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!

My Wild Life - Days 11-12

Day 11

A much better day weather wise and by far, a more productive day to add to the 30 days challenge.
Just like Day 9, we explored a new reserve (to us anyway).
Staveley Nature Reserve, owned and run by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, is a popular place for dog walkers and naturalists alike.

On one of the walkways, we were greeted by tiny froglets or toadlets (not sure which). The numbers could almost form a miniature plague, just like the story of Moses.

They were actually quite adorable!

The first hide we visited, overlooked the East Lagoon where the otters can normally be seen.

Unfortunately for us, we didn't see them but I'm sure a visit during the winter months may reward us with such a sighting!

Though the picture doesn't portray any obvious wildlife, there was plenty to see if you sat patiently. With a coffee of course!

Just like St Aidan's, wild flower meadows engulfed each pathway and there was always something new to spot within each field.

An abundance of wild flowers gracefully littered the landscape.

Along the top edge of the reserve is farmland. Though this is not part of the reserve, I grabbed the opportunity to take some artistic pictures.
Like this barley...

...and wheat.

Well I thought they were artistic anyway!

Leading away from the fields and back onto the reserve is a quaint little bridge over the River Tutt.

Following the track, we stumbled upon this fascinating little thing...

Can't say what it is because we don't actually know! Can't seem to find it in any of my books. So if you know, let me know!

Further down the path is this observation point. It was a welcome stop from all the wind!

Though some pathways are sheltered by trees, there is certainly no lack of flowers and insects taking advantage of this humongous banquet!

Finally reaching Staveley's new hide, we realised how magnificent and deluxe this hide truly was!

Made from straw bales, this panoramic hide offers a view for everyone across West Lagoon!

From ducks to rabbits...

...and hunting Barn owls to gaggling geese...

There was a brilliant array of wildlife surrounding this one hide.

At another view point in the middle of the reserve, was this ocean of Oxeye Daisy's.

Words can not begin to explain how heart racing the view was.
So I'll leave the image to bamboozle your own heart!

Day 12

Over a third of the way through my personalised challenge! Wow, where is June going?
I finally captured on camera, one of the Great tit fledglings!

Digital zoom really doesn't give this bundle of joy justice but I can officially say I have a photo!

Exploring the garden some more, a Lupin leaf had a perfectly placed raindrop magnifying a small piece of beech leaf from my neighbours tree.

Going into what will be the 'mini meadow', I spotted a tiny pansy on the nettle mound.

This delicate flower is part of the edible range I planted up early in the month.

After exploring the garden, I swept and composted dried leaves and cleared the patio to make way for the new potty shed!

My Wild Life - Hedgehog Special

Day 10 was an incredibly miserable day. It rained for the majority of the day and the wind was continuous.

But nature never stops and won't wait for the weather to brighten up.
So just like the birds, insects and determined animals of this country, I was outside all day making the most of my holiday!

I didn't get up to much, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share this.

Early last month, I built a hedgehog home with my mad eccentric boyfriend.
May was a busy month for me, so the 2 weeks I didn't work on this mini project, proved to be busy for the wildlife too! The wildlife around the home has really flourished and it looks really established!

With a wooden base, laid out on top of weed control fabric, brick walls and a wooden roof, this hog home was sure to be warm and water tight.
A small corridor on the inside of the home, prevented any wind from chilling the main chamber immediately. The main chamber is on the other side of the right hand wall.

The main chamber, as you can see, is quite spacious. You have to remember that hedgehogs can grow quite big!

After our monster of a pond was built a few years ago, there was some excess pond liner left over. This was used to make the whole construction water proof. Bricks held the liner down on one side, and excess turf on the other. Both acting as a double layer of insulation to maintain a constant temperature inside.

It looked strange initially, a black box in the corner of the garden. it needed camouflaging and what better way to do so, more natural objects! On top of the home, we placed a spare part of a wooden archway which had convenient sized segments to infill with materials.
This created a buggy hotel. Or as my my mad eccentric boyfriend put it, a buffet for the hedgehog!
Different materials, means different habitats. Different habitats means a variety of creatures will set up home.

Piling large logs on top, covered in fungi and lichen, added more diversity for the wildlife and will hopefully encourage other creatures to use this area dedicated to them, opening up a more varied diets for any hedgehog which visits.

Excess branches from our garden tree and a dead fuschia were cut up and stacked up against the turfed wall and as last month went on, more logs were added. Including a large piece of the fuschia across the doorway, covering the entrance from rain and other elements.

A random stray air-brick makes an ideal nest site for a solitary bee and a convenient piece of triangular turf, makes a mini flowering meadow right outside the home. You could say, it's a doormat for the hedgehogs to wipe their feet on before going to bed!

And the most fun part, the doormat/meadow, is currently flowering.

I really hope this inspires you to create a home for Britain's hedgehogs because they have declined 95% since the 1960's and they need our help more than ever. Your hog home doesn't need to be as extravagant as mine; it can be an old wooden crate with a 13x13cm hole cut from one side.

So go on moment-eers, make Britain proud!

My Wild Life - Days 7-9

Day 7

Not an overly productive day on Day 7, as I was at work, but I still went outside to fulfil the 30 Days Wild challenge.

So, what did I get up to? Well! I topped up the potted potatoes...

...and watered the garden just before it started to rain.

It was fairly light rain so watering the top layer of soil helped the rain soak in quicker.

Day 8

Ah! Day 1 of my holiday! The weather was by far better than the previous few days and as a result, I got more done!

With my mad eccentric boyfriend, we sorted out everything to do with the birds in my garden.

First of all, we collected, emptied and washed all the bird feeders.

Next of all, we clamped my lovely log seed feeder (which came from Potteric Carr!).

As you can see, a large crack had formed.

Clamping the log whilst it was still damp, made the wood more flexible. And hopefully, as it dries in this clamped position, it will retain the new shape for longer.

Of course, we plan to brace it with some small metal off cuts, but that will come in another post!

So instead of holding seed, it will now hold sheep wool!

Baaa-rilliant! Sorry...

Leaving the other feeders in the sun to fully dry out, we filled up my snazzy new bird seed bin.

It's a 40 litre 'Knodd' from Ikea and it perfectly holds a 25kg bag of mixed seed from Vine House Farm.

You can buy various seed in various quantities from them directly...

...or from Potteric Carr!

When the Feeders were fully dry, it was time to refill and hang them back in the tree.

Which included the homemade fat balls.

My birds LOVE them!

Last but not least; bird baths.

Yes they like to wash and preen themselves too, so clean water is essential not only for bathing, but also for drinking.

We have to bird baths and pebbles of varying sizes at the bottom of each bowl, create different depths for different birds. And if you're lucky, mammals.

Day 9

Besides the wind, (if you want to call it that!) my eccentric boyfriend and I went to a new RSPB reserve near Fairburn Ings. This new RSPB reserve is called St Aidan's and is a few miles down the road from Garforth.

The site was originally owned by an old coalery and though it doesn't look much on a map, this sight is HUGE and home to the fabulous Bittern.

As this is a fairly recent RSPB purchase, there are yet to be hides but walking down each pathway, really opens your eyes to the diversity of wildlife present throughout this long forgot quarry.

Wild flower meadows sweep either side of the pathways, a romantic carpet for the singing Skylark...

...and the well established reed bed is host to an astonishing number of birds. Which included (for us on the day) a common Tern, Herons, hunting Kestrels and Bitterns.

It's an incredible take over on natures behalf and one people can really connect to.