30 Days Wild: Day 8

Great Spotted Woodpecker

I often see these beautiful birds at my feeders. I have a male and a female. The male (pictured) always visits the feeder at the back of the garden (usually at the peanuts), the female visits the front feeder (preferring the suet).

It has been recorded that they drum on a variety of objects including metal poles and weather vanes, not just trees.

30 Days Wild: Day 7

Dandelion clocks

These are so beautiful and mathematical in shape. Nature is so artful.

When I was young we used to have fun blowing the seeds off, we used to count how many blows it took to clear the head, and that (apparently) was the correct hour. Obviously this was very rarely true!

30 Days Wild: Day 6

Bindweed

I saw this on my walk this morning. I think it's lesser bindweed, sometimes called morning glory. It does seem to be particularly pretty first thing, as this bunch was!

30 Days Wild: Day 5

Bumblebee

I love these little guys. I saw these on my walk passed some brambles this morning. Not easy to photograph! 

A myth:

Bees stay away and won't nest if dandelions and other flowers are removed from lawns. 

To pollinate flowers they can travel miles, so if a scout spots your flowers, they will come.

30 Days Wild: Day 4

Honeysuckle 

I found this in the hedgerow.  Wild species of Honeysuckle is more fragrant than most garden varieties. The scent always reminds me of my father as we had fragrant flowers just as we walked into the garden when I was young.

I found this poem:

And honeysuckle loved to crawl

Up the low crag and ruin'd wall.

- Walter Scott

30 Days Wild: Day 3

Wood Pigeon

Today I happened to see this pigeon bathing in my garden. Quite fascinating to watch!

It is widely believed by sportsman that the flocks of young birds seen in the autumn are migrants from the continent.

30 Days Wild: Day 2

Great Tits

I had a family of Great tits visit my garden today, a family of 6 and they were enjoying the water that I have in several areas.

One interesting fact I found was about it's song and old country names. In Norfolk it is called a sharp-saw because of it's song.