Nature Reserve – Page 4 – Canned Wildlife

The Annual Rutland Romp!

Sep 1, 2015Aug 23, 2017Posted in Birds, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Exploration, Holiday, Nature ReserveTagged A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Admire the setting Sun, AFON, BBC Countryfile, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Bill Oddie, Birder, Birdfair, Birding, Birds, Conservation, Countrylife, Countryside, Hambleton, Leicestershire, Mike Dilger, Oakham, RSPB, Rutland, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, Wildlife, WildlifeKate1 Comment

“The Annual Rutland Romp!” ?? I’m referring to the British Birdwatching Fair, the Birdfair of course! 🙂 Last week was my 5th time at the fair (I’ve been going every year since 2010). It’s on for 3 days over a weekend in mid August, and has been on every year for more than 25 years! I love that it’s not just people from all over Britain visiting Rutland Water, but people from all over the world that migrate to England’s smallest county for this annual and eventful occasion too!

Birdfair 2010 - Me and Simon King OBE. — Birdfair 2010 – Me and Simon King OBE

Over the years – despite its name – Birdfair has evolved to not just be about birds and aiding their conservation, but wildlife and conservation overall. I often refer to it as a wildlife festival before telling people the name of it. It is an amazing place to meet and be surrounded by like-minded passionate people, and rub shoulders with TV personalities 😉 There are talks from wildlife TV presenters, naturalists, conservationists and filmmakers, as well as authors and photographers too. I could only do two days of the fair and arrived on Saturday, with my wildlife photographer friend, James Burman – who has taken some stunning pictures. We camped at Rutland Water Camping, on the lovely Hambleton Peninsula – where we saw Foxes and a Badger 🙂

Chris Packham’s talk was brilliant – in short; it was about cutting the crap regarding what dangers children might face outdoors, and to let them experience and enjoy nature in all its glory! Chris featured three young wildlife enthusiasts, who in turn talked about their experiences and passion for nature, and what they have been up to. I realised they each represented a region of England: Josie Hewitt – The South, Connor Coombes – The North and Georgia Locock – The Midlands. All of their talks were very good, and insightful 🙂 I’m hoping this is a progressive change, as it’s really nice hearing from a diverse range of people on stage in the Events Marquee. Connor with his Cumbrian accent and Georgia with her West Midlands accent (similar to my own), I couldn’t help but be moved, it was refreshing and humbling!

In various other marquees you can find hundreds of stands selling and promoting the latest products for wildlife enthusiasts – gadgets and clothing, scopes to sculptures, binoculars to bird food and eGuides to eco-holidays! 😀 I mainly go to the festival to catch up with old friends and make new ones, and to share it all with them! ❤

This year - Me & James Burman (that's Alex & Gordon looking at the Birdfair programme) :) — Birdfair 2015 – Me & James Burman (Alex & Gordon looking at the Birdfair programme) 🙂

Birdfair 2015 - Christine Hall and Me — Birdfair 2015 – Christine Hall and Me 😀

Since my 2nd time, I have met up with my friend Christine Hall, a great wildlife camerawoman, photographer and conservationist. It’s possible you’ve seen her video of a Red Squirrel on a previous series of Autumnwatch, it was slipping down a post whilst trying to get peanuts from a bird-feeder, and you may have recently seen her in the Springwatch Unsprung audience 😉

It was really good meeting Yusuf Akhtar, Victoria House and a mixture of AFON and NGB members (to name a few); Alexandra Hoadley, Ryan Clark, Susan Jones, Josie Hewitt, James Common, Georgia Locock, Drew Lyness, Billy Stockwell, Sorrel Lyall, Tom Mason and James O’Neill. Plus it was really nice catching up with Peter Cooper, Jack Perks, Josh Jaggard and Matt Collis 🙂

Birdfair 2011 - second time meeting Mike Dilger, first time meeting Bill Oddie. — Birdfair 2011 – Mike Dilger, Bill Oddie OBE and Me!

Birdfair 2015 - Me and Kate MacRae — Birdfair 2015 – Me with Kate MacRae

Every year at the Bushnell stand I chat to WildlifeKate quite a lot, we came to realise we’ve never had a photo taken together, so the picture above is the only one ever for now 😛

Birdfair 2015 - Mike Dilger and Me — Birdfair 2015 – Mike Dilger and Me

Mike Dilger and I chat quite a lot too, this year he bumped into me – in the Art Marquee – James and I happened to be getting to know the illustrator of his new book, Darren Woodhead – a wonderful artist. Mike’s new book is being released next year!

Simon King’s talk this year – as well as hearing about his recent wildlife filmmaking – contained a much needed reminder; a bit more needs to be done to conserve the natural world. We were made aware that nature is losing places in the dictionary! Words like Snowdrop are being taken out and replaced with the likes of “selfie” and “blog”. So I was pleased that towards the end of his talk we were informed about the Simon King Wildlife Project, which is a new charity assisting in the prevention of the degradation of the natural world, globally. The project intends to safeguard habitats, reclaim land for nature and engage people with wild creatures and wild places, which in turn will help keep the natural world intact! 🙂

Before my entry comes to an end – wildlife I observed around the reserve:

Common Sandpiper
Greenshank
Muntjac Deer
Ospreys
Hornets
Hares
Barn Owl

Thanks for visiting 😀

Day 24 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 24, 2015Jun 25, 2015Posted in BBC, Birds, Challenge, Conservation, Country Park, Encounters, Farm, Film, Greenbelt, Local, Nature Reserve, TV, Video, Walk, WoodlandTagged 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Cadbury, Conservation, country park, Countryfile, Countryside, Film, For The Love Of, Frankley, Frankley Beeches, Lickey Hills Country Park, My Wild Life, National Trust, Rubery, Springwatch, The One Show, The Wildlife Trust, Video, West Midlands, Wild Time, Wildlife Trusts, WorcestershireLeave a comment

Behind the Scenes: Video for the Wild

I chose the mystery location for yesterdays’ video, because I grew up a short walk away from it and was inspired by an episode of Countryfile where Anita Rani showcases rural Bradford 😛 Incase you’ve not seen the video, I’ll not ruin the ‘surprise’ with naming it. It’s where I cut my teeth as a child and naturalist, so to speak and over the years I’ve seen loads of wildlife there, a few firsts, which includes the time I saw my first Weasel as a child! Yesterday my friend Gary and I observed a Kestrel and Jay up there.

In the second shot of the intro to my video, I’m on the top of Rubery Hill/Cock Hill, with the Frankley countryside and suburb in the background, there are more great views from up there; the Lickey Hills, Rubery and Bromsgrove in the distance – plus the country park I reveal in my video 😉

When we were filming near Frankley Beeches wood, we heard and saw a beautiful male Yellowhammer – it’s the second time I’ve seen one in Frankley, (I’ve mainly distantly heard their song now and again) so I decided to record and feature this Yellowhammers’ song as the soundtrack for the video. We could also hear the beautiful song of the Skylark in the distance, down near Lower Hill Farm. On New Street, near the Greenbelt just before Frankley Hill Lane (which leads up to the Frankley Beeches Wood) I saw a partly Leucistic male Blackbird collecting worms, I almost mistook it for a Ring Ouzel!

**Yesterdays’ Video for the Wild** 😀

Today I observed a male and female House Sparrow feeding on aphids from the wee Willow Tree that’s in my parents garden.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Day 23 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 23, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in BBC, Challenge, Conservation, Country Park, Farm, Film, Greenbelt, Local, Nature Reserve, River, Video, Walk, WoodlandTagged 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, BBC Midlands Today, Birmingham, Cadbury, Conservation, country park, Countryfile, Countryside, Film, For The Love Of, Frankley Beeches, My Wild Life, National Trust, Natural England, River Rea, River Tame, Rubery, Springwatch, The One Show, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Waseley Hills Country Park, West Midlands, Wild Time, Wildlife Trusts, Worcestershire1 Comment

Video for the Wild

My favourite local patch – and why it matters to me:

Ode to a Secret River – the poem I mention in the video.

Thanks for visiting 😀

Day 19 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 19, 2015Jun 22, 2015Posted in Challenge, Greenbelt, Local, Nature ReserveTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Admire the setting Sun, Birmingham, Countryside, Frankley, Frankley Beeches, Greenbelt, National Trust, Rubery, Semirural, Suburban, Sunset, Worcestershire2 Comments

“admire the setting sun”

Today I chose to admire the setting sun. I had been at work, plus a couple things didn’t go to plan – so it was a nice relaxed way to end the day. I took these pictures from my friend’s flat (again, with my mobile).

You can see Beacon Hill, which is part of the Lickey Hills Country Park, from the balcony etc... — You can see Beacon Hill, which is part of the Lickey Hills Country Park, from the balcony etc…

You can't tell, but the Waseley Hills Country Park is in the distance. — The Sunset underway. You can just make out some countryside in the distance.

