Ever have one of those days where you quite literally get everything done? Well today has been one of those days, so I thought it best to sit down and give my blog a little bit of attention!

I haven't been up to much lately, my first semester at university is finished (which I quite honestly can't believe!) All of my January assignments have been completed, and exams sat! So I have had a week between that and the start of the second semester, and I haven't even had time to get out with the camera! (which makes me so sad!)

However, I did manage to catch a crazy five minutes this morning, I got back to my room after a promising interview (which will both secure my accommodation and extra money next year! so fingers crossed y'all!) I saw the dart of a Goldcrest on the tree outside my window. And I kid you not when I say I have never grabbed my camera so quick in my entire life! So I sat down and in the space of literally 5 minutes the tree was abound with Blue Tits, Great Tits, Redwings, Long-tailed Tits and a lovely little Goldcrest! I'm not sure my flatmate was please when I screamed about there being a Goldcrest, but I know that you guys get it ... right!?

So here are a few shots! (and my first decent and in focus photograph of a Goldcrest!)

Blue Tit

A Beautiful Puff Ball! (Goldcrest)

Great Tit

Long Tailed Tit - Out of focus but I thought it looked artsy :P

A new addition to the neighbourhood - a Redwing! 

The Art of Birdwatching

Now, this is not something you are born with, but is something to be gained through sheer guts and determination. For only the truly strong will survive into professionalism.

But all jokes aside, birdwatching most definately isn't for everyone, and takes a good deal of practice, but often with unmistakable benefits. I remember the first time I sat in a bird hide, cold, confused and simply impatient. And of course I wasn't going to see anything, mostly because I simply didn't want it enough, and because nature takes time. It's really as simple as that!

My top 3 tips for birdwatching:
1. Wrap up warm (Obviously) Often times I have been sat on a cold morning much longer than I initially anticipated too, after all, some days can just be really good like that!
2. Invest in a decent thermos flask! Much related to the previous point, it really is important to make yourself comfortable whilst you're waiting about.
3. And while you're waiting, get used to the scenery. In my case I spend this time setting up my camera settings, trying out settings in order to get the best shot when the opportunity arises. There really is nothing worse than not being camera ready when a beautiful bird finally decides to grace you with it's presence.

Now, about a fortnight ago (can you tell I've been super busy with first university assignments) I had the opportunity to go back to the Severn Valley Country Park, so sat in the bird hide for almost 2 hours in the morning. At first there was nothing, but the key here is to be stubborn and wait it out a bit longer. And I am yet to be disappointed. Like buses, many came at once. Groups of Great Tits, Blue Tits, a pair of Pheasants, A shy Heron and an inquisitive Robin. And perhaps, if my ID is correct a little Dunnock. (which is a first for me I believe)

I would ID this little fellow as a Dunnock, any other suggestions? 

#30Days Wild Day 15!

I cannot believe we are now halfway through the #30DaysWild Challenge already!! So many more exciting things to do and see!

An absolutely sodden day tonight! It just about managed to dry up and brighten in time for me to head home for work - and just as I was packing away the outdoor cafe furniture, I spotted this little guy drying off on the windowsill! I calmy had to run into the shop to grab my phone to get a photo!

Now for anyone who doesn't know, this little guy is a Buff Tip Moth! He stands out a lot on our beautiful teal paintwork, but he is designed to camouflage as a Silver Birch twig. I'd known about these moths, but this is the first I have seen with my very own eyes, and of course I was embarrassingly excited about it. (Making sure to message my best friend about it all as quick as I could!)

So, I've made it a job that any species I spot I'm going to learn me some facts!

1. Their Italian name is Phalera bucephala (Okay so I'm probably not going to remember that)
2. They are a common species, often found in farmland, grassland, towns and gardens and woodland
3. You are likely to see them in June and July (mostly at evening or night!) 

I also went for a quick walk this evening after dinner, I didn't manage to escape the rain this time! But I did spot a wagtail of some sorts! It was either a yellow or a grey wagtail, oh I cannot wait to buy myself a camera that will do these beautiful species some justice! (only another £492.78 to go!) 

What wild things have you been up to? 

Tayla 

x

#30DaysWild Day 11!

Ophrys apifera - Bee Orchid

So today I visited somewhere pretty special to me, I like to think it's the place that made me fall in love with nature.

