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!

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!

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.