BTO – Canned Wildlife

House Sparrows Trail CAM

Jul 4, 2020Posted in Birds, Environmental, Film, Garden, Local, Natural History, Video, VlogTagged #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Bill Oddie, Birder, Birders, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Birmingham, BTO, BTO Garden BirdWatch, Camera Trap, Creative Conservation, DEFRA, Earth Capture, Earth on Location, Environment, Environmental, Film, Frankley, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Gay Birders, Green Birmingham, House Sparrows, Made in Birmingham, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, RSPB, Semirural, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, Summer, Summer 2020, The Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, Trail Camera, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild Time, Wilder Future, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmaker, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife Vlog, WildlifeKate, WLT Bigger Picture, World Land TrustLeave a comment

Last night I popped my Trail CAM in one of the trees at the bottom of the garden. Below is what it managed to capture this morning 😊

Thanks for visiting! 💚

Day 25 + 26 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 26, 2020Jul 4, 2020Posted in BBC, Birds, Challenge, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Film, Garden, Natural History, Nature Reserve, TV, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Big Garden Birdwatch, Bill Oddie, Birder, Birders, Birding, Birds, Birdsong, Birdwatching, Birmingham, BTO, BTO Garden BirdWatch, Camera Trap, Challenge, Conservation, David Lindo, Dawn Chorus, Dunnock, Earth Capture, Earth on Location, Encounter, Environment, Environmental, Feeding Birds, Film, Frankley, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Gay Birders, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Greenbelt, House Sparrows, June, Made in Birmingham, Meadow, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nature Reserve, New Frankley, Ornithology, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, Robin, RSPB, Semirural, Simon King, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, Summer, Summer 2020, The Urban Birder, The Wildlife Trust, Trail Camera, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wild Time, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

My new toy arrived, a 4K video-recording 20MP photo-taking Trail CAM! 💖

Late in the afternoon I set it up in our new Wildlife Corner of the garden.

This morning I reviewed the footage that was recorded from yesterday afternoon, the evening & from this morning. I am over the moon with what the Trail CAM managed to capture! 💚

Thanks for visiting! ☺️

Day 12 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 12, 2020Jun 12, 2020Posted in Birds, Challenge, Encounters, Environmental, Film, Garden, Local, Natural History, TV, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birder, Birders, Birding, Birds, Birdsong, Birdwatching, Birmingham, BTO, BTO Garden BirdWatch, Challenge, Conservation, Conservationists, Courtship, CPRE, Dawn Chorus, Days Out, Earth Capture, Encounter, Environment, Environmental, Frankley, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Gay Birders, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Huawei, June, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nesting, NestWatch, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, RSPB, Semirural, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Nest Record Scheme, The Wild Side, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wild Time, Wilder Future, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife Vlog, WLT Bigger PictureLeave a comment

It has been great for Birdsong lately, hasn’t it? Since lockdown I have heard some great birds from the back garden 🎶

To be honest, I am already familiar with what song belongs to which bird 🙂

In my video I’ve labelled each birdsong / call 👇🏻

Thanks for visiting! 💚

Day 11 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 11, 2020Posted in Birds, Challenge, Coast, Conservation, Countryside, Encounters, Environmental, Exploration, Film, Lakes, Natural History, Nest, River, TV, Video, Vlog, WalkTagged #30DaysWild, #NowForNature, #WilderFuture, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Beach, Birder, Birders, Birding, Birds, Birdsong, Birdwatching, Bridlington, BTO, Challenge, Coast, Conservation, Countryfile, Countrylife, Countryside, CPRE, Days Out, Documentary, Earth Capture, East Yorkshire, Encounter, Environment, Environmental, Exporation, Feeding Birds, Gay Birders, Green Space, Journalism, June, Migration, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nest, Nest Building, Nesting, NestWatch, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, Presenting, Random Acts of Wildness, Reader's Digest Magazine, RSPB, Sand Martins, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Swallows and Amazons, The Nest Record Scheme, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, Wetlands, Wild June, Wilder Future, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife TV Presenter, Wildlife Vlog, YorkshireLeave a comment

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

Thanks for visiting! 💚

Penned Wildlife

May 31, 2020Posted in Natural HistoryTagged A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, Artwork, BBC Wildlife, Bird Book, Birder, Birders, Birding, Birds, Birds of Prey, Birdwatching, Birmingham, BTO, Canned Wildlife, Chris Packham, Countryfile, CPRE, Drawing, Falconry, Gay Birders, Illustration, Made in Birmingham, May, Natural England, Natural History, Northern Goshawk, Raptors, RSPB, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, West Midlands, Wild Art, Wildlife, Wildlife Trusts, WoodlandLeave a comment

For a while I have been meaning to do some drawing or painting, as I haven’t since High School (about 15 years ago).

So yesterday (29/05/2020) I decided I would draw one of my favourite birds of prey, which I completed today (30/05/2020)…

Thanks for visiting 😊 x

Common Kingfisher on an Urban River

Jan 11, 2019May 24, 2020Posted in Birds, Encounters, River, VideoTagged Adam Canning, Adam L. Canning, Birding, Birds, BTO, Countrylife, Earth Capture, Encounter, James Burman, Kingfisher, Leicestershire, Market Harborough, Natural History, Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, River Wellend, RSPB, The Wildlife Trust, Urban, Video, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Wildlife, Wildlife Trusts, Winter, WinterwatchLeave a comment

On Tuesday I got up somewhat early, to arrive in Leicestershire for sunrise, where I met up with my friend James Burman. We planned to have a full day to locate, observe and film (or photograph in James’s case) his local Kingfishers, which frequent a river in the middle of a fairly busy town.

