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Update:

Updated 2 June 2020 - New blog post - A walk down Briton Ferry Canal

Wednesday, 8 June 2016

Day 8 - 30 Days Wild - World Ocean Day


* Today's random act of wildness - A walk along the beach *

Today is World Ocean Day so what better way than go to my local beach. Just a mile away is Aberavon beach, so we decided to go for a walk and see what had been washed up with the tide.

The sun was starting to set 
Dead Dogfish :(
Jellyfish
A tiny jellyfish
Pretty shell
Red Scallop Shell
Some sort sea cucumber? Do you know what it is?
Bladderwrack Seaweed
A hairy Sea Potato (also known as sea urchin)...
...and a not so hairy one (there were lots on the beach that night)
Dunlin foraging as the tide was coming in
Close up of Dunlin
Common Ringed Plover 
Check out this bright yellow bird too! Time for an interesting story...

Apparently in January 1992 a crate full of 29,000 plastic ducks (and frogs etc...) fell off a container ship that was travelling across the Pacific from Hong Kong - Since then they have bobbed thousands of miles and some have even washed up on the shores of Hawaii and Alaska. Is this one of them?

Wildling enjoy the sunset
A beautiful sunset in honor of World Ocean Day ♥

Tuesday, 7 June 2016

Day 7 - 30 Days Wild - Lunchtime Safari


* Today's random act of wildness - Lunchtime Safari *

After reading Chris Packham's 'Wild Side of Town' it encouraged me to go and look around the City of Swansea for wildlife for my lunch break. It's quite a busy city, so I was so please with what I found within the hour...

Herring Gull on top of car park lights
Goldfinch fledgling in the car parks trees
Another goldfinch fledgling in the trees
Male Goldfinch 
Male goldfinch
Female sparrow
Carrion crow on a street light
Carrion Crow just a few feet away
Lots of feral pigeons...
...and some more!
Jackdaw contemplating whether it likes this piece of sponge cake
Back in the office Wildling checking out for seagulls

It's also my sister's birthday today, so happy birthday June - Some more good news is my local Swan's cygnets hatched today, they still on the nest so we don't know how many there are - Here's a pic of them last year from 30 Days wild - Day 14!


Monday, 6 June 2016

Day 6 - 30 Days Wild - Reading a wild book in the rain!

* Today's random act of wildness - Read a nature book *

Not a very 'wild' day today, but did manage to catch up with recording my painted lady butterfly sighting from yesterday on the butterfly-conservation.org website - it's important recording wildlife, so organisations like this can keep track on numbers and monitor the impact of climate change.



After work I sat out the garden (with Wildling) and enjoyed reading Chris Packham's 'Wild Side Of Town' book. It's a great book for someone like me who lives in a pretty built up urban area.



First published in 2007, this edition is a 2015 revised version and Chris introduces you to the various habitats literally on your doorstep. He explores the urban jungle and forcuses on the wildlife found in parks and gardens. Full of interesting facts and tips on where and when to find wildlife. It also has a handy guide to some of the Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves in Great Britain and a field guide highlighting the different species you can find without looking too hard.




The book is inspiring and if the weather is nice tomorrow lunchtime I am going into Swansea's City Centre to see what Urban wildlife I can find.

I love this book, beautiful photos, humorous and very helpful - I recommended to everyone who loves wildlife and nature :)

We also had a storm last night and our first bit of rain for days, I was trying to get a photo or video of lightning, but all I could hear was the thunder. Hopefully it will clear the air and tomorrow won't feel too muggy. I do love a storm though, but pity all the little fledglings that are leaving their nests for the first time - Stay safe little ones x

Sunday, 5 June 2016

Day 5 - 30 Days Wild - Birds, Butterflies & Bunnies


*Today's random act of wildness - Birds, Butterflies & Bunnies*

Day 5 of #30DaysWild and another scorching day in South Wales with temperatures reaching 20°C.

We (Dan and I) decided we didn't want to travel far so we visited The Quays, Briton Ferry, Neath Port Talbot. It'a an interesting place on the mouth of the River Neath where it enters Swansea Bay. There are lots of industrial buildings there, but also a sand dune system called 'Baglan Burrows' - it's a real shame that this is not a SSSI like Crymlyn Burrows which is just across the river as we saw lots of wildlife in the few hours we were there.

I read on Facebook a few weeks ago a short eared owl was spotted here, so that was our aim to look out for that. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the owl, but we saw lots of other birds & bugs instead...


Here's Wildling enjoying the view of the docks and the river Neath


BIRDS...
I am not sure if this is a linnet or a twite? If anyone knows can you help me out
Female Stonechat
Male Stonechat
Goldfinch
Male Stonechat
Female Linnet
Male Linnet
Oystercatchers nesting in industrial water pipes

Other birds we saw but didn't get pics are heron, blackbird, sparrow, blue tit, song thrush, gulls, starlings, jackdaws, carrion crow, meadow pipit, swallow and a very surprising lapwing.


BUTTERFLIES...

What a find - a Mother Shipton moth - The moth is named after Old Mother Shipton, a 16th century Yorkshire witch. 
Thanks to Stuart Pike for his help in identify it - check out his #30DaysWild blog here
Common Blue
Painted Lady
Small Blue
Common Blue 
Common Blue female butterfly
Small white moth
Lackey moth caterpillars (lots of them!)

BUNNIES!

Bunnies (Lots!)
Even more bunnies!
My partner in crime Dan ❤ - who is also doing #30DaysWild through his Flickr account
Check it out here!