tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30274006019769252662024-03-19T04:40:55.657+00:00Bug Mad GirlOne girl's adventures in the back gardenBug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.comBlogger664125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-87660775434180281072017-12-24T10:29:00.000+00:002017-12-24T10:29:11.478+00:00Christmas Art Show 2017<div style="text-align: center;">
Welcome to my Christmas art show! </div>
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I hope you enjoy looking at some of the pictures I've drawn and painted this year. </div>
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Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! </div>
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Love Bug Mad Girl (age 12) x</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very colourful lion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdKWVgJeElTg-P2NQcrVGgWRwvPk5B8zhm0aCvWNq4e457IEFTMbOHdRvnkQZas_V2ObsOAxyRttAi9hzLdqUuvcE2n3lQGEsCG8kdKuk_vdLaxVVFnvn22eM-hxvDqfRLNrlRZHz2f4/s1600/Aishling+Lynch+eagle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1198" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdKWVgJeElTg-P2NQcrVGgWRwvPk5B8zhm0aCvWNq4e457IEFTMbOHdRvnkQZas_V2ObsOAxyRttAi9hzLdqUuvcE2n3lQGEsCG8kdKuk_vdLaxVVFnvn22eM-hxvDqfRLNrlRZHz2f4/s400/Aishling+Lynch+eagle.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle eyed - I painted this for our town's art In The Park<br />
competition and it is currently on display in the park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXCFmM9Jmf7QeAbvKZa5yLnVxBLvNsEb6sKwrOuo3jnyv6mNuKhjnI3EjZVGUh1WKjQJJM4G3YyGMhMsq-shXi2VMbXt7HuHOlPGTlhfXi6f66xeH-64ggHNMjXoUeQAFtlwasoLdlqQ/s1600/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXCFmM9Jmf7QeAbvKZa5yLnVxBLvNsEb6sKwrOuo3jnyv6mNuKhjnI3EjZVGUh1WKjQJJM4G3YyGMhMsq-shXi2VMbXt7HuHOlPGTlhfXi6f66xeH-64ggHNMjXoUeQAFtlwasoLdlqQ/s400/IMG_2580.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I painted this watercolour elephant as a present for my<br />
year 6 teacher when I left primary school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic Mr Fox</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our homework from art class at school was to paint a picture in the style of <br />
Van Gogh, so I painted this picture of our apple tree ad back garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A barn owl</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosie, my dog, fast asleep on her back</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leopard in a tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like drawing dragons and sketched this one at art club</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A turtle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A castle, painted at art club</td></tr>
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Thank you for taking a look at my art show. I really hope you enjoyed it!</div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-60973226540773693722017-12-21T19:49:00.001+00:002017-12-21T19:49:46.924+00:00Christmas sparkleA few weeks ago, BBOWT asked me to write a piece about getting outdoors over the Christmas period. I was very proud to see it printed, along with some of my photos, in today's Bucks Examiner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwOOhnhC_unUypAIfTi_f9eDuu6q8gHlEl4mN13YORVBt4mmXfHCnJiUxUogAX0OGe_PY39gL45Grrm1N0Sf7QyEy7HVwLGsMo7RaKaxw2xS-BcMwTcuSqXaJXXXNHkB_LvEgTzyRbQY/s1600/IMG_4365+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="999" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwOOhnhC_unUypAIfTi_f9eDuu6q8gHlEl4mN13YORVBt4mmXfHCnJiUxUogAX0OGe_PY39gL45Grrm1N0Sf7QyEy7HVwLGsMo7RaKaxw2xS-BcMwTcuSqXaJXXXNHkB_LvEgTzyRbQY/s400/IMG_4365+%25282%2529.JPG" width="248" /></a></div>
