My Wild Life - Days 28-30

Day 28

Rain! Seriously can not complain though. The garden has had a thorough watering which in turn means; it's free, it's natural, it's fresh and it doesn't contain chlorine.

Love the stuff!

Day 29

RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!

Love it BUT, do you remember this picture from day 22?

Well! Turns out we don't have ravenous birds, but a grey squirrel.
We can't say for sure but my dearest mother saw a possible culprit on our neighbours roof.
Could explain all the bird seed on the ground... And I've been blaming the Wood pigeons!

Day 30

Day 30 of my 30 Days Wild Challenge! I did it! A random act of wilderness everyday for a month!
Phew!

After deciding what to do with the bird feeders and how to prevent the supposed squirrel from using them, I did originally plan to make more fat balls.
I probably still will but here is how I made them on day 8.

Vegetable suet is an ideal choice and here is why; if you take a look at the nutritional value, it has next to no salt and sugar, sky high with fat and saturates and a good wedge of calories too.
Perfect for those fledglings!

In a mixing bowl, add 1 part suet to 2 parts seed.

So for every 100g of suet, you need 200g of seed.

You don't have to use just seed; low salt cheese, dried mealworms and fruit are all great to use.
As you can see in my mixing bowl, there are dried mealworms and seed.

Combine the suet and the food...

...until you are able to form balls.

Ta dah! Now to wait for those feasting birds!

My Wild Life - Days 25-27

Day 25

Golly, 6 months till Christmas. Better get planning!
Before I do anything of the sort, I will tell you about my snazzy day down by the river!

After a farewell service for a dear family friend (don't worry, not a funeral!), I went on a walk with my mad eccentric boyfriend down by my local river.

Besides seeing a hybrid white duck, likely to be a Malard, we saw a very bendy tree...

Tiny fish by the Salmon leap and this funky bracket fungus...

The views were calm and relaxing.

And best of all, there was no one around except for us 2.

It was wonderful.

Day 26

2 years since our dearest Milly passed away.

Relighting candle after candle in her memory, I got on with my 30 day challenge.
Firstly, I replanted some carrots my mum had thinned from a couple of larger pots.

I then helped her dig up a raised bed of potatoes...

...and replanted it with broccoli plants and parsley.

How pretty!

Looking at the climbing beans near to that raised bed, my mum and I found a very tiny bean.

Awww!

To top the day off, I admired the flowing waterlily.

It maybe a simple gesture, but studying a flower can really make you wonder about its creation and life cycle.

Day 27

It rained all day today. Incredibly good for the garden and it also means the 2 water butts we currently have, are now brimming!

Most people dislike the rain.
Me on the other hand, love it!

My Wild Life - Days 22-24

Day 22

Day 22 was certainly more a leisurely day.
To start with, I checked my wildflower seeds...

It was suggested to me to use a netting tunnel. That way, any moisture on the surface of the tiny leaves will not scorch the seedlings as the heat of the sun increases during the day.

Turning round to check the feeders, I noticed the fat balls were well loved.

As was the Vine House Farm mixed seed...

Either those birds are incredibly hungry or there is something else going on...

As you may well have seen on day 17, I planted a Pansy ring round the base of our washing line.
Before planting them all, I replaced the flowers in my buggy house.

How Lovely!

Day 23

Unfortunately for me, I was at work all day but I was still able to walk out to meet my lift home.
It was raining. The sort of misty rain which gets you very wet.
It was misty rain like this...

(picture of Leighton Moss, end of October)

Day 24

I was at work again today but I still enjoyed the warmth of the evening sun on my face and body as I sat outside and meditated to myself.

And of course there is no better way to end the week than a visit from your Preston sister and a viewing of the classic film, Dirty Dancing!

My Wild Life - Days 20-21

Day 20

I was at work that day but nothing could stop me! For half an hour, I sat outside and had my lunch.
Though it was cloudy, it was still incredibly pleasant and with yesterdays temperature reaching a whopping 29'C, the cloud cover was more than welcome!

Day 21

Yesterday was a scorcher. Today on the other hand was much more manageable. In comparison, this morning was surprisingly chilly so I caught up with a few things inside.

