#30DaysWild – Day 11 – A great day for bugs!

The weather was so miserable this morning, so I was very glad when the sun came out in the afternoon. Even though the wind still blew, the sun shined through and it was a lovely day to be out. I also noticed that the bugs had embraced the warmth and were out in force. The flowers were covered in bees, beetles and flies, a few butterflies and damselflies braved the breeze. I saw amazingly camouflaged spider on a lichen covered stone wall, closer to the ground the wall had become mossy, perfect for a tiny snail.

Invertebrate are incredible, whether they are mollusc, arachnids or insects. They deserve a closer look!

Australian encounters: Butterflies and Moths

On my holiday to Australia in February, I had the good fortune to be able to photograph many different species of wildlife. The colourful and often noisy birds, cute mammals, fascinating lizards and the many species of gorgeous insects I encountered will, I hope, all be blogged about in the near future.

Today it is the turn of the beautiful butterflies and moths – with a couple of caterpillars too!

#30DaysWild – highlights from 2019

Here are my highlights from #30DaysWild 2019. Moving house, while working full time and joining in with 30 Days Wild wasn’t easy, but it was very worth it!

One of the best things I have done all month is putting up the bird feeder in my new home. It didn’t take long for the birds to find it! I now have regular visits from Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Robins, Blackbirds, Sparrows. I also have Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons hovering up the dropped crumbs. Winding down from a day at work, I now find myself sitting with my cuppa and watching my new feathered friends!

My photograph for October, November and December

The last part of the year I haven’t done my photo of the month, but as it is New Year’s Eve I thought I would play catch up and start 2019 with a clean slate.

October

Cycling home one night along a pitch black country lane, I was amazed to find a tiny green caterpillar making the grand epic journey of crossing the road. It was nearly at its journey end, so I watched its final steps on the grey tarmac before it reached the green grass of the verge. I used my bike lights to help me take this photo and brighten the path of the caterpillar.

November

I took a wander round my local patch on one of the very few days I had off when the weather was good. The sun was out and gave a tiny amount of warmth to the winter’s air. That’s when I spotted this beauty. I was thrilled to get a snap of this lovely bright wasp.

December

Bit of urban wildlife for this month. A gathering of feral pigeons grabbed my attention. Putting the camera down at their level I was able to get this photo of the hungry birds.

 

As this is my last post for 2018 I will wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and the very best for 2019.

#30DaysWild – Day 16 – Bradgate Park, Leicester

This weekend was Bradgate Park’s Wildlife Weekend, I attended last year and had a fantastic time so I thought I would pop by again this year.

The event was bigger than last year, with more stalls and more local groups wanting to share their passion with anyone who showed interest. It was really rather fun and fascinating. I now have a lot of literature to read through too!

I did need a warm up before heading back, so I stopped for a cuppa. I had forgotten my travel mug so I was happy to see that the disposable cup I was given is 100% compostable, I may even use it to grow some micro-greens!

Taking a long walk back to the car park, I took the time to enjoy the beautiful open landscape and the resident wildlife. Seeing the deer that inhabit the park is always a thrill!

#30DaysWild – Day 6 – My friend’s garden and lots of happy bees!

Today I went to visiting a friend. She is a passionate gardener and it shows, her garden is beautiful, so full of colour and life.

After a cup of tea and a catch up, we stepped out into the stunning summer garden. There were so many bees, butterflies and bugs! There was one plant in particular that caught my eye – Buxton’s blue geranium. It was covered in 4 different species of bees! There were honey bees as well as carder bees, red-tailed bumblebees and buff-tailed bumblebees!

But it wasn’t just bees, there were mullein moth caterpillars, lots of wolf spiders carrying their silken egg sacks, a holly blue butterfly and a cinnabar.

The whole time we were serenaded by a very loud blackbird!

With great company, the warmth of the sun, some beautiful bird song and watching some lovely bugs … it was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!