#WildTime – Page 4 – Canned Wildlife

Day 11 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 12, 2015Sep 16, 2015Posted in Challenge, Environmental, Insects, Local, NestTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Environment, Insects, Nest, Random Acts of Wildness, Suburban, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Wasps1 Comment

There’s the suggestion to “Follow a bee”, but to cut a long story short; I watched a few insects (no Bees today) after work. What first caught my eye was a wee blue flying one! A Ruby-tailed Wasp to be exact 🙂

Apologies for the poor images (phone snaps again).

The fly that caught my eye — Ruby-tailed Wasp – blue top and red bottom

Something larger caught my eye and disappeared down the back of the shed door, a Mason Wasp! Which I watched for a short while.

image-11-06-15-09-54 — Flies followed it back to the shed, and sat outside

Something landed on my hand and startled me! After all, I was Wasp-watching. I shook it off and it flew on to the shed door, which seems a popular place for flying insects.

image-11-06-15-09-54-2 — It was a Damselfly! It was brown in colour

A couple clips of the Mason Wasp:

Thanks 🙂

Day 10 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 10, 2015Jun 22, 2015Posted in Challenge, Environmental, Local, PlantsTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Environment, Flora, Semirural, Springwatch, SuburbanLeave a comment

“inhale the scent of a wildflower”

Kiss-me-quick, Fox’s Brush and Jupiter’s Beard – all very cool alternative names to the above plant, that I chose to stop and sniff after work today – Red Valerian!

It’s a pretty good source of nectar for bees, butterflies and moths – like the Hummingbird Hawk-moth! 😀

To me it has a delicate fragrance, but that may depend on how old the flowers are. I assumed it would have a similar smell to Buddleia, the popular purple Butterfly Bush.

Just a short one today, thanks for reading 🙂

Day 9 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 9, 2015Jun 9, 2015Posted in BBC, Challenge, Local, PlantsTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, BBC Wildlife, Countryside, Flora, Meadow, Semirural, Suburban, The Wildlife Trust4 Comments

A relaxed day again – I’m at work from tomorrow until Saturday. I took the scenic route to a meadow/stretch of Greenbelt which is my location of today’s 30 Days Wild!

A long the way I came across Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Robin, heard Blackcaps singing and saw a family of Blue Tits – I even observed a Swallow flying low round a field catching lunch, most likely for it’s chicks.

I eventually arrived at my chosen ‘site’, where for half an hour I would read this months issue of BBC Wildlife magazine.

Where I sat and read — Where I chose to sit and read

I had Swifts screeching above me, Linnets fleeting about, various insects buzzing and jumping around me, plus the sound of the breeze through the trees/flora. It was great!

What I like about what I’ve read so far:

Suggestions on what wildlife to see, for example Puffins, Daubenton’s Bats and Harbour Seals (the latter being my favourite animals).
Advice on Honeybee swarms and some science behind climbing plants, with the main focus being on Honeysuckle (again, one of my favourites).
A newly discovered clue to the origin of language, from studies on Lar Gibbons in Thailand, Giant Tortoises preferring fruits of invasive species on The Galápagos Islands and a explanation on Convergent Evolution.

Thanks for reading 😀

Day 8 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 8, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Farm, Local, Mammals, Walk, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Beach, Countryside, Flora, Springwatch, Suburban, The Wildlife Trust, WalkLeave a comment

A Tale of Discovery

Yesterday was a very long day… The Beach Clean only lasted two minutes, but there was the early start, the traveling and finding somewhere with WiFi (the connection was awfully slow) not far from the beach – so I could finish yesterday’s blog and do a blog for that day – to share what I had done before the journey back home. Getting to grips with my friend Gary’s video editing software and waiting for the video to upload to YouTube was very time consuming. We both got home very late!

More positively; this morning I caught up on Countryfile! Which funnily enough was in Somerset for yesterday’s episode! I decided in the afternoon I would venture a little into the South Birmingham/North Worcestershire countryside (which I grew up next door to) 🙂 I came across three discoveries, one more exciting than the other!

1. An old brick bridge that is part of a Public Footpath – which leads from suburban greenspace into the countryside – has been cleared underneath, revealing it fully and making it a lot more accessible to walk under. The tree lined path that leads away below the bridge had been tidied as well!

2. Two flights of steps have been created/installed! On either side of Princess Diana Way – a short walk down from the bridge. You walk up into a meadow (unfortunately not pictured below) with the Farmer’s field going round it.

I followed the steps leading up the other side, to pass over the old bridge and come back on myself – to follow another Public Footpath which leads you deaper into the countryside, through an underpass to the other side of the M5 Motorway. I took a few snaps before that.