After lunch, the temperature outside had risen significantly. So much for it being more manageable!
That aside, I cracked on with day 21 of My Wild Life.

I planted up (what will be) some snazzy plants...

Gathered up what I needed to sew my 30 Days Wild seeds (I know, about time!)...

Prepared the ground for said seeds...

Sewed, watered and covered them with a miniature greenhouse to protect them from birds and cats, pooing everywhere...

After, I found a tiny packet of herb seeds; sweet basil and chives.
So I repeated the same process but on a much tinier scale!

Sweet!

My Wild Life - Hedgehog Rescue

Late yesterday evening, just as we were leaving Filey, we came across a Hedgehog.

A small lump in the road, seen from a distance can usual mean roadkill or, in this case, a Hedgehog.

Though as we approached, the hedgehog appeared to be an odd shape; not a plump hog on 4 legs but sloped back end with a Hedgehog head at the front.

As we ran out to it, mainly to move it from the middle of the car park entrance, we discovered it was dragging both it's hind legs which could only mean one thing; broken.

Picking this spritely creature up, I soon realised the severity of the situation. One leg was clearly swollen and the other, well, lets say it's a good thing I didn't take pictures, the other leg had a bone sticking out from it.

Placing the courageous hog into a box, we drove home, wondering had we left a couple of minutes earlier, we would never have seen it and its chances of survival were slim. Worried our small friend wouldn't make the night, I placed apple in the box. No need to be worried, it demolished the lot!

Finally back at home, a good hours drive from Filey, we re-homed our prickly friend into a bigger box, just for the night mind you!

Fresh newspaper lined the bottom of the box to prevent it's fragile legs from catching on anything.

Clean fresh rain water and smelly turkey cat food were placed in separate bowls and the box we housed it in for the car journey, stuffed with fresh straw, became its bed chamber.

This photo was taken this morning and as you can see, there is hardly any cat food left! This greedy piggy has clearly lived up to its name!

After a major googling session, my dad contacted a rescue centre near Dewsbury, called Oggles Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. We spoke to a passionate lady called Vicky who agreed to meet us at Ikea (an easy landmark!).

Off to Ikea we went with small yet smelly Hodgepig in the back of the car.

In the romantic setting of the Ikea car park, we handed (what turned out to be) little miss Hedgehog over to Vicky, a caring loving woman who wants nothing but the best for all Hedgehogs.

As my dad and I stood, nervously waiting, like a patient awaiting test results, Vicky briefly examined her and confirmed one of my minor fears; she would live but our small lady would lose a leg. Not only that but on closer inspection, she had maggots and unhatched eggs. Fortunately, they could be washed away and removed.

Our lady hog is now in the best possible hands and I couldn't be more relieved. Is it fate we found her when we did or by sheer coincidence?

I chose not to take pictures of our short journey together because I did not wish to distress her and I could not bring myself to face the reality of what had happened.

Was she hit by a car? Attacked by another animal maybe? Or did someone take it upon themselves to deliberately hurt her?

She will never be able to go back to the wild but she will live a pleasant thriving life in a secure garden under the watchful eye of someone who truly cares.

My Wild Life - Days 17-18

Day 17

Day 17 was a scorcher!
So why I was outside, in the midday sun, planting, I have no idea!
But here is what I got done:

I noticed the edible clover had flowered...

Here is the nettle mound before:

And after:

What a difference!

After cutting the hedge right back on Day 14, I was able to retrieve last years Blackbird nest.
It was quite a neat little nest and amazing to think they made it with the use of their beak.

It's sad to say I found scraps of plastic bag woven into this sturdy nest. Whether from our garden or a neighbours, it's a shame to think these birds are now relying on man made material to create the perfect home for their chicks.

As I remember, all the chicks fledged with no problems.

Back on the lawn, I planted up 3 tomato plants. I plan to prune these into a tomato bush!

I also planted up a pansy ring at the base of the washing line.

Might as well, brightens it up!

Lastly, after the heat of the day, my mad eccentric boyfriend and I, carried out a mini moth night.

