30 Days Wild: Day 15

Mallow

I'm not sure which type this is (I thought it was Musk Mallow). I have it in my garden but according to information it doesn't flower till July!

30 Days Wild: Day 14

See the wind?

It's great to see the wind blowing grasses. It's a wonderful sight. Of course, the wind can be devastating at high speeds.

Winds can be called a breeze, gale, storm or hurricane depending on their strength. 

30 Days Wild: Day 13

Hawthorn

I have these hedges in my garden. I was attempting to provide a wildlife sanctuary for our native creatures.

Until the 19th century the hawthorn was believed to possess supernatural powers.

30 Days Wild: Day 12

Enjoy the rain

I love to watch raindrops falling from the leaves during rainfall.

I was fortunate to capture this short video in my garden today.

Raindrops are spherical in shape when they first form in the atmosphere, as the surface tension holds the water molecules together, not the raindrop shape they are often drawn as.

30 Days Wild: Day 11

Magpie

These cheeky birds have become more bold over time. I often see and hear them but it's not often that they come into the garden. Sometimes they display quite bullying behaviour, diving into the garden just to clear the feeders of other birds and then flying off.

An old rural tradition of raising one's hat to a Magpie has died out as not many people wear hats.

There is also a traditional children's nursery rhyme associated with the Magpie which I remember due to a TV show of the same name:

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver

Six for gold

Seven for a secret,

Never to be told,

Eight for a wish,

Nine for a kiss

Ten for a bird,

You must not miss.

30 Days Wild: Day 10

Cellar Spider (Pholcidae phalangioides)

I don't have a cellar but I see these in my little shower room. I have seen ones with less than 8 legs and others with egg sacs. Last year I saw one sac hatch and for a while there were lots of tiny spiders present. They soon dispersed and I'm not sure where they all disappeared to!

They gyrate when threatened which makes them look larger. Not sure these photos show it but it is possible to see their internal organs. My camera is probably not powerful enough. 

30 Days Wild: Day 9

Daisy

The Daisy is my favourite flower and I normally love this time of year as we see them while travelling to the cinema along the verges. I'm missing that display but I was delighted to find them while walking on Highdown Hill in Worthing. 

The name daisy comes from 'day's eye' due to them opening in the morning and closing at night.