Field of Wheat with Lower Hill Farm in the distance

Top of the bridge with facing away from the farm — On the bridge facing away from the farm

3. I’m a fair distance away from the bridge now on the other side of the M5, I’ve just had a brief explore of Doctor’s Coppice and have come back into the meadow I’ve just walked across. The pictures and captions below will end the tale 😉

Something's hiding in the middle... — Something’s hiding in the middle…

Thanks for taking time to read my blog 🙂

Day 7 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 7, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Challenge, Coast, Conservation, Environmental, Film, TV, West CountryTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Beach, Coast, Conservation, Environment, Film, National Trust, Somerset, The Wildlife TrustLeave a comment

A more elaborate activity for today’s 30 Days Wild 🙂
What I like about the 30 Days Wild campaign is that we have the freedom to do anything wildlife related (preferably outdoors) that we can think of. You don’t have to stick with what is in the booklet, as it’s a guide/suggestion on what we could do – to make it easier for us to do all 30 days.

This morning I had an impromptu tour of some lovely gardens at a National Trust property in rural Wolverhampton – Moseley Old Hall! A modest but beautiful place, with a very homely feel – I highly recommend that you visit 😀 My friend Gary is the gardener there, and he kindly allowed me to borrow a few things from his shed to help with today’s Random Act of Wildness.

Today I’ve done something that isn’t in the booklet, it was inspired by a Springwatch Unsprung episode – the #2MinuteBeachClean! The beach I chose to do it on has a high footfall, plus it is the nearest one to where I live, the West Midlands – so it seemed right I did it there. My trusty friend Gary was at hand to assist me again in making the video!

My beach comb collection! — My rubbish beach comb collection! See video below.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Day 6 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 6, 2015Jun 10, 2015Posted in Birds, Challenge, Film, Nature Reserve, TVTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Film, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, WebcamsLeave a comment

It’s a short one today. I started work at 4pm and wanted to catch up on Springwatch during the day, so I decided that would be my task for Day 6.

I’m loving the natural-nest-site camera on the Barn Owls – it’s brilliant we can watch their goings on inside an old Oak Tree! The Stickleback footage is amazing, such clear crisp stunning images of behaviour we wouldn’t normally know is going on beneath the surface! I thought it was a real privilege that the BBC got to film the Beaver analysis and release, I personally like that we have them back in the UK and on a river called Otter! 😛

I also liked it when Michaela got to paddle around the reeds and witnessed the various Warblers and saw inside a Bearded Tit nest. And there was that film featuring the talented cameraman with dyslexia, that was inspired to film Wildlife from the Ladybird books illustrator (apologies – I have forgot certain names, I may add them later).

Thanks for reading 🙂

Day 5 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 5, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Challenge, Local, Plants, Vlog, WorkTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Flora, Springwatch, Suburban, The Wildlife Trust, Video2 Comments

It’s yet again another workday, so I was pleased that The Wildlife Trust helped me pick something simple to do, by posting their suggestion to Instagram 😀

The garden at my house-share – North of where I grew up – is satisfyingly unkempt! Great for Nature and getting your feet into! So I went out and did Day 5 of this wonderful campaign there 🙂 But I didn’t stop there, oh no! This is moi we’re talking about 😉

I treated my toesies to one of my favourite front gardens, just up the road! It too is gratefully unkempt and has a fantastic variety of flora! ❤

In true form, below is another video awaiting your viewing.

Day 4 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 4, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Challenge, Film, Local, Nature Reserve, Plants, Walk, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Film, Park, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Walk1 Comment

“Discover urban wildness and mini habitats.”

I was at work again today, so went with a simple Random Act of Wildness – on the days I’m not at work they’ll be somewhat elaborate 😉 I chose “Discover urban wildness and mini habitats.” – from the booklet and decided I would complete this challenge by walking home from work and passing by certain places and stopping when something catches my eye etc. Again, I filmed (with my phone) and have a video for you to see!

Brownfield along the Northfield Relief Road.

BYPASS
I left Sainsbury’s and walked down the relief road/bypass, knowing a short walk down it there is a Brownfield site adjacent and that I’d see something there. A patch of land with scrub and a smattering of wildflowers – Poppies being the more obvious flower. I witnessed a skirmish between two male House Sparrows and heard a Dunnock and Blackcap singing. At the top there is a really nice amount of Ivy growing onto of some Hawthorn.

The Dunnock and Blackcap were somewhere in the Ivy. A short distance past the Ivy is a Alder tree, which had a Harlequin Ladybird on it – which features in the video.

