30 Days Wild - Day Twenty-nine - Taking stock

30 Days Wild - Day Twenty-nine - Taking stock

Sunset over the train station at St Neots by Russell Waldron

My month going a little wilder...

My 30 Days Going a little Wilder (So Far)

So I’ll tell you a secret, though I’m a little embarrassed to admit it - this is my first time.

I've intended for the past few years to contribute to the great effort that is the Wildlife Trust's 30 days wild campaign. But like many things in life, I somehow just never got round to it. But in 2018 as both a member and employee of the Wildlife Trust BCN I felt no more excuses would pass muster! So on day 29, here are my highlights...

Day 1:

Whilst walking the dogs along the greenways I was delighted to hear a new call coming from not 1 but 2 local reed patches- Yes, reed warblers had found Love’s Farm! And not 500 meters from my front door. Not a bad start!

Day 4:

My daily lunchtime walk revealed some botanical beauties: bee & spotted orchids in full bloom; Oxeye daisies standing proud; and lines of bird’s foot trefoil had invertebrates enthralled.

Day 7:

The garden was alive today-young house sparrows, starling & robin fledglings being shown the ropes by their parents on the fat ball feeders.   

A meadow walk in St Neots showed more birdlife- a kestrel mobbing a mystery enemy hiding in a tree (I suspect an owl) with Yellowhammer & Blackcap singing their heart out. And on the meadow’s flowers sawflies foraging and pollinating en masse!

Crane fly clinging to a fence

Crane fly by Russell Waldron

Day 12:

On my early morning wander the largest and most distinctive crane fly I’ve ever seen was clinging to a fence.

A whitethroat foraging in garden plants briefly, another first!

Day 16:

A morning visit Trumpington Meadows with dad as an early father’s day jolly.

An opened moth trap revealed many finds including an impressive privet hawkmoth.

Exploring the reserve on foot revealed my first marbled white butterfly of the year, summer chafers, a cucumber spider species, and the new swift box attracting visiting swifts to investigate!

Dragonfly exuvia on a plant stem

Dragonfly exuvia on a plant stem by Russell Waldron

Day 18:

A work visit to Paxton Pits allowed a little time to explore - bats chattering in their education center roost always makes me smile, whilst three different damselfly species vied for air superiority. Interesting highlight were the many dragonfly exuvia on many a plant stem!

Sunset over the train station at St Neots

Sunset over the train station at St Neots by Russell Waldron

Day 20:

I took 15 mins to sit on the grass and clear my mind of the day’s clutter, and had the pleasure of watching a stunning sunset pass through- pastel shades and silhouettes.

Day 23:

A long week meant a relaxed but hot garden Saturday session was needed. As I caught up on a little reading 3 buzzards thermalled over the garden, before 8 gulls mobbed them away! Not to be outdone, later that day a magnificent red kite swooped low and slow overhead, no doubt looking for easy pickings on the adjacent train line.

Day 29 icon for 30 Days Wild

 

 

Ways to go wild...

Whatever you've done to connect with nature this month, take a moment to consider them and give yourself a pat on the back! Whether you've managed to do something every day or just once or twice, hopefully you feel better, happier and more in touch with your wild side.