Birmingham – Page 7 – Canned Wildlife

Day 20 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 20, 2015Jun 21, 2015Posted in Birds, LiteratureTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Bird Book, Birder, Birding, Birds, Birmingham, Encyclopedia, Environment, Hamlyn, My Wild Life, Random Acts of Wildness, The Wildlife Trust, Work1 Comment

Reading About Birds

Today I was sorting out the blog for yesterdays Random Act of Wildness – “Admire the setting Sun”, it was raining and I had work later. I wasn’t really left with many options, due to the constraints (time and weather). So, I chose to read a non-fiction book on the bus to work (wildlife related of course).

Refreshing my knowledge and filling in any gaps.

The bird on the front of the book is an American Goldfinch, it’s just a funky Siskin to us Brits 😛 I really like the first two paragraphs in the introduction for Section One of the book, so I’ve quoted them below:

Birds are not only one of the most successful groups in the animal kingdom but they hold a special position in our awareness of the natural world. They are often the most obvious living creatures in a landscape (their apparent confidence borne of an ability to fly to safety) and their bright colours and melodic songs have long been admired by man. Yet it is only recently that we have begun to fully appreciate just how intricate their lives are.
The 8000 or so species of birds have evolved over millions of years and have adapted to many different modes of life. If one was to take a single feature which places the birds apart from all other animals it would be the development of feathers. These complex and delicate structures not only make flight possible but also serve many other functions, notably providing insulation from cold or wet and furnishing attractive or eye-catching plumages for use in courtship and territorial rituals.

Such great facts! ❤ What a top way to introduce readers to a book all about birds.

I have to stop myself from quoting more paragraphs, so I’ll just quote one more. From the top of page 8:

Birds have lived on earth for far longer than man or any of the mammals. When giant dinosaurs roamed the world, there were already many kinds of birds inhabiting the forests, and wetlands and the marine environment. They included some types which we would recognise today, such as grebes, herons and waterfowl. In fact, it seems that birds are probably descended from small dinosaurs called coelurosaurs which ran standing up on their hind legs and balancing with their tails, much as birds do today. Compsognathus is a typical coelurosaur.

This book was published in 1989 by The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. It has 3 sections in all; Biology of Birds, Bird Habitats of the World and Bird Families of the World – covering all aspects. It has a mixture of stills and illustrations, I think it’s a brilliant book.

Thanks for reading 🙂

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 18 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 18, 2015Jun 22, 2015Posted in Challenge, Encounters, Garden, Local, PlantsTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Birmingham, Bugs, Challenge, Encounter, Flora, Garden, Insects, Meadow, My Wild Life, Random Acts of Wildness, Semirural, Suburban, Worcestershire1 Comment

What Caught My Eye

For day 18, I decided I would take a picture of whatever caught my eye. The first thing that did, was a lovely Green Shield Bug! 🙂

A Green Shield Bug perched on my parents livingroom window.

Later I went to visit my friend Laura’s pet shop, CavyNoodle Pets UK – in a village called Rubery. The shop more or less has a Wildlife Garden out back, where various wildflowers pop up. The Sweet Pea below, stood out to me.

I forgot how large Sweet Pea flowers and leaves grow. — This Sweet Pea is growing wild, so its’ flowers and leaves are larger than the cultivated varieties.

On the way back, I remembered the Shinning Cranesbill I passed on the walk down to Rubery was very red! So on my way back up, I snapped a couple pictures.

It'd be really cool, if this whole path was lined with the red plants! — It’d be really cool, if this whole path was lined with red Shinning Cranesbill!

These particular plants are red in colour due to the dry weather – therefore are nutrient starved, shutting down/stopping chlorophyll production and going to seed quite early. The remaining sugars in the leaves give it its’ red pigment. In away, the sugars have caramelised 😀

Thanks for visiting 🙂

Day 15 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 15, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Canal, Challenge, Encounters, Local, Plants, WalkTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Birmingham, Canal, Canal Walk, Challenge, Encounter, Environment, Flora, Random Acts of Wildness, Selly Oak, Semirural, Suburban, Walk1 Comment

Today I went a 30 minute walk along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal from Selly Oak, heading south towards Bournville 🙂

I’m not against cyclists, at all, but it would have been a lot more peaceful – and easier to take photos – if I didn’t have to get out of the way of people on bikes every 2 minutes! 😛

A person on there bike in the distance. — A person on their bike in the distance.

Along the way I heard plops in the water, a couple times I hoped it was a Water Vole, but it turned out to be fish. I didn’t see much Wildlife, the odd Moorhen and Mallard – so I decided to focus on the flora I came across and just before I came to end of my walk I came across something I deem as special. Below is what I saw: