2022 Project 365 // Days 169 - 175

 

18th June 2022
Day 18 of 30 Days Wild.

Pebble painting. I wish I'd kept painting and drawing after high school.
It's frustrating to not be able to translate what's in my head through my hands.

19th June 2022
Another week has come and gone already and again it's Sunday, my Cats Protection day.
The little babes I visited with today were some of the most loving I've ever met.
Every single one was huggy, kissy little sweethearts and I hope their future furrever families appreciate and love them immensely.
In order they are Doja, Angelina (who curled up completely and lay in my arms like a baby), Nessy, Sapphire, Rosie and my only boy of the day, Ted 🖤

Day 19 of 30 Days Wild is a wasp.
I think most people just flap them away and run from them but this one (assuming it's the same one)
 comes pretty much every day and very loudly 'chews' the bamboo screening on our fence.
I can hear them from across the garden and love to watch them! It's so interesting!

20th June 2022
Day 20 of 30 Days Wild.
I did attempt some cloud watching today, but the sky was unusually clear and blue.
Yesterday I saw a cloud that looked like a whale with a calf but I was driving and had no camera.
 However, I did have a sky photo ready for today...until Mr H shouted me when he had Baker out for the toilet.

Reepicheep was back on the bird table again!!
They seemed very hot so I brought out a smaller bowl of water for them and was shocked at how close I was able to approach.
It makes me a little sad (as well as insanely happy) because as much as I adore wildlife and love them to
come near me, I do hope they retain a fear of humans and stay away as not all of our species are nice.
It was lovely to see you again though Reep 🐭🖤

21st June 2022
Day 21 of 30 Days Wild.
Happy Summer Solstice 🌞
They've not been featured in my daily photos for a while, so here are
Eos, Aurora and Baker enjoying both the sun and shade.

We were also able to release Ludo tonight.
In comparison to Hoggle, he's a very timid, shy guy despite being so big!
We left him in the front garden, near the hoghouse with food and water in the proximity and
upon checking this morning he's completely gone - so fingers are crossed for a long, healthy life.

With Summer being fully here now and climate change bringing record temperatures, I implore you to look after pets and wildlife even more.
Make sure both have plenty of options of for access to fresh, clean water.
Keep pets indoors, don't walk your dogs, provide shade for all, make sure to pay close attention
to small animals and if hutches etc are outdoors please get them into the shade.
For all pets, there are numerous options for keeping cool, but a good free option includes filling bottles
 with water and freezing them, then wrapping them in a towel and leaving them in a place where your animal frequents.
 Search the internet for anything else you can do, please.
It is literally life and death.

22nd June 2022
Day 22 of 30 Days Wild.
It's World Rainforest Day today, and as I don't live in a country home to the beautiful rainforests of our planet we decided a normal forest and wildlife walk would suffice.
We visited a new reserve today and it was brimful of wonderful wildlife, including lots of babies.
 Mallard, Buzzard, Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan, Coot, Moor Hen, Common Tern, Robin, Bullfinch, Raven,
Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, a rabbit, bees, butterflies, dragonflies and probably more I'm forgetting!
It was an eventful and lovely visit and I'll share the rest of the photos and story of in a blog post soon.
 They may not be in our country, but we need to protect the Rainforests!
Home to millions of animals and a pivotal cog in the climate change emergency, please do what you can to help. 🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲

23rd June 2022
Day 23 of 30 Days Wild.
We got a new bug hotel for the front garden and have nestled it in below our Hawthorn bushes which are in front of our wild lawn!
The Birdsfoot trefoil is a big bee attractor and lots of other bugs love to flock to the wild lawn
in general, so hopefully, they'll make use of the hotel eventually.

24th June 2022
Day 24 of 30 Days Wild.

Our rain dance worked!
We got rain and we went back out to dance in it - literally 🌧️
It's been so hot and dry, the waterbutt was empty and I've had to refill the bird baths thrice a day and we really needed a downpour.
Rain is so, so important!! I think people take for granted where our water supplies come from.
They turn on the tap, flush the toilet and have a shower without half a thought of where the water came from. I
 hope plenty more rain comes next week to help water our plants and provide puddles for the wildlife.
My Blue Cross Rescue Run medal also finally arrived today, yay!

2022 Project 365 // Days 162 - 168

11th June 2022
Day 11 of 30 Days Wild.
7 species of spider I saw and photographed in my garden today!
I was re-potting and just doing general garden work when I'd spot one, take a photo, then another...and another!
It's funny because I'm not a huge fan of them in my house but I find them interesting outside haha.
My real phobia is butterflies and moths... 😶

12th June 2022
I've swapped my volunteer day to a Sunday. That's going to throw me off for a while considering I already struggle to tell which day it is ha.
Here are Zircon, Obsidian & Amethyst, Minim and Kiki who were the loves who lightened my life this afternoon.

