Pilewort or Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

Pilewort or Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), flowering between January and April; these lovers of damp woodland pathways, stream banks and ditches, can be found in gardens, meadows and shady hedgerows, and even Narnia, yes, Narnia! ✨

Ficaria verna growing on the bank of a field edge

An important nectar source for early emerging insects from hibernation, such as Queen Bumblebees 🐝

Lesser celandine were used to treat haemorrhoids, hence “Pilewort” and scurvy, due to being high in Vitamin C.

All in all, they are a pretty cool plant!

Thanks for reading! 😊

Alder (Alnus glutinosa)

Dwelling in moist places; Alder grow near rivers, ponds, lakes and in wet, swampy woods, also known as Carrs.

Their flowers were used as green dye, to colour and camouflage the clothes of outlaws, like Robin Hood and to also colour the clothes of fairies 🧚🏻‍♂️

Flowering between February and April, Alder catkins provide an early source of nectar and pollen for Bees, and the seeds are eaten by Goldfinches, Siskins and Redpolls.

The pale wood turns a deep orange after being cut, giving the impression of bleeding. So, in the past, many people feared them and the Irish thought it was unlucky to pass one on a journey 😅

The roots have nitrogen-fixing nodules, conditioning the soil and improving soil fertility on former industrial wasteland and brownfield sites.

Alder leaf beetles (Agelastica alni) feed on the leaves of alder trees. They’ve become common in parts of England and Wales since 2004.

It was said that a few Alder leaves placed in the shoes before a long journey would cool the feet and prevent swelling 🤷🏻‍♂️

Being a tough species of tree, their wood doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead it makes them harder and stronger. Plus, mature trees can reach a height of approximately 28 metres and live to around 60 years.

Thanks for reading ✌🏻

Day 11 – 30 Days Wild

Today I have decided to share a wild moment from my past 🐦 😊

Thanks for visiting! 💚

Wildlife in May

A few years ago I made a series of short videos which were featured on the Reader’s Digest Magazine website, entitled Wildlife Monthly.  

Each month I produced 3 videos around a minute or more, detailing flora and fauna (mainly fauna) for you to look out for; be it in your garden, local park / reserve or further afield.

Below I have included the videos from my May edition(s).

2012

2011
(apologies for the dodgy voice-overs)

Thanks for visiting 🙂

Video

Wildlife Monthly: ARG Record Pool

This month I’ve decided to focus on some wildlife that takes a backseat, and is often overlooked – Reptiles and Amphibians!  🐍 🐸

ARG UK have teamed up with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation; to bring us a Record Pool of our water loving and sun loving friends!  In the video below I interview Underwater Cameraman, Jack Perks – to give us some tips and the lowdown on this nationwide survey.

To get involved with the survey; click here.  💻

Get spotting!

Thanks. 😃

Video

Wildlife Monthly: Bewick’s Swan

If you’ve not seen or heard of Wildlife Monthly; click here.

This month’s instalment features one of our large feathery winter visitors from the high Arctic; the Bewick’s Swan. Part of the “Wild Swans” family, they’re not sedentary but are free-roaming and make a lot more noise than Mute Swans do – with their load trumpeting calls which often mark their arrival.  They are also famously known for their individual black and yellow beak markings – allowing each bird to be identified and studied, which the staff at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, have been doing since the 1960’s.  They’re named after the celebrated bird illustrator, Thomas Bewick – and funnily enough, the yellow on a Bewick’s Swan’s beak forms the letter B!

To see my video on the Whooper Swan (another member of the Wild Swan family) click here.

Thanks 🙂

Gallery

The Last of #30DaysWild in The Lakes!

This is a well overdue blog post…

If you saw my last entry in June, then you know I spent a week in the amazing Lake District!  This post is for the last 4 days of 30 Days Wild/June.  For those who don’t know – I stayed in a place called Little Langdale with 4 of my friends, who are some of the best people and I’m truly thankful for knowing them 😀  I’m sharing with you iPhone pictures of my wild-and-natural highlights.

Day 27

We looked and ambled around one of our nearest towns, Ambleside – before heading to our home for the week!  It had all the shops we would need 🙂

A part of Ambleside's recreational ground.
A lovely view from Ambleside’s recreation ground. Atmospheric clouds!

I saw my first ever Dipper just down there! On Day 27 of 30 Days Wild! :D
A few minutes before I took this photo, I saw my first ever Dipper down there! 😀 This is the River Rothay.

Of course we visited The Bridge House - National Trust.
Of course we visited the Bridge House – National Trust.

We had to walk up a pathway to get to our Little Langdale cottage, we had our very own tarn and everything! 😀

It was just our wee garden & a field that separated us from Little Langdale Tarn <3
Taken a little way down the pathway, but it was just our wee garden & a field that separated us from Little Langdale Tarn (the lake) ❤

Our cottage! High Hallgarth! <3
Mary, Scott, Nick, Charlotte & our cottage, High Hallgarth! ❤

The view from my bedroom window for the week.
The view from my bedroom window for the week ❤

Taken from our garden area, we were surrounded by hills and mountains.
Taken from our garden area, we were surrounded by hills & mountains.

