Wildflower – 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! 😊

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 13 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 13, 2020Jun 14, 2020Posted in BBC, Challenge, Conservation, Environmental, Film, Garden, Insects, Natural History, Nature Reserve, Plants, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Action For Insects, Adam Canning, Adam Frost, Adam O'Hare, AFON, Bat Conservation Trust, Bats, BBC, BBC Countryfile, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Bees, Birds, Birmingham, Botany, Broom, BTO Garden BirdWatch, Bugs, Bumblebees, Butterflies, Challenge, Conservation, Conservationists, Countryfile, Countrylife, Countryside, CPRE, Cranesbill Geraniums, DEFRA, Digitalis purpurea, Do Something Great, Documentary, Environment, Environmental, Feeding Birds, For The Love Of, Frankley, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Gay Birders, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Horticulture, Huawei, Insects, Invertebrates, June, Made in Birmingham, Meadow, Moths, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nature Reserve, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, Presenting, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, RSPB, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Timelapse, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wild Time, Wilder Future, Wildflower, Wildflowers, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife TV Presenter, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

I’m going to let the video (below) speak for itself 🙂

Thanks for visiting! 💚

Day 10 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 10, 2020Jun 10, 2020Posted in Challenge, Conservation, Encounters, Environmental, Film, Garden, Insects, Natural History, Plants, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Action For Insects, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Bees, Birmingham, Botany, Bugs, Bumblebees, Challenge, Conservation, Conservationists, Cranesbill Geraniums, Earth Capture, Encounter, Entomology, Environment, Environmental, Film, Flora, Frankley, Garden, Green Birmingham, Huawei, Insects, Invertebrates, June, Meadow, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, Semirural, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wildflower, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife Vlog, WLT Bigger Picture, World Land TrustLeave a comment

Most of the day was chilly & grey, but when there was a warm sunny spell, the Bees came out in force to feed on the Cranesbill Geraniums etc in the garden 🐝 💚 🌸

Thanks for visiting! 🙂

Day 4 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 4, 2020Jun 5, 2020Posted in Challenge, Conservation, Countryside, Encounters, Film, Garden, Insects, Local, Natural History, Nature Reserve, Plants, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #NowForNature, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Action For Insects, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birmingham, Botany, Bugs, Butterflies, Challenge, Chris Packham, Conservation, country park, Countryfile, Countryside, CPRE, Days Out, Digitalis purpurea, Encounter, Environmental, Film, Frankley, Garden, Green Birmingham, Green Space, Insects, Invertebrates, June, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, Nature Reserve, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Outdoors, Presenting, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, Walk, Waseley Hills Country Park, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wildflower, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife TV Presenter, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

On Monday, whilst walking passed some Foxgloves with my Mom up the Waseley Hills Country Park, I remembered that we had some seeds at the back of one of the kitchen cupboards 😉

Digitalis purpurea – Waseley Hills Country Park

Thanks for visiting 🙂

The Last of #30DaysWild in The Lakes!

Aug 10, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Coast, Conservation, Environmental, Exploration, Holiday, Lakes, WalkTagged 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Adam Frost, BBC Countryfile, Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Cider, Conservation, Countryside, CUMBRIA, Exporation, iPhone, LAKE DISTRICT, My Wild Life, National Trust, Old Rosie, Selfie, Swallows and Amazons, The Lakes, The Wildlife Trust, Three Shires Inn, Westons, Wild Garden, Wild Time, Wildflower, Wildlife Trusts, Worcestershire6 Comments

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! 🙂

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.

Day 29

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

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!

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

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

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

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! 😀

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.

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 🙂

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

And… that’s all folks!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog 🙂

Day 22 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 22, 2015Jun 22, 2015Posted in Challenge, Environmental, Garden, Local, PlantsTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Birmingham, Challenge, Flora, Forget-me-not, My Wild Life, Rubery, Semirural, Something Blue, Suburban, Wild Garden, Wild Time, Wildflower, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Trusts, Worcestershire3 Comments

“Snap a picture of something blue”

A nice easy one today 🙂 I spent most of my day with my friend Laura at her Pet Store. I’ve mentioned the shops’ unkempt Wildlife Garden in a previous Blog post, it’s where I took todays’ “something blue”.

I’ve heard Forget-me-nots being described as “a British staple” – they do seem quintessentially British 😉

The CavyNoodle Wildlife Garden. — The Sweet Peas are doing well in the CavyNoodle Wildlife Garden.

Thanks 🙂