30 Days Wild in June - Bugs and Birds

Today dawned with the best kind of summer holiday weather which, as a child, would have had me and my family grabbing buckets, spades and beach towels and heading down to our favourite small, sandy cove on the Lizard in Cornwall.

As it was Father's Day, after the girls had given my husband his cards and gifts, we went to the nearby WWT at Arundel thinking it might be cooler near all those lakes and ponds.

It was just after 11am and already very hot when we arrived and, as we crossed the footbridge to the entrance, a kingfisher darted out over the pond and hovered for a few seconds before darting back to the shade of the trees - what a greeting!

The girls wanted to feed the birds first:

Then we went along to the pond dipping area, it was so hot that we only stayed there for about half an hour. Our small haul consisted Alderfly larva, bloodworms and tiny shrimps:

We retreated to a nearby hide for shade and spotted a family of Canada geese in the shade of the trees:

After a couple of hours we decided that it was to go home as it was so hot. On our way we saw some Magpie Geese and their nest in a fenced-off area, which a nearby staff member told us was because the male can be very aggressive while the females are laying their eggs. She explained that they usually lay about 14 eggs before they start incubating them - they had 3 so far.

Just as we reached our car, I saw something small dart across the car park and stop beneath our car. It was a tiny duckling! Gabby went to tell a warden, who came along and had to climb under the car to catch it!

30 Days Wild in June - Baby Birds

On Wednesday we saw some very cute fluffy goslings. Their parents were not at ALL cute and fluffy and were quite insistent that folk not get too close to their offspring! However, I managed to get a few photos and we all managed to not get pecked :)

Today, while out on a walk with my husband and June, December discovered a baby bird lying on the verge.

My husband tried to phone the RSPCA for advice but only got automated messages. So then he telephoned the non-emergency local police number (101) who advised that they put the bird into a well-ventilated box and take it to the nearest vet. As they were in the middle of a walk they didn't have easy access to a box, until December thought to look in someone's recycling bin where she found a small box suitable for the job. Then they walked a mile into the nearest village where there is a veterinary practice and the receptionist kindly took the little creature into their care, saying that they would look after it. 

I found out all about this when they got home (an hour later than expected!). My husband told me that whilst the bird was moving around quite a bit when they first found it, by the time they reached the vet's it had become still and he wasn't sure how good it's chances of survival were. Fingers crossed it makes it.

30 Days Wild in June - Pondlife

The weather today was absolutely glorious - flaming June at her best! So we decided to visit the nearby Wildfowl & Wetlands​ Trust Centre at Arundel, taking our Everyday Nature Spotter that came with our 30 Days Wild pack at the end of May.

I thought that we might see the Common Frog however I spotted something even better - an Azure Blue Damselfly. I've never seen one before and, at first, thought it must be a butterfly because it's wings are blue. Luckily the guide slowly reversed the boat to where the insect had landed and we were all able to discover its beauty.

We also came across some newly opened waterlilies:

and December was delighted to find some Lesser Water Boatmen (Corixa punctata) in a nearby raised pond:

All in all, a successful visit :)

30 Days Wild in June - Moth

A very brief post today - a photo of a gorgeous moth that I found on the wall upstairs. I haven't had any luck identifying it and am hoping that someone reading this will be able to help. Thank you in advance 😊

30 Days Wild in June - Natural Pest Control

We had a another visit from our next door neighbours duck this afternoon and have discovered how she is getting into our garden - there is a very small hole at the bottom of the fence! Our neighbour thinks​ that she might be being attracted by all​ the slugs and woodlice, so we asked if she could visit our garden for a few hours each day as a natural slug deterrent, which they agreed to. 

We found a couple of ladybird larvae on the runner beans and on investigation discovered that they are Harlequins which are not native to the UK. However, as they do eat aphids we will leave them where they are to get on with their work.

Hopefully, all this means our young veggies will now have a better chance of reaching our plates!

30 Days Wild in June - Shrine to a Shrew

A few days ago June found a dead shrew near our back door and it was decided that it should be buried.

She and December chose a quiet spot near the end of our garden to dig the grave and then the tiny creature was buried with some ceremony, including prayers and a blessing.

This afternoon, the girls felt it was time to properly mark the grave (Daddy having mowed the lawn earlier in the day) and so they made simple crosses using twigs and stems of grass to bind them together. The burial site was then decorated with these as well as petals and leaves.

30 Days Wild in June - We're all Quackers!

Yesterday (Thursday) June and December were thrilled to find tiny beans on their runner bean plants, as well as a few tiny green strawberries on our strawberry plant.

Today, whilst watching the various news reports on the election outcome, we heard a sudden loud outburst of quacking from the garden. At first I thought it was ducks flying overhead towards the village pond, however, when the quacking carried on we looked out and discovered a large white duck underneath our trampoline! Shortly afterwards there was a knock at the door and all became apparent - the duck was our next door neighbours. We still don't know how the duck got into our garden as it can't fly and there aren't any holes in the hedge, I don't mind though as it was a very welcome diversion from the politics 😉

30 Days Wild in June - Nature, red . .

. . . in tooth and claw. When I was a child my father used to quote this to me, with a sigh, whenever​ we came across sad remains either in the garden - perhaps a 'gift' from our family cat, or in the wild. 

Today, in our garden, we found two piles of feathers that strongly suggest that a couple of pigeons met their maker early this morning. Whether by cat's paw or something else I do not know - though I wonder if the bird on today's logo might have been responsible?

30 Days Wild in June - Stormy Weather

So the blustery night turned into a stormy day.

This afternoon we saw a perfect double rainbow with all the colours perfectly highlighted by the black storm clouds behind  them. Then in the evening I saw a rainbow from my living room window - just to the right of the large tree in the photo below.

Sunset this evening:

30 Days Wild in June - Rainy Day



                                             

It's my birthday today and, as seems to be the case in recent years, the weather has been very windy and wet (with luck the sun shall be shining tomorrow!) So here are a few photos I took over the weekend:

This is the second year we've had flowers on this little strawberry plant and I'm hoping to get a few fruit again.

Cuckoo spit on my mint plant - no mint on our new potatoes for a little while!

This large bed of old fashioned geraniums is very popular with several species of bee (and other insects!).

30 Days Wild in June - Bees and History

We visited the Living History event at the Weald and Downland Living Museum this afternoon, which I have been really looking forward to. 

I hadn't realised what a broad spectrum of history was being covered until, whilst I was having a conversation with a Tudor era servant, a WWII US Army jeep drove past the door of the mediaeval house we were in! Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the Jeep, however here are a couple of the house:



Later on, as we took a break, I noticed that the flower beds by the lake were buzzing with many different bees.

I think the plant is a flowering lemon balm.

30 Days Wild in June - Roses

It's been a gorgeous day today, blue skies and sunshine with a breeze that has taken away the awful humidity of yesterday.

 My wilding today was spent in the garden, enjoying the scent of some beautiful roses and listening to the buzzing bees :)