This is what I managed to get ⬇️

Thanks 🙂

Eurasian Nuthatch

Apr 19, 2018May 24, 2020Posted in Birds, Encounters, Greenbelt, Local, Nest, Video, Vlog, Walk, WoodlandTagged Adam Canning, Adam L. Canning, Birding, Birmingham, BTO, Documentary, Eurasian Nuthatch, Film, Natural History, Nature, Nature Reserve, Nest, Nest Building, Nesting, NestWatch, New Frankley, Ornithology, Outdoors, RSPB, Spring, Springwatch, The Nest Record Scheme, Trees, Video, Vlog, Woodland2 Comments

On 28th March (2018) I was out walking with my mum, when I spotted a couple of Nuthatches on the edge of a wood where we were just about to walk through, and I happened to notice that one of them was putting mud around a hole in a tree, as its nest is in the cavity of the tree.

My mum and I was delighted to witness this and were both surprised at how close to the path it was. Recently I purchased my latest video camera – my first semi-professional one – a Canon XF300 and decided I would return on a day with better weather and test it out on the Nuthatches.

On 5th April (2018), the conditions were perfect, so I went to where I observed said behaviour and thankfully the construction was continuing and below is what I filmed:

Thanks for visiting 🙂

Wildlife in December

Dec 18, 2017May 24, 2020Posted in Birds, Coast, Conservation, Country Park, Countryside, Encounters, Farm, Film, Garden, Local, Nature Reserve, River, Video, Vlog, Walk, West CountryTagged Adam Canning, Adam L. Canning, Birmingham, BTO, Documentary, East Yorkshire, Environment, Feeding Birds, Journalism, Migration, Nature, Outdoors, RSPB, Upton Warren, Urban, Video, Vlog, Water Rail, Whooper Swan, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Monthly, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife TV Presenter, Winter, Winterwatch, WorcestershireLeave a comment

Out of the videos I have made, these three videos are definitely some of my ‘favourites’, as I love Water Rails, Whooper Swans and enjoy feeding the birds, and playingaround in the kitchen. 😀

We were pretty much Frozen Britain recently, certainly in the West Midlands…

Packed full of fun facts (2011):

Thanks for your visit! 😉
x

Wildlife Monthly and Big Garden Birdwatch!

Jan 30, 2016Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Farm, Film, Garden, Local, Nature Reserve, VideoTagged A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Big Garden Birdwatch, Birds, BTO, Conservation, Environment, Farm, Film, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Lord of the Manor, Moseley Old Hall, My Wild Life, National Trust, RSPB, South Staffs, Staffordshire, Survey, Video, Wild Time, Wildlife, Wolverhampton, Woodland1 Comment

Wildlife Monthly – my seasonal video guide to British wildlife – is back! 😃

It has been 5 whole years since my first ever episode! There were two series in total, which Reader’s Digest Magazine featured on their website, with the last episodes being uploaded at the end of May 2012. 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.

The idea this year, if all goes to plan, is to produce a single video per month, following that same criteria. Episode 1 of 2016’s Wildlife Monthly is in support of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, in which I made some pink bird food. It was filmed at Moseley Old Hall – National Trust, which is in located on the boarder of South Staffordshire and Wolverhampton – where for the day, I was Lord of the Manor. 😉

Red Fat Balls and Lard Cake Recipe:

250g Lard (I used dripping, it’s fine to use suet and vegetable fat)
150g Sunflower Hearts
100g Crushed Peanuts
50g Porridge Oats
1 Red Gel Food Colour (Dr. Oetker)

Doubtless you’ll be doing yours in a kitchen!

Crush the Peanuts with a pestle and mortar, or put them between a tea-towel and whack them with a rolling-pin.
You don’t want to deep-fry the food, so just melt your chosen fat on a low-to-medium heat/flame.
(Add everything to the lard and mix together) Turn your heat right down. When everything is mixed together, line a small cuboid container with either grease-proof paper or clingfilm, fill it with the mixture halfway and pop it into the fridge – to set for an hour – creating your Lard Cake.
Pop the rest of the mixture into the fridge for approx. 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes initially, so when it comes to making the mixture into balls it’s at the right consistency.
Roll the mixture into fatballs – you should get approx. 6 in total.
The rest is self-explantory/can be gathered from my video above…

RSPB.org.uk/Birdwatch

BTO.org/GardenBirdWatch

The breeding population of Goldfinches has risen by approx. 91% in recent years, and in Ireland the increase was around 158%! The British Trust for Ornithology has launched a survey to determine what is attracting these fabulous finches to our gardens. — BTO.org/Goldfinch-Survey

It’s estimated that since the 70’s we have lost 6 million House Sparrows! However, I’m proud to write; in Birmingham they are in good numbers! Along with Devon and Dorset, bucking the trend. 😊

UPDATE:

BGBWJan16 — These are the results from my Garden Birdwatch (31/01/2016)

To catch up on pervious episodes of Wildlife Monthly, click here.

Thanks and all the best! 😀