Wildlife Gardening – 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 19 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 19, 2020Jun 19, 2020Posted in Challenge, Encounters, Film, Garden, Local, Natural History, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #NowForNature, #TheTimeIsNow, #WilderFuture, #WildTime, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Admire the setting Sun, AFON, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birmingham, Black Slug, Challenge, Chris Packham, Earth Capture, Encounter, Film, Frankley, Garden, Gastropod, Green Birmingham, Huawei, Invertebrates, June, Land Slug, Made in Birmingham, Mollusc, My Wild Life, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Outdoors, Raptors, RSPB, Semirural, Slugs, Spring, Springwatch, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Timelapse, 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 Picture, World Land TrustLeave a comment

Yet another wet day… I was looking out of the window & saw a reasonably large Black Slug, that’s when I got the idea for todays video (below) 😉

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 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 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 7 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 7, 2020Posted in Birds, Challenge, Conservation, Environmental, Film, Garden, Local, Natural History, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Earth, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birds, Birdwatching, Birmingham, BTO Garden BirdWatch, Challenge, Conservation, Earth Capture, Environmental, Frankley, Garden, Garden BirdWatch, Green Birmingham, House Sparrows, June, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Now for Nature, Ornithology, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, Rewildling, RSPB, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Urban Birder, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Art, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wilder Future, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife Vlog, WildlifeKate, WLT Bigger Picture, World Land TrustLeave a comment

For a couple of weeks, since the bottom part of the flowerbed was dug over, I have observed House Sparrows having sand / dust baths & I thought to myself, I must get footage of this!

My attempts failed, at first, because they either didn’t turn up or I had just missed them, or it was raining 😅

However, today I thought I would give it another go and within about 5 minutes into recording they showed up & I got footage! 👇🏻

I plan on getting closer & better footage very soon!

Thanks for visiting ☺️

Day 5 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 5, 2020Jun 5, 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, Birmingham, Bugs, Butterflies, Challenge, CPRE, Earth Capture, Encounter, Environment, Environmental, Film, Flora, Frankley, Garden, Green Birmingham, Insects, Invertebrates, June, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, RSPB, Semirural, Spring, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wild June, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife From My Window, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife Trusts, Wildlife Vlog, World Land TrustLeave a comment

After a lovely walk around my local wood & a wee heritage site, I got back to find a beautiful Butterfly basking in the sun, in the garden, & I managed get some lovely footage of it! 😊

Gotta love Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies 🦋 💚

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 🙂

Day 3 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 3, 2020Jun 5, 2020Posted in Challenge, Encounters, Film, Garden, Natural History, Video, VlogTagged #30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, A Focus On Nature, Adam Canning, Adam O'Hare, AFON, BBC Gardeners' World, BBC Midlands Today, BBC Wildlife, Birmingham, Challenge, CPRE, Dance in a downpour, Dancing in the Rain, Encounter, Film, Frankley, Garden, Green Birmingham, June, Natural England, Natural History, Nature, Nature On Screen, New Frankley, Outdoors, Random Acts of Wildness, RSPB, Semirural, Springwatch, Springwatch 2020, Suburban, Suburbia, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Vlog, West Midlands, Wild Garden, Wildlife, Wildlife Filmmakers, Wildlife Garden, Wildlife Gardening, Wildlife TV Presenter, Wildlife VlogLeave a comment

Today I awoke to the sound of rain, so of course there was only one thing for me to do…

I also got an ID for the Spider from yesterday 👇🏻

It is an Araniella sp. Also known as a Cucumber Spider 🥒 (Thank you Emma Woolley)

From Googling, I suspect it’s an Araniella opisthographa 🕷️ But you can only determine that by having it under a microscope (cheers Rory Dimond & Luke Anderson) 🙂

Thanks for visiting 😊