A few minutes later, and some how a bit clearer. — A few minutes later.

I then went up Rubery Hill a.k.a Cock Hill or the Quarry, to take the last of my photos.

You can just make out Rubery Hill/Cock Hill.

On Rubery Hill now, you can just see rural Frankley in the distance. — On Rubery Hill now, you can just see a wee bit of rural Frankley in the distance.

Without flats in shot, — Without the flats in shot,

You can make out rural Frankley, with some of the New Frankley semi-rural-suburb below it. — You can make out rural Frankley, with some of the New Frankley semi-rural suburb below it. The stand of trees to the right (which kind looks like a Cadbury’s Chocolate Button) is Frankly Beeches/Frankley Hill.

Coming back, down from Rubery Hill. — Just before coming back, down from Rubery Hill.

Thanks 🙂

Day 16 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 16, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Challenge, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Nature Reserve, Plants, Reptiles, Walk, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Challenge, Conservation, Countryside, Environment, Meadow, Nature Reserve, Random Acts of Wildness, Reptiles, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Wolseley CentreLeave a comment

“Invite a friend into nature”

Today my friend Gary (mentioned in previous posts) and I visited the Wolseley Centre – Staffordshire Wildlife Trust HQ!

We’ve had great day, the weather was wonderful. We both hadn’t been before. I was impressed by the variety of habitats (grassland, lakes, rivers and woodland) and species.

Today’s challenge was “invite a friend into nature”, but it was also chance for Gary to brush up on his photography skills (I shall document what we saw below!) And in line with the challenge, I did my best to teach Gary about all the various creatures we came across and the bird songs we heard.

We saw Swallows and House Martins flying above the centre.

We saw this Bee and Bumble Bees on the Purple Wallflower at the entrance of the centre. — And this Bee and Bumble Bees on the Purple Wallflower at the entrance of the centre.

Not seen Honeysuckle in such a deep yellow before :) — Not seen Honeysuckle in such a deep yellow before 🙂

Gary and myself before our wild walk. Photobombed by a Mallard! ;) — Gary and myself before our wild walk. Photobombed by a Mallard! 😉

Whilst Gary looked through my binoculars, I told him about what he was observing. — Whilst Gary looked through my binoculars, I told him about what he was observing (nice shirt!)

A wild sculpture, I assume it's a bench? — A wild sculpture!

This time we were photobombed by a Canada Goose! ;) — This time we were photobombed by a Canada Goose! 😉

If you remember, I love Oak Trees! This individual has been adopted by Philip Rainsbury and Sue Haycock :) — If you remember, I love Oak Trees! This individual has been adopted by Philip Rainsbury and Sue Haycock 🙂

A cute baby Rat! — Can you spot the baby Rat?

Gary's first ever Chaffinch - to his knowledge. — Gary’s first ever Chaffinch – to his knowledge 😛

One of my favourites of Gary's snaps, a Great Tit in flight. — One of my favourites of Gary’s snaps, a Great Tit in flight.

Some grassland management. — Some grassland management (I have the camera now)

A disheveled Peacock Butterfly. — A disheveled Peacock Butterfly (by me)

A Common Blue Butterfly (Gary has his camera back)

But who too this one?! — But who took this one?!

A Terrapin?! I was shocked to see this. Taken with a lens kindly leant by a very friendly chap from Stoke (walking past) — A Terrapin?! I was surprised to see this. Taken by Gary with a lens kindly lent by a very friendly chap from Stoke (walking past)

A stunning sculpture - very talented work! — A stunning sculpture – very talented work!

There’s still a little bit more for us to explore, looking forward to the next visit! 😀

Thanks for reading 🙂

Day 6 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 6, 2015Jun 10, 2015Posted in Birds, Challenge, Film, Nature Reserve, TVTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Film, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, WebcamsLeave a comment

It’s a short one today. I started work at 4pm and wanted to catch up on Springwatch during the day, so I decided that would be my task for Day 6.

I’m loving the natural-nest-site camera on the Barn Owls – it’s brilliant we can watch their goings on inside an old Oak Tree! The Stickleback footage is amazing, such clear crisp stunning images of behaviour we wouldn’t normally know is going on beneath the surface! I thought it was a real privilege that the BBC got to film the Beaver analysis and release, I personally like that we have them back in the UK and on a river called Otter! 😛

I also liked it when Michaela got to paddle around the reeds and witnessed the various Warblers and saw inside a Bearded Tit nest. And there was that film featuring the talented cameraman with dyslexia, that was inspired to film Wildlife from the Ladybird books illustrator (apologies – I have forgot certain names, I may add them later).