Buttercups growing in an unkempt feature thing

BUZZING
Off the bypass is Bristol Road South, I crossed over and headed down there and came across some Buttercups growing on top of some sort of feature; a raised garden brick-structure-thing and saw a few Bees flying around! I climbed on top to get a closer look etc.

BROOK
I carried on down the road and admired the grass verge that separates both lanes, as some parts of it haven’t been mown – to deliberately leave strips of wildflower! I passed by a lovely park called Manor Farm Park, but decided not to venture into the park and head on down to Merritts Brook Greenway, where I took the pictures blow and end my short film.

Wild Garlic (Ramsons) flowers past their best

I’ll say no more and let the video say the rest 😉 Enjoy! 🙂

Day 3 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 3, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Birds, Challenge, TV, WorkTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, Springwatch, The Wildlife Trust, Video, Webcams2 Comments

I decided on something quick, simple and easy today!

I would be at work for a good chunk of the day, so I needed to do something where I could easily relax afterwards… Doing the previous challenges – which, don’t get me wrong, I had tons of fun doing! It’s just; I didn’t quite get time to relax once I was done. I had a video to edit together, a blog to write and then attempt to get them online (and shared via Social Media) before the day was up!

(Time has flown sorting everything out for this blog, etc…)

I only get a 20 minute lunch-break on Wednesdays (due to the hours I do) – I wanted to make it a wild one! But I couldn’t risk going to a local park or something and then not get back in time… So, I improvised! And decided to make it somewhat wild by watching the BBC Springwatch Webcams! Via the BBC Red Button channel. There were three other people in the room, I don’t think they realised what I had put on, aha! 😀

Springwatch Cetti's Warbler Nest Live — Springwatch Cetti’s Warbler Nest Live

I sat stuffing my face with a create-your-own cheesy garlic pepperoni pizza from Sainsbury’s (where I work) Pizza Counter 😛 Watching a Cetti’s Warbler attend it’s chicks! It’s pretty amazing what we can do nowadays, thanks to technology! It was really enjoyable, eating my food whilst the chicks got theirs and intern having their faecal-sacks disposed of 😀

Day 2 – 30 Days Wild

Jun 2, 2015Mar 17, 2016Posted in Challenge, Country Park, Film, Local, Nature Reserve, Plants, WoodlandTagged #30DaysWild, #MyWildLife, #WildTime, 30 Days Wild, Adam Canning, country park, Film, The Wildlife Trust, Tree Hugging, Trees, Video6 Comments

For my second day of the challenge, I wanted it to be something more ‘proactive’ and it to require being outdoors. Also, if it was to be a video, then I wanted it to be considerably better than my first one. It had stopped raining, so I couldn’t do “Dance in a downpour”…

DECISIONS
Early in the afternoon, my friend Gary came to help choose what I was going to do for Day 2 of 30 Days Wild. I was quite inspired and had several ideas (thanks to the handy challenge booklet provided by The Wildlife Trust) which I was going to put my spin on and make a film of. I found it quite difficult to decide which one to go with! I briefed Gary on all the ideas and how – with his help – I’d like to execute them (so to speak), in the end we agreed upon “Give your favourite tree a cuddle”.

PRE-PRODUCTION
My spin on the idea; was that I cannot pick one individual tree as my favourite! And to create a fun video of how I had to hug 4 of my favourite species of tree, 2 of which I have a connection with… Of course I hug a few other trees too! Haha.
There wasn’t a script exactly, I just finalised what I wanted to say etc.

TREE HUGGER
I didn’t have to travel far for the first tree, it is quite close to my family home. All of the trees in fact weren’t too far away. I decided I would do the Intro and Outro for the video at an ancient woodland/nature reserve approx 10 minutes walk away, Balaam’s Wood – where I became generous with my hugs. The second and third tree weren’t too far away from the first, the fourth was located in a country park approx 5 minutes walk away – but it is deep into the country park! So in all it took around 35 minutes to get to! I will reveal more about this particular country park and it’s name another time 😉

TIME
Due to starting it in the afternoon, I was very much aware that time was not going to be on our side. Obviously we had to allow for any last minute changes to the filming schedule and for any possible outtakes, but there was strictly no dilly-dallying! Editing took time, naturally, as you have to import the footage onto your computer and choose what clips that are wanted and needed and so on. I am very grateful that Gary stuck around for this process, his opinion helped a lot. It was great getting feedback from a ‘viewers’ point of view, so there were a few chops and changes before the finished film.

I wanted it to upload quicker to YouTube, so I chose a Standard Definition preset – resulting in it unfortunately appearing a little small in frame.

To see the final edit and find out the trees I chose and hugged click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ2MRENaeQY