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The article, about a frosty morning walk around beautiful Weston Turville Reservoir, is below ...<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The traditional Christmas chaos has well and truly taken
over in our house, with a mindboggling array of nativity plays, school fairs,
carol concerts and Christmas parties. With school term finally finished though,
it’s time to take a deep breath, open another box of mince pies and put our
feet up in front of the television for the inevitable repeats of the Star Wars
and Harry Potter films. It’s a time to relax and over-indulge, but I give the
kids about two days before they start to annoy each other. The answer is simple
… wear them out, running wild in the fresh air around one of our beautiful
local nature reserves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJTHgmFnAW76xX7BvkW2_S5eO5nqnB6RCF_SwccWBYPVtmk_jAnu3RuMAgXcUNd5SlF5qsJiuKLTnwDlMYM1T5SSFvwAqT3BGDat7-NytiJAmK32VB4XqDoTfDuk05ayoPk9mDj0ivHc/s1600/reeds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJTHgmFnAW76xX7BvkW2_S5eO5nqnB6RCF_SwccWBYPVtmk_jAnu3RuMAgXcUNd5SlF5qsJiuKLTnwDlMYM1T5SSFvwAqT3BGDat7-NytiJAmK32VB4XqDoTfDuk05ayoPk9mDj0ivHc/s400/reeds.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Weston Turville Reservoir is one of our favourite places to
visit on a frosty winter morning. There’s something magical about the
shimmering light that the winter sunshine casts across the water. The intricate
metalwork of the sluice gate, set against the frost covered bulrushes and reeds
is beautiful. Christmas sparkle has been dusted like icing sugar over
everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: calibri;">Peering into the ice topped water, the kids are intrigued by
what’s lurking underneath. They laugh as a moorhen with enormous feet skates
past and watch mesmerised as a grey, hunched heron watches us from a nearby
fishing platform. Then a rustle of the reeds and a distinctive squeal alerts us
to, not a piglet at our feet as we first thought, but an elusive water rail
dashing for cover.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We walk around the edge of the water and make our way
through the woods, jumping off logs, poking at fungi frozen solid and spotting
the first snowdrops about to flower. Then we follow the trail through the trees
to one of the hides on the far side of the reservoir. Peeping out of the
windows, we’re hoping to catch sight (or sound) of one the bitterns that occasionally
put in an appearance, but our lucks not in this time (or perhaps we’re just too
noisy!) We don’t really mind and just enjoy this intimate view of the birds out
on the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLM-xKebcahuxxnxd1JFTmfG0LIYxSgF_nLF_XuyI2TrSopJA5g93DWlewRCAOOE19dpGXLzPMNiIglmo9hv-0PHA-GeOxsKeuOEZWDVi974BBA0IRc3CLPNH5asR_35wT1tmXBJoeaI/s1600/WT+Reservoir+view+3.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLM-xKebcahuxxnxd1JFTmfG0LIYxSgF_nLF_XuyI2TrSopJA5g93DWlewRCAOOE19dpGXLzPMNiIglmo9hv-0PHA-GeOxsKeuOEZWDVi974BBA0IRc3CLPNH5asR_35wT1tmXBJoeaI/s1600/WT+Reservoir+view+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">With numb fingers and pink noses, it’s time to head home for
