River – Canned Wildlife

Pilewort or Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

Mar 5, 2023Mar 5, 2023Posted in Canal, Country Park, Countryside, Encounters, Exploration, Farm, Garden, Greenbelt, Lakes, Local, Natural History, Nature Reserve, Plants, River, Walk, WoodlandTagged Adam Frost, April, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Springwatch, BBC Wildlife, Botany, Bromsgrove, Bugs, Bumblebees, Butterflies, Canal, Canal Walk, Conservation, country park, Countryside, CPRE, Days Out, Encounter, Exploration, Farm, February, Flora, Garden, Gay Farmers, Gay Naturalist, Get Your Boots On, Green Belt, Green Space, Greenbelt, Horticulture, Huawei, March, Meadow, Micro Farm, Midlands, National Trust, Natural England, Natural History, Naturalist, Nature, Nature Reserve, Outdoors, Pond, Rewildling, River, RSPB, Semirural, Sir David Attenborough, Spring, Springwatch, Suburban, Suburbia, The Campaign for Rural England, The Lakes, The Wildlife Trust, Walk, Waseley Hills Country Park, Wetlands, Wild Garden, Wildflower, Wildflowers, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Woodland, Woodland Trust, Worcester & Birmingham Canal, Worcestershire, World Land TrustLeave a comment

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)

Mar 2, 2023Mar 3, 2023Posted in Birds, Canal, Countryside, Exploration, Garden, Greenbelt, Insects, Lakes, Local, Natural History, Plants, Walk, WoodlandTagged A Bugs Life, Action For Insects, Alder, April, BBC Countryfile, BBC Springwatch, BBC Wildlife, Botany, Canal, Canal Walk, CPRE, Days Out, February, Flora, Gay Naturalist, March, Natural History, Nature, Park, Rewildling, River, RSPB, Springwatch, Suburban, The Wildlife Trust, Tree Hugging, Trees, Walk, Wetlands, Wildflowers, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife TV Presenter, Woodland, Woodland TrustLeave a comment

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 20 + 21 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 21, 2020Jun 22, 2020Posted in BBC, Challenge, Conservation, Environmental, Film, Fungi, Greenbelt, Interview, Natural History, TV, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Wildlife, Big Wild Quiz, Birders, Birmingham, Broadcast, Challenge, Collaboration, Conservation, Conservationists, Countryfile, Countryside, David Oakes, Days Out, Earth Capture, Environment, Environmental, Exporation, Film, Fly Agaric, Frankley, Fungi, Get Your Boots On, Green Belt, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Greenbelt, Huawei, June, Made in Birmingham, Meadow, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nest, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Outdoors, Park, Presenting, Random Acts of Wildness, River, River Rea, RSPB, Semirural, Sophie Pavelle, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, Summer, The Campaign for Rural England, The Countryside Charity, The Wild Side, The Wildlife Trust, Trees, Video, Virtual Quiz, Vlog, Walk, West Midlands, Wild June, Wild Time, Wild Webcam, Wilder Future, Wildflower, Wildflowers, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife TV Presenter, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

Yesterday I had a wee trip to my local town & I documented how green the journey there is 🏞️

Today I celebrated Father’s Day with some of my family & we had a BBQ, which my Brother-in-law & I tended to 🙂

When the evening arrived, it was time to prepare for the Big Wild Quiz, hosted by Sophie Pavelle and David Oakes. Which kicked off just after 7pm, it was great fun & a laugh! 💚

You can see my score in the comments 😆

Thanks for visiting! 👍🏻

Day 18 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 18, 2020Jun 18, 2020Posted in Birds, Canal, Challenge, Conservation, Environmental, Film, Greenbelt, Local, Natural History, Nature Reserve, River, TV, Video, Vlog, WalkTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birdsong, Birmingham, Challenge, Conservation, Conservationists, Countryfile, CPRE, Days Out, DEFRA, Earth Capture, Environment, Environmental, Film, Frankley, Gay Birders, Get Your Boots On, Green Belt, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Greenbelt, Huawei, June, Made in Birmingham, My Wild Life, National Trust, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nature Reserve, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, River, River Rea, RSPB, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Suburban, Suburbia, The Campaign for Rural England, The Conservation Volunteers, The Countryside Charity, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wetlands, Wild June, Wild Time, Wilder Future, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

At the end of May I became an Ambassador for The Rivers Trust, so I decided to go sit next to a stretch of the River Rea, on the edge of Gannow Wood.

Thanks for visiting! 🏞️

Day 14 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 14, 2020Jun 14, 2020Posted in BBC, Canal, Challenge, Coast, Conservation, Country Park, Countryside, Environmental, Exploration, Greenbelt, Local, Natural History, Nature Reserve, Video, Vlog, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Action For Insects, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birmingham, Birmingham City Council, Challenge, Coast, Conservation, Conservationists, country park, Countryfile, Countrylife, Countryside, CPRE, Days Out, DEFRA, Do Something Great, Documentary, Earth Capture, Environment, Environmental, Exporation, Film, For The Love Of, Frankley, Frankley Beeches, Green Belt, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Greenbelt, HS2, Huawei, Journalism, June, Made in Birmingham, Meadow, My Wild Life, National Trust, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nature Reserve, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Outdoors, Park, Presenting, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, River, River Rea, RSPB, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Summer, The Campaign for Rural England, The Conservation Volunteers, The Countryside Charity, The Wild Side, The Wildlife Trust, Trees, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild June, Wild Time, Wilder FutureLeave a comment

This morning I unsure what to do, thankfully a friend reminded me that I’m passionate about Green-belt & suggested I make a video (below) regarding its benefits.

Thanks for visiting 💚

Day 21 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 21, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Challenge, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Local, Plants, River, Video, WalkTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Birding, Birds, Birmingham, Challenge, Conservation, Environment, Flora, Green Space, Grey Wagtail, House Martin, Longbridge, My Wild Life, River, River Rea, Suburban, Suburbia3 Comments

New Green Space

Longbridge, in South Birmingham – the birth place and former home of Rover – has a new High Street and Green Space! It’s on the site of where the said factory used to be. The River Rea that runs through the area has had a habitat and Green Space created around it, and it’s pretty much established and looking lush now! 😀

Today I explored it after purchasing Father’s Day gifts (with my trusty mobile to hand for snaps and clips).

The car park of the newly located Bournville College, with Green Space along side it, some of the old Rover site on the other side.

People and nature co-existing beautifully.

I saw a Grey Wagtail (which have some yellow feathers) down there to left of where the lad on the bike was. The video below isn’t great but you can hear it calling 😛

The middle of the new Green Space, looking towards the chap on the bike. This is the bridge you see in the distance.

I was really pleased that this new place is now a good feeding area for House Martins, there were quite a few wizzing and swooping around 🙂

Thanks for visiting 😀