Severn Valley Country Park, Alveley (See their website here) is a 126 acre park that has been regenerated from abandoned coal spills to a beautiful park. budding with life every single which way you look. I was a frequent weekly volunteer on the park for over 18 months, working alongside the Park Rangers and the truly valiant group of volunteers who truly keep the park going. And it's pretty safe to say I enjoyed every minute of it (okay, except that day of pulling ragwort on a cold and drizzly day, yep totally didn't enjoy that bit so much ... )

There had been a few new caches put about the park and surrounding area, so for my day off I go up early and got the bus back to my home village. (It's so weird how everything always seems so much smaller than you remember!) In total I wandered around the park, and its many trails and habitats, for about six hours. After a major Geocaching App malfunction (thanks to a souvenier day!) I only managed to find 3 caches :( Some of them were pretty tricky, so I will have to come back and find them!

But no doubt, today was all about the wildlife, as always some of the photo quality is pretty poor, but at the moment there really isn't much I can do about it! The park's natural wild meadow is coming along nicely, with a few years of maturity behind it now, where the Bee Orchid and the Common Spotted Orchids are standing proudly.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii - Common Spotted Orchid

I then went to have a look at the newly refurbished Easy Access Pool, having helped inlay the new wooden sidewalk panels myself. and to see it had now been finished off with a new tarmac surface was brilliant! I sat and watched a moorhen happily collect materials for its nest (I wasn't about to catch a glimpse without risk of being in the pond myself!) I then carried onto the bird hide, a place where I hadn't really had loads of luck, but as I unlatched the shutter, there perched proudly was a vibrant Kingfisher (A bit like buses you see, you wait ages for one and then they all turn up!) I watched it for almost an hour, as it fished for its lunch.

Alcedines - Kingfisher

Gallinula - Moorhen

Possibly a Common Blue Butterfly? 

As I was leaving the park I was instructed my other volunteers to check out the Kestrel nest, which of course I did. Now no photos I'm afraid, there was no way my puny iPhone was going to manage a distance of over 100 meters! (I mean my binoculars only really managed to show me just enough to keep my excited!)

Inside the next was three fluffy chicks, with their proud Momma just standing outside, it really was a sight to see, and its really topped off an already amazing day!

Here's to the next adventure!

#30DaysWild Day 3!

Treated myself to a nice and cosy night in for my challenge today! (Probably the only perk of feeling less than 100%!)

A few months back I spotted a mysterious bird meandering down the river, disappearing and then reappearing some few meters away. Now, I feel the need to produce a disclaimer before I go any further, I am not, by any means a bird expert, heck I'm probably totally wrong! But either way, I am trying to educate myself.

Right, where even was I ... ah yes, I was stood, lingering, waiting to spot it come back up. I was totally transfixed, a bird that I had never spotted before, on the same patch of river I had walked for months beforehand, and the only identification I have been able to come up with, is that it may be a Goosander! Here's the very few pictures I've managed, and the quality is absolutely awful, but you're just gonna have to deal with it! (Roll on the day I can afford a decent camera for myself!)

Do you guys agree? If not then pleasssse get in touch with me! I need to know what this beautiful bird is!

Regardless of what it is, I thought I would teach myself a few things about the Goosander anyway. It's Latin name is Mergus Merganser and it is a sociable bird (although I have only ever seen one of them, BUT it does hang out with all the swans and geese? does that count!?) It tends to nest in upland rivers, nesting in tree holes and crevices. The call of the Male can be determined by a low pitched croaking, whereas a harsh 'karr' sound and cackle with determine the female.

I may not have jumped in some cool puddles for my challenge (some of the things I have seen people doing have been amazing!) but I learnt myself a few new things!

Stay Wild Folks!
x

The Importance of Binoculars

Pyronia Tithonus - Gatekeeper Butterlfy 

This is becoming a regular thing, myself apologising whole heartedly for not posting for sooooo long. So here I am again, now that life in my new house is all settled, determined to keep this blog going! (Promise!)

Today my lovely friend Sarah  joined me in Bewdley before she jets off to Canada for a whole year!! So we decided on a stroll along the river, having persuaded her to try out some Geocaching! We ended up finding four caches in total, and I think she may be hooked! A good day in my book. We also had a very good day wildlife wise too, although both annoyed we brought no binoculars with us!

A Dopping of Female Goosanders 

We spotted a butterfly on the vegetation alongside the river bank, snapped a picture and carried on. Having come home we were able to identify it as the Gatekeeper Butterfly. We almost settled on identifying it as the Small Heath Butterfly, until we noticed the number of white dots on the wing! (Gatekeepers have two not one!)
Sarah also spied a Kingfisher darting into the shrubbery on the other side of the river, but after waiting silently for some time, we decided to walk on.
I also spotted a dopping of female Goosanders on the river, a bird I had no seen before, so that was exciting, but gutted having no binoculars!
I promise to post again very soon!
If you'd like check out my instagram to see what I'm up to!

The Wilderness Warrior