a warming hot chocolate and just one more mince pie.</span></div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-17153004193265424752017-10-26T16:00:00.001+01:002017-10-26T16:00:21.492+01:00Bone detectivesAbout a week ago I found a skull whilst I was out walking. We decided to do some investigation work today to try and find out which animal it belonged to. We started off by comparing it to the roe deer skull we'd found last year to look for similarities and differences.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfaPXmrJ63YH-09CQJupDt-X7Yj9iAw7g3k1Ory9bC-ZW2PzcyfJDRm29iOp8pJUGu-xwz51N1OKn5qTMS5xx44QmuOoiZyHhOmM_vNeDWozebXEcF4ktonzR-0bQbqIEKXDaZNMX7m0/s1600/IMG_4153+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1600" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfaPXmrJ63YH-09CQJupDt-X7Yj9iAw7g3k1Ory9bC-ZW2PzcyfJDRm29iOp8pJUGu-xwz51N1OKn5qTMS5xx44QmuOoiZyHhOmM_vNeDWozebXEcF4ktonzR-0bQbqIEKXDaZNMX7m0/s400/IMG_4153+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half term skull detectives</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The skull is 12 cm long and much smaller than the roe deer skull. It has large, forward facing eyes, so we decided it belonged to a hunter that's active at night. It has different shaped teeth, including small incisors, large canines and big grinding molars at the back of the mouth, so we thought it must be a meat eater. We decided it has to belong to either a fox or a badger, but we weren't sure which (although either one is pretty cool!) We looked for help online and ended up on the Jake Bones website, which has a great section on the difference between the two types of skull, which you can read <a href="http://www.jakes-bones.com/2015/12/the-difference-between-fox-and-badger.html">here</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioztxtdajTRrFaYAGMMDCGf3X6qsDZMtpOKraarzrl2iumUC2wv4RMCy4bG2sBjbjdFrhIlrbYXnyiaHHkCLcuv16RoBATpCG47213Kq1EKE7nebT383uk9vQ55lQc28KtKCL5EJ-e4Z8/s1600/IMG_4150+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioztxtdajTRrFaYAGMMDCGf3X6qsDZMtpOKraarzrl2iumUC2wv4RMCy4bG2sBjbjdFrhIlrbYXnyiaHHkCLcuv16RoBATpCG47213Kq1EKE7nebT383uk9vQ55lQc28KtKCL5EJ-e4Z8/s400/IMG_4150+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roe deer on the right and our mystery skull on the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to the website, the size of our skull is about right for a fox or badger. If it was a badger, the bottom jaw would usually still be attached and it would have a very prominent ridge of bone on the top of the skull. Ours had neither of these, so we suspected it was a fox.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnoLiS7MwmE9CELFEB-dT6NymcwG5A1E7b8Wd7Q-66HY9M_znEzwH71C7HVHqiJf_xeqVAA9DpVkooSGj6QZCeLW4IqL9KtefFPrMv2twlEBq81UA65TITpAPlgiJIFNYCCE7E4c1eSs/s1600/IMG_4161+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1013" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnoLiS7MwmE9CELFEB-dT6NymcwG5A1E7b8Wd7Q-66HY9M_znEzwH71C7HVHqiJf_xeqVAA9DpVkooSGj6QZCeLW4IqL9KtefFPrMv2twlEBq81UA65TITpAPlgiJIFNYCCE7E4c1eSs/s400/IMG_4161+%25282%2529.JPG" width="252" /></a></div>
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We looked at the shape of the skull and it looked more like the badger pictures. Fox skulls have a dip at the start of the nose, but ours is more rounded. There are also no sutures (small lines) on the nose, which made us think it was a badger skull. Badgers are really tough, so their bones are firmly fused to make them strong.<br />
<br />
