was a Grey Wagtail that I watched hunting damselflies. I know the photo is terrible, but you can still see both the Grey Wagtail and the long blue tail of a damselfly! |
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Went on a bug hunt! | |
| As it is National Insect Week, I went on a bug
hunt! With it being a gorgeously sunny day I saw a lot of insects, below are some of the highlights.
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Juvenile Pied Wagtail | |
| I decided to pop to the supermarket today and
was greeted with a lovely surprise, a young juvenile Pied Wagtail
being diligently looked after by its parent. Both flew, dipped and
dodged over the roofs of the cars and between the tires, before
flying off into the distance. Absolutely adorable to see! (Please note that the litter was picked up and disposed of properly!) Stopping off for a riverside walk on the way home I was fortunate enough to spot a Kingfisher darting low across the water. I haven't seen a Kingfisher in a very long while so that was a real treat to see too! Adding a Kingfisher and hearing a Green Woodpecker takes my 'Big Month' count to 73 species of bird seen this month! |
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A corner of the car park | |
| I noticed that at the car park I was using, a small
piece of land had been left to go wild. The wildflowers and insects
had not hesitated in making it their home. I took the time to admire
all the life in that little haven, you can see some that I
photographed below.
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Tameside Local Nature Reserve and a really wild bus stop! | |
Today I took a trip to Tamworth, my target destination was Tameside Local Nature Reserve. On the way I had to stop and take a closer look at this really wild bus stop. Isn't it beautiful! I was pleased to see that it was supported by the Wildlife Trust! I headed onto the Tameside LNR, the care of this small but valuable wild space is again supported by the Wildlife Trust in partnership with the borough council and Tame Valley Wetlands. It is a lake with islands, surrounded by meadows on every side. It is clearly a floodplain and I could see that the area had flooded recently, but that hadn't stopped the bird flocking to the area or the wildflowers blooming in all their vibrant colours. I also saw plenty of insects, from busy bees to predatory dragonflies. This is a small but priceless gem in the middle of Tamworth's urban sprawl! I wasn't able to add any new species to my 'Big Month' list, but I want to give an honourable mention to my second sighting of a Kingfisher seen on the bank of the River Tame. I saw its orange breast first, then as it flew off, the metallic blue of its back shone in the bright summer sun. |
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Dragonflies | |
| Today I submitted my BTO Garden Bird Watch data for
last week. I've not being doing it long, but this wheel is rather
fun to look at! I also saw lots of Dragonflies today! It was clearly a good day for insect hunting!
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Bempton Cliffs | |
| Today I went on a long but wonderful day trip to
Bempton Cliffs. As you may know, I had the opportunity to visit last
year and saw my first Puffin. A magical moment that will be with me
the rest of my life. It also meant I needed to come back to for a
repeat visit, and that didn't disappoint! The shear amount of life on those cliffs is incredible, as is the sight, sounds and smells! I also had a slightly different view of this wonder of life thanks to the great read of 'The Cry of the Seabirds'. Knowing a little bit more about these animals made this trip even more special. I'm glad to say that I got to see lots of those adorable little Puffins. I watched them fly in circles trying to get to the best place to land, so much effort for such a tiny bird. I also watched a pair of Puffins nesting, and the neighbouring coming to check out who had moved in next door! The Kittiwakes were as noisy and as pretty as ever, some still had eggs while others had growing chicks. It was clearly a good breezes day for the Fulmars, who looped round close to the cliffs. I watched in fascination of their stiff wing beats and comparison to their graceful gliding. The Guillemot chicks snuggled under their parents wings, occasionally shifting enough for a glimpse of their fluffy faces. Razorbill sat out the intermittent rain with beaks pointed to the sky. Pairs of Gannets affirmed their bonds through affection displays before elegantly slipping off the cliff face to soar over the waves. What a magical and wild day! |
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Snails pace | |
| After yesterday's expedition I was in need of rest. Though I spent most of the day at home, when I stepped out for some fresh air I found a Garden Snail moving across my doorstep. I paused to watched its progression across the concrete and it was exactly the speed I needed to go today. The only unfortunate thing was, the snail was heading straight for my Sunflowers! Oh well, a hungry snail has got to eat. |
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Bradgate Park then into town | |
| The penultimate day of my 'Big Month' as well as 30
Days Wild. A trip to Bradgate Park was in order. Bradgate Park is well known for its deer, and I have visited many times through the seasons. I had not until today seen a fawn, today I was in luck. In the area reserved for deer only, I could see groups of male alongside mothers with their fawns. While the mothers grazed the fawns giddied about, my goodness can they spring! A truly joyful sight! At the park I managed to add 2 new species to my list, Little Egret and Treecreeper. But there was one missing off my list, a Peregrine Falcon, and I knew where to find one. I headed to a local town and there on the church spire sat the imposing and impressive sight of a perched Peregrine. I now have 86 species on my 'Big Month' list! |
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Bee-eaters in Britain | |
| I had an extra special end to my 30 Days Wild and
my 'Big Month'. I went on a day trip to Norfolk to see the visiting
Bee-eaters. They were well worth the long journey, such a gorgeous birds with a beautiful song. They perched on telegraph wires allowing for long views of all those vibrant colours, intermittently taking flight to hunt or to glide round the quarry nesting site. Those fabulous birds were the final species on my list, bringing my final count to 87 different species. What a glorious day to end the month of June! |
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The final list of all the bird species I saw this month... Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Wren, Swalllow, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Starling, Robin, Blackbird, Crow, Pied Wagtail, Housemartin, Kestrel, Black-Headed Gull, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Grey Heron, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Mallard, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Long-Tailed Tit, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Whitethroat, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Moorhen, Pheasant, Coot, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Yellowhammer, Cetti's Warbler, Nuthatch, Red-Legged Partridge, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Swift, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Chaffinch, Mute Swan, Great Tit, Jay, Red Kite, Stock Dove, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Grebe, Sandmartin, Grasshopper Warbler, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Canada Geese, Tufted Duck, Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Shelduck, Shoveler, Little Owl, Raven, Hobby, Kingfisher, Rook, Tree Sparrow, Puffin, Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill, Little Egret, Treecreeper, Peregrine Falcon and Bee-eater! Addition species that was heard but not seen... Blackcap, Bullfinch, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Green Woodpecker, Tawny Owl, Corn Bunting, A grand total of 87 species of bird spotted over the 30 days of June, my 'Big Month'. |
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