Wow, I can’t believe we’re already one week into the Wildlife Trust’s 30 days wild campaign! This is one of my favourite campaigns because it is so easy for everyone and anyone to get involved. It’s not too late if you haven’t signed up already – head to our website here, for more information. It started a few years ago and is all about getting everyone reconnecting with nature, by having one random act of wildness each day, every day, for the 30 days of June. These can be small acts like taking a walk at lunch to listen to the birds, identifying a new flower species in your garden, making a hedgehog hole in your fence or admiring gnarled bark whilst climbing a tree. Everyone has busy lives – work, family, friends. But the idea behind this campaign is to show how easy it is to fit a little nature time into any busy schedule – to make wildness, and the inclination to protect it, part of your every day life!
Day 1 – Myself and Ipswich Wild Learning Officer Lucy kick started our 30 days wild by inviting families to join us on a night safari around Holywells Park. Within minutes of starting the walk, a lesser stag beetle had flown into the hands of one of our volunteers, and the children were eagerly holding out their hands to let their first ever beetle scramble across them. We then admired foraging pipistrelle bats, a large female toad burying down in the leaves, hundreds of tadpoles squiggling around in the water, a smooth newt and even a water scorpion. We paused on route to have a go at using our night vision monocular and ended the evening by watching toads and a jumping frog in the walled garden. Unfortunately no hedgehogs were spotted, but we had a lovely wildlife filled evening! We have several more night safaris and night walks this summer, check out our What’s On for more but remember, you can have you very own night safari, any night, in your own garden! Why not head out after dark and see what you can find?
Day 2 – a lovely time spent lazing under a big old oak tree in Christchurch park. This wasn’t just any old oak, this was home to a chirping nest full of Great spotted woodpeckers. We lay quietly in the dappled sun listening to the chicks and getting excited when the parent flew back to the hole in the tree. Our waiting was rewarded and we witnessed the chicks heads popping out for their dinner! Christchurch park has so many awesome ancient trees – why not take a wander to see and listen to what species you can find?
Day 3 – enjoying the sun, wildflowers and insects in a beautifully buzzing meadow whilst in Cambridge for the day. A lovely way to spend some time in the sun! Wildflower meadows are awesome habitat for so many species – why not visit one yourself, or even bring one to your own garden? Tips for scattering seed bombs in your garden can be found here. Wildflower patches (even small ones) are excellent feeding habitat for hedgehogs.