Next we looked at the teeth, but our skull only has its very back molars. We could count the holes where the roots of the teeth would have been though and worked out our skull had 6 incisors, 2 canines and 4 back teeth each side. That would make it a badger and the two big back teeth are used to mash up worms!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-vqb0UEWe5YsBuKBOmHJ8kYLIXOefuu_IMhMa0twn2PTl4V0KzVavSK_I9xiUu-cvsh0m2j3xDGzOgWcfK6iJ-OJKJAWahqxa5klcE_sSInKeTrcbkJmgUWMqIhUP_aTviLYhWD2I6A/s1600/IMG_4151+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-vqb0UEWe5YsBuKBOmHJ8kYLIXOefuu_IMhMa0twn2PTl4V0KzVavSK_I9xiUu-cvsh0m2j3xDGzOgWcfK6iJ-OJKJAWahqxa5klcE_sSInKeTrcbkJmgUWMqIhUP_aTviLYhWD2I6A/s400/IMG_4151+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We're fairly sure it's a badger skull, from the size, shape, teeth and strong bones. The only problem is that the lower jaw is detached (which it usually isn't with a badger) and the ridge of bone on the top of the skull is missing. We thought that maybe the skull is quite old and had been worn down and beaten up a bit, explaining the missing bits.<br />
<br />
Finding a skull is always exciting, so we went back to the spot where I found it to look for more bones. No luck though as it seems you can only find them when you're not looking for them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT43nYCVYNrrLhsQq1YMexWAQXEXyByz5qgTFd3hSZMMgpuek-KRAKF0Uofv8yfyQ_idR06iSoHxpRYwZ-XDqvTnEGrluNT0rM6MRh6S8isD9tqu7_I_YQu0uBXxzyvG7eLf9c9j1vBu8/s1600/IMG_4116+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT43nYCVYNrrLhsQq1YMexWAQXEXyByz5qgTFd3hSZMMgpuek-KRAKF0Uofv8yfyQ_idR06iSoHxpRYwZ-XDqvTnEGrluNT0rM6MRh6S8isD9tqu7_I_YQu0uBXxzyvG7eLf9c9j1vBu8/s400/IMG_4116+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-71526078985168121262017-10-24T14:58:00.000+01:002017-10-24T14:58:16.098+01:00Mini-meadowWhen we moved into our new house at the end of February, the end of the garden was full of crocuses and primroses. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNecmT06tgvrIygoLHIjOKVLBSsJUoBvfQS-nGIJN1a7-MV5X5TUPf5bPI6z7mznBts_Wy_Nq5VMuIN-rRX-Sh9_hAIeGDrzZa0fFYuwKFsbeWvMHHlgmzbCPvMbTOZK-oFuFL8-1mTnE/s1600/primroses.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNecmT06tgvrIygoLHIjOKVLBSsJUoBvfQS-nGIJN1a7-MV5X5TUPf5bPI6z7mznBts_Wy_Nq5VMuIN-rRX-Sh9_hAIeGDrzZa0fFYuwKFsbeWvMHHlgmzbCPvMbTOZK-oFuFL8-1mTnE/s400/primroses.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was very pretty, so we decided to leave a patch of the lawn unmown so that we could see what else flowered over the summer. We ended up with a beautiful mini-meadow full of ox-eye daisies, clover, ragwort, self-heal and all sorts of other things. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKG6nHDc_fhv0KuIk_b8aU5f9pb-iCcPfESnKM_5RoffFfgRYtoD1og02zz6yapv_4L1IeA6fCdsSZ7Qg0wIFrC_p2R_ZBWYGoga2PszIVftBn_S4BtAThxYZxqmkjvpxeR-B6BUlAo8/s1600/IMG_0793+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKG6nHDc_fhv0KuIk_b8aU5f9pb-iCcPfESnKM_5RoffFfgRYtoD1og02zz6yapv_4L1IeA6fCdsSZ7Qg0wIFrC_p2R_ZBWYGoga2PszIVftBn_S4BtAThxYZxqmkjvpxeR-B6BUlAo8/s400/IMG_0793+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-meadow with our pond behind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
During the summer I planted a few seedlings from my Mum's garden, including teasels, cowslips, evening primrose and fax and cubs, which will hopefully all flower next year. We also have an abandoned sports ground at the end of the garden, which is absolutely full of wildflowers (you can see some of the flowers that are just over the fence <a href="http://bugmadgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/30dayswild-day-14-great-british.html">here)</a>. Hopefully lots of seeds will be blown over the fence and into our meadow!<br />
<br />