Day 12 of 30 Days Wild.
I've had a hard day today so my 30 Days Wild was simple.
I sat in the garden to read for a while. I looked around at all the beautiful trees, flowers and plants, listened to countless species of birds singing,
wind howling and rustling the leaves on the trees and bees buzzing, breathed in the air that smelt of earth
and felt the grass between my toes and fresh air on my face.
The same Blue Tit from my photo on day 10 has been visiting daily which is lovely.
A single lone Starling also stopped by for a drink and a rest.
Of course, our front garden is the hive of activity so it's always nice when the birds stop by the back when we're out there.

13th June 2022
Day 13 of 30 Days Wild.
I don't know if it's because I grew up with a view of the sea from my bedroom window and the salt air in my lungs,
but the seaside is something I need and helps me considerably.
I've had a very down few days so somehow gathered up the confidence for a solo walk at the beach after dropping Mr H off at work this morning.
It's unbelievable the magic that the sea holds.

Just getting to feel the sand between my toes and the water wash over my feet was so healing.
Of course, it doesn't cure my ailments or take away my sadness, but it helps.

During my mini exploring session, I was also lucky enough to spend time with Sand Martins,
Herring Gull, Fulmar, Razorbill, a Rock Pipit, Cormorants, Rock Doves and Kittiwakes.
(Can you spot the little fluffy babies on photo 3?!)

My litter picker was in tow and I'm happy to report there was only 1 lone beer can on this beach.
I did pick up some takeaway containers in the car park but this beautiful beach has remained a bird haven so far...
I wish I could start my day like this every morning, but I'm extremely thankful to live this proximity to the water.

14th June 2022
Day 14 of 30 Days Wild.
This little face was a bright moment in a dark week.
We haven't seen a sign of the field mice family since the beginning of last month, so when
I spotted this cheeky thing on the bird table while I washed the dishes it made me smile.
I know people don't like mice or rats etc, but if they aren't doing any harm why not just appreciate them?
The mission impossible style jump and slide down the ladder made the sighting all the better 🐭

15th June 2022
Day 15 of 30 Days Wild.
Happy Nature Photography Day! A fruitful wildlife hunt at Beamish today.
On our usual monthly visit to Beamish, we decided to leave Baker at home as it was too hot!
That meant I could stray my attention a little more and not be completely focused on him,
so I noticed a lot more bugs than usual...however, not as many birds!
We did see a couple of Robins, Jackdaws and lots of Swallows though.
We will definitely be investing in the orange ball plant for our own garden as it was home to literally hundreds of bees 🐝
It was so hot all the poor sheep and lambs were hiding in the shade, panting away!
Climate change is scary.

16th June 2022
Day 16 of 30 Days Wild.
Today I finished yet another perfect book that I think everyone needs to read.
Talking about such an important topic but in a heartfelt fictional story, I hope that it will really help to make more people care and make a change.
It's fitting that I finished a book about water (and a super special whale of course) on this day of 30 Days Wild when we're thinking about water conservation.

I don't need to say how much of a lifeline water is. We need water.
However, by the 2080's we will be in huge water deficits and so we all need to start being more aware of our water consumption.

Some ways that we personally save water are:
- Turning the tap off! Don't let it run when you don't need to.
- Only wash full loads of washing.
- Have a water butt to water plants.
- Use a 'waste water' tub. When freshening pets' water bowls or tipping out used (but free from cleaning products etc) water,
we add the waste to a tub which is then all used for watering plants rather than sending it down the drain.
- Flush the toilet less!
- Keep on top of any drips or leaks, the small escaped water adds up to big amounts over time.
- Install a water meter. This not only helps you keep on top of how much water you are using but also saves you money!

We love water! We love ponds and lakes and lochs and rivers and seas and oceans.
Please do your part to protect them and their inhabitants by being climate aware and environmentally responsible. 🌊

17th June 2022
Day 17 of 30 Days Wild.
An unexpected wild event today. We have another Hog in the Hallow family mini-rescue!

For those who do not know, before I get comments, I have a lot of experience and knowledge with wildlife rehab.
I have helped pigeons, blackbirds, sparrows, seagulls and hedgehogs previously and if they were more poorly than I could personally handle
they would be taken straight to a wildlife rescue (there are none in my area, I'd have to take them a good distance away
hence doing what I can myself when I can first) or a vet.

That out of the way, say hello to Ludo!
With our previous little female hog named Hoggle, I thought it fitting to name this big boy Ludo.
He was in the middle of a busy trading estate entrance heading toward a very dangerous main road in the bright day light and was very, very slow.
A Jackdaw was pecking at him and he was not curling up to protect himself as I watched nor when I approached.
The road he was on has multiple dead hedgehogs along its length and I couldn't leave him with that fate on my mind.

So he came to the Hallow House 🦔
He was dehydrated, but is a good weight and has eaten overnight.
I do not touch the wildlife if it can be avoided so although he did have a quick once over during transfer to the hutch,
I will observe overnight to make sure he's ready before release into our (very hog and wildlife-friendly) garden.

If possible, please provide plenty of fresh drinking water for all wildlife.
Always, but especially during these hot days!!
Shallow dishes, bird baths, bowls with sticks in for bugs and small animals to climb out.
It's very important and a huge help.
Remember to also clean them often and refill them daily to protect from bird flu and other diseases.