Thanks for reading 🙂

Day 4 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 4, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Challenge, Film, Local, Nature Reserve, Plants, Walk, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Film, Park, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Walk1 Comment

“Discover urban wildness and mini habitats.”

I was at work again today, so went with a simple Random Act of Wildness – on the days I’m not at work they’ll be somewhat elaborate 😉 I chose “Discover urban wildness and mini habitats.” – from the booklet and decided I would complete this challenge by walking home from work and passing by certain places and stopping when something catches my eye etc. Again, I filmed (with my phone) and have a video for you to see!

Brownfield along the Northfield Relief Road.

BYPASS
I left Sainsbury’s and walked down the relief road/bypass, knowing a short walk down it there is a Brownfield site adjacent and that I’d see something there. A patch of land with scrub and a smattering of wildflowers – Poppies being the more obvious flower. I witnessed a skirmish between two male House Sparrows and heard a Dunnock and Blackcap singing. At the top there is a really nice amount of Ivy growing onto of some Hawthorn.

The Dunnock and Blackcap were somewhere in the Ivy. A short distance past the Ivy is a Alder tree, which had a Harlequin Ladybird on it – which features in the video.

Buttercups growing in an unkempt feature thing

BUZZING
Off the bypass is Bristol Road South, I crossed over and headed down there and came across some Buttercups growing on top of some sort of feature; a raised garden brick-structure-thing and saw a few Bees flying around! I climbed on top to get a closer look etc.

BROOK
I carried on down the road and admired the grass verge that separates both lanes, as some parts of it haven’t been mown – to deliberately leave strips of wildflower! I passed by a lovely park called Manor Farm Park, but decided not to venture into the park and head on down to Merritts Brook Greenway, where I took the pictures blow and end my short film.

Wild Garlic (Ramsons) flowers past their best

I’ll say no more and let the video say the rest 😉 Enjoy! 🙂

Day 2 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 2, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Challenge, Country Park, Film, Local, Nature Reserve, Plants, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, country park, Film, The Wildlife Trust, Tree Hugging, Trees, Video6 Comments

For my second day of the challenge, I wanted it to be something more ‘proactive’ and it to require being outdoors. Also, if it was to be a video, then I wanted it to be considerably better than my first one. It had stopped raining, so I couldn’t do “Dance in a downpour”…

DECISIONS
Early in the afternoon, my friend Gary came to help choose what I was going to do for Day 2 of 30 Days Wild. I was quite inspired and had several ideas (thanks to the handy challenge booklet provided by The Wildlife Trust) which I was going to put my spin on and make a film of. I found it quite difficult to decide which one to go with! I briefed Gary on all the ideas and how – with his help – I’d like to execute them (so to speak), in the end we agreed upon “Give your favourite tree a cuddle”.

PRE-PRODUCTION
My spin on the idea; was that I cannot pick one individual tree as my favourite! And to create a fun video of how I had to hug 4 of my favourite species of tree, 2 of which I have a connection with… Of course I hug a few other trees too! Haha.
There wasn’t a script exactly, I just finalised what I wanted to say etc.

TREE HUGGER
I didn’t have to travel far for the first tree, it is quite close to my family home. All of the trees in fact weren’t too far away. I decided I would do the Intro and Outro for the video at an ancient woodland/nature reserve approx 10 minutes walk away, Balaam’s Wood – where I became generous with my hugs. The second and third tree weren’t too far away from the first, the fourth was located in a country park approx 5 minutes walk away – but it is deep into the country park! So in all it took around 35 minutes to get to! I will reveal more about this particular country park and it’s name another time 😉

TIME
Due to starting it in the afternoon, I was very much aware that time was not going to be on our side. Obviously we had to allow for any last minute changes to the filming schedule and for any possible outtakes, but there was strictly no dilly-dallying! Editing took time, naturally, as you have to import the footage onto your computer and choose what clips that are wanted and needed and so on. I am very grateful that Gary stuck around for this process, his opinion helped a lot. It was great getting feedback from a ‘viewers’ point of view, so there were a few chops and changes before the finished film.

I wanted it to upload quicker to YouTube, so I chose a Standard Definition preset – resulting in it unfortunately appearing a little small in frame.

To see the final edit and find out the trees I chose and hugged click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ2MRENaeQY