We thought we'd also have a go at sowing some seeds this autumn, just to see what happens. We had wildflower seeds that we'd been given at various events (in our 30 Days Wild pack and at the Wild Fair in Oxford) and half a packet of old seeds that were waiting to be used up. We also collected a few seeds each time we were out and about, including knapweed, agrimony, vetch, some big spiky thistles, teasels, goldenrod and wild marjoram. We collected a few rosebay willowherb seeds for the elephant hawkmoth caterpillars and Mum gave us some dark mullein for the striped lychnis moth caterpillars. There were lots of other seeds in the mix ... those are just some that I remember.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMNN8kjpzMIryxu9P4Mc-8wEKyEcMmIn_F_bS8t8JGs9-c0kmNmRa_FYxfM4sqFFBi2cfQqGjHZ2_kjjnnLOx7Fd2e6ZoGwCOtmuJ_G8gDBXXPP1f9jHW9obCPjoF4ayzx8sWJaPi1f4/s1600/IMG_4075+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1600" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMNN8kjpzMIryxu9P4Mc-8wEKyEcMmIn_F_bS8t8JGs9-c0kmNmRa_FYxfM4sqFFBi2cfQqGjHZ2_kjjnnLOx7Fd2e6ZoGwCOtmuJ_G8gDBXXPP1f9jHW9obCPjoF4ayzx8sWJaPi1f4/s400/IMG_4075+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had cut the meadow a few weeks ago and got rid of all the cuttings. It's been so mild though that the grass had grown quite a lot, but so had some of the flowers. We found one primrose in flower and plenty of primrose leaves, plus the ragwort that had been cut to the ground had flowered again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWymqx6M4JdI-zghdHrZ4wQ5ukm8LOgDl1vDLiSurKdEMHByPmrG9mNAGIIW3NjNZ5cAx28AyBveUgAwbnRAyuenG5nJrxMxwb3N1w15t56CDD4IaCcH4FeIcnF2igHaVNWTFCjJ1ZJuE/s1600/IMG_4084+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWymqx6M4JdI-zghdHrZ4wQ5ukm8LOgDl1vDLiSurKdEMHByPmrG9mNAGIIW3NjNZ5cAx28AyBveUgAwbnRAyuenG5nJrxMxwb3N1w15t56CDD4IaCcH4FeIcnF2igHaVNWTFCjJ1ZJuE/s400/IMG_4084+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primroses in flower in October!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVCEZvSuO5w8hE7tBHOWB_u75NS88ngrAX72xXeBnCJYVnCYdhX5s6RYVrEVYY-zsLEbnL32lVmq3I6xA35E4Fn3eqYE_B228zPaxWkLXHdY1C9xb3uSSyAaWnBAaxS4cysyvsE6A0Io/s1600/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVCEZvSuO5w8hE7tBHOWB_u75NS88ngrAX72xXeBnCJYVnCYdhX5s6RYVrEVYY-zsLEbnL32lVmq3I6xA35E4Fn3eqYE_B228zPaxWkLXHdY1C9xb3uSSyAaWnBAaxS4cysyvsE6A0Io/s400/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ragwort flowers - these plants were covered in stripy cinnabar caterpillars in<br />
the summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We sowed our seeds this afternoon. After raking up the leaves from our ash tree and some of the dead grass, we scuffed up the ground as much as we could. Then the kids chucked the seeds everywhere, using a variety of techniques!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN6HgosFmmfQ39q38iXDvsk3ucuKiDhfn9bVeaOI04PcQVBGq3SzvkLicmtgDKNt0aR6t-xl3fVApQMnjkzRTP8EpvYLn0gQYVrp8Jq24jafBUM26mXChKsXyESH5HrqoKJP4qV-6jWI/s1600/IMG_4077+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1342" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCN6HgosFmmfQ39q38iXDvsk3ucuKiDhfn9bVeaOI04PcQVBGq3SzvkLicmtgDKNt0aR6t-xl3fVApQMnjkzRTP8EpvYLn0gQYVrp8Jq24jafBUM26mXChKsXyESH5HrqoKJP4qV-6jWI/s400/IMG_4077+%25282%2529.JPG" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barefoot and controlled seed dispersal</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwfyAK6rGNslnPh9iRlT3DWJoh8cYrw5LgzOZ5eaWgw1dd-azp-AuU1YWx3oE8LNF001t1mZWZrL_e6utV6tUHKB1PUW86c9MRJwmDX4BEP3AtuTxSgBw0-a15bp4fRFfgu87oi-nLVs/s1600/IMG_4081+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1531" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwfyAK6rGNslnPh9iRlT3DWJoh8cYrw5LgzOZ5eaWgw1dd-azp-AuU1YWx3oE8LNF001t1mZWZrL_e6utV6tUHKB1PUW86c9MRJwmDX4BEP3AtuTxSgBw0-a15bp4fRFfgu87oi-nLVs/s400/IMG_4081+%25282%2529.JPG" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fling it far and wide seed dispersal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had also bought some yellow rattle seeds, as this plant is particularly good at keeping the grass at bay. It