Day 28

We awoke to a downpour…  Despite the rain we decided to explore and visit our tarn first! 🙂  Later we found out tarn meant something completely different to our friend Mary (the redheaded lass), in Barnsley it means town! 😛

We awoke to rain. Even in a down poor it is fantastic!
Even with unpleasant weather, it is fantastic!  I loved seeing our Tarn each day!

On the way over to our very local lake, we came across a variety of nature.  My friend Scott (the blonde chap) is excellent at spotting small members of the animal kingdom, and allowing me time to document his finds! 🙂

Chimney Sweeper (Moth)
Chimney Sweeper (Moth)

There's only one Orchid in this picture, but everywhere we went, we saw one or fields/meadows brimming with them!
There’s only one Orchid in this picture, but they were everywhere we went, with some fields/meadows brimming with them!  Like the field we passed through on our way to the tarn.

We didn’t quite expect to find our selves in boggy conditions, and couldn’t make it down to the Little Langdale Tarn!  So we decided to change course, move away from the tarn and get our exploration of Little Langdale underway!

We passed through this small pine wood.
We passed through this wood. Charlotte & Scott leading the way 🙂

We were getting closer to a known part of Little Langdale, Slater’s Bridge!  Which relatively, is a short walk from High Hallgarth.

A Common Toad :)
A Common Toad – which was on the path just before the bridge! 🙂

We passed over Slater’s Bridge.

We've passed over Slater Bridge now, this picture is taken looking back at the bridge.
Taken looking back at Slater’s Bridge.

High Hallgarth is the small white spec above the cottage you can make out.
High Hallgarth is the small white spec above the cottage you can just make out.

One could Lichen this to a map ;)
One could Lichen this to a map 😉

We’ve walked a fair distance now 🙂

Taken more or less on the other side of Little Langdale Tarn.
Taken more or less on the other side of Little Langdale Tarn.

Day 29

We’ve walked over Slater’s Bridge again, for another walk! 🙂

Common Bistort
Common Bistort – one of my favourite pictures.

Look what we came across…

We came across a cute wee family!
A cute wee family!

They’re not Cumberland Fell Ponies, but they’ll do 😉

That's it, don't be shy lil' foalie! :)
That’s it don’t be shy lil’ foalie!  …Hey, is that a Fell Pony to the top left? 😉

First stop, Elterwater!

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The view from Elterwater Bridge

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Looking down!

Quite a nice bridge... I'm going to go under it! :)
Quite a nice bridge… I’m going to go under it! 🙂

Under-a-bridge-Selfie!
Under-a-bridge-Selfie!

A bit of the view from the other side.
A bit of the view from the other side.

We’re some way away from Elterwater now, within Great Landgale.  I came across something I knew would interest the others 😉

Ermine Moth Larvae!
Ermine Moth Larvae!

Almost an entire hedgerow was covered. I've seen similar in Frankley :)
Almost an entire hedgerow was covered.  I’ve seen similar in Frankley 🙂

Cocoons!
Cocoons!

Ahaha! I believe they're waiting for me :P ...What a great view ;)
Ahaha! I believe they’re waiting for me 😛  …What a great view 😉

We eventually passed by these hills and later came across a little stream, that I sadly have no pictures of… But below is what Scott found! 😀

A Newt :)
A Newt 🙂

Caddisfly Larvae
I’m holding Caddisfly Larva! Or it’s casing at least…

Later on – on our way back, getting closer to Little Langdale – Scott finds something rather special!

Sundew! A British carnivorous plant! :D
Sundew! British carnivorous flora! 😀

Day 30!

The last day of 30 Days Wild!  We went on a Ten Lakes Spectacular Tour!  My highlights/things I managed to take pictures of:

The tour bus! Kindly modelled by Nick :)
The tour bus!  Kindly modelled by Nick 🙂  Behind Nick is Chris, our jovial Mancunian tour guide and his assistant for the day, Tess. (By the way, that’s not a ghost in the window, that’s a patiently waiting Charlotte) 😉

Beatrix Potter lived down there!
I believe down there is Yew Tree Farm, formerly owned by the brilliant Beatrix Potter!

That's Brothers Water in the distance.
Brothers Water is down there in the distance.

The weather was lovely at Ullswater!
The weather was lovely at Ullswater!

IMG_1833
Ullswater is a great place to go boating.

Derwentwater and the Catbells :)
Derwentwater and the Catbells 🙂

A cruise is part of the tour! 😀

It felt like I was in a scene of film, Jurassic Park for example ;)
It felt almost as if I was in a scene of a film, Jurassic Park for example 😉

Derwentwater is near Keswick.  It was funny feeling like I was in a film and then disembarking to a recently arrived Film Crew!  They were setting up for a remake of Swallows and Amazons, I hear it’s a BBC Films production.

After lunch we went to see a Surprise View 😉

Looking down at Derwentwater (far right)
Looking down at Derwentwater from this spot is called Surprise View!

(Far left) Looking down at Derwentwater.
More of Derwentwater from above.

Ashness Bridge, one of Britain's most photographed bridges :)
Ashness Bridge, one of Britain’s most photographed bridges, just down from Surprise View 🙂

Honister Pass
Honister Pass

Nick admiring the view :)
Nick in awe of Honister Pass 🙂

Buttermere.
Buttermere

And…  that’s all folks!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog 🙂