We attracted alot of midges and mosquitoes, all male, and 5 moths.
Doesn't sound like much but one of them was the Swallowtail moth.

Day 18

Day 18, what a day to go to the coast! The traffic was light and the sea incredibly blue!
But it wasn't the beach we were after; Bempton Cliffs lay in waiting with its majestic Gannets and chatty Kittiwake's for an afternoon of blistering sun and rediscovery!

It is definatly one of those reserves best visited than read about but here it goes!

Each view point reveals the secret life of each seabird.

The Gannet Peninsular, as I like to call it, had every nook and cranny filled. There was honestly no room for any other bird!

Besides the amazing views and wall to wall blue skies, onlookers peered over the edge to catch a glimpse of the elusive puffin. This iconic bird adds a splash of colour to the cliff face and is a dumpling in flight.

Up and down this stretch of coast, like minded naturalists brace their binoculars as each parent bird carries on with their life on edge, literally! How these birds nest, sleep and raise a chick on these perches is beyond me! How do the chicks stay on, is a question I need to know!

Oblivious to the human's obsession, these birds power on through life as nature intended.

Leaving the reserve at 5, we headed north towards Filey. Filey is my childhood beach. Whenever the sun shines and the shorts are dusted down from the winter, I beg to myself I will make it to Filey beach.

Eating a battered sausage with chips and a lemon top ice cream, a leisurely stroll along the shore line made a blissful end to a perfect day.

Rock pooling unearthed childhood memories and I was transported back to family holidays spent scrambling across boulders and tiptoeing between colonies of limpets.

The sunset formed a picturesque snap to the back of the Brigg and the view from the cliff top proved to be better!

My Wild Life - Days 13-16

Day 13

Day 13, was all about preparation. The Beech hedge needed a really good cut back to make way for the new potting shed.

I tell you what though, it was great fun using the hedge trimmer!
Of course, I went through all the usual tricks. The Great tits had already fledged and I knew there were no nesting birds in the section of hedge I was about to trim.

As well as trimming the hedge, I naturally contributed to more gardening tasks like topping up the pond. In the process of checking the vegetable patch, I discovered a humongous amount of black aphids on my mum's angelica...

Wow!

As it was a Tuesday, Springwatch was on. So I indulged in as much Springwatch throughout the day as I possibly could!

Day 14

Day 14 of My Wild Life started off quite sweetly.
I saw a Water boatman in the pond...

Admired water droplets on the edges of leaves...

To me, they looked like gems on a ring or a diamond encrusted brooch.
It was stunning to look at!

As the new potting shed was arriving at lunchtime, my dad pressure washed the patio. So I of course admired his handy work!

As the morning progressed, the sun blazed down and parched the driveway of any moisture. Maybe it was time to sit inside and cool off!

Finally the shed arrived and was constructed under the watchful eye of my dad. He's a funny chap sometimes!

It's so lovely!
Workmen gone, I blossomed back outside and continued to trim the area's of the hedge I could not reach previously.

Hedge after...

I know it looks drastic but it hasn't been done in a few years and there is alot of dead beech hidden within the living branches...
Anyway, the section of the hedge which overlooks the garden is still as bushy as ever! So any birds who wish to have a second or maybe third brood, may do so under the protection of this wild hedge!

Hedge before...

Day 15

Back to work I go. It was a sad moment really, I enjoy where I work and I'm not lazy by saying I enjoy a holiday (who wouldn't?!) but being off for a week really opens your eyes to all the possibilities and adventures there are to be had.

And hey, working in retail still enables you to have wild encounters during your lunch break!
For example, I sat down by the River Wharfe and watched some flamboyant pigeons whilst eating my lunch. Who says pigeons are boring?!

Day 16

Same as yesterday, I had to work but I can't complain!
I had some time to myself as I walked out of the town to meet my lift home and unfortunately, it was the last Springwatch Unsprung.

Thanks for a great series, both Springwatch and Unsprung!
Full of incredible facts, wonderful animals, inspiring people and of course, the bits of 'silly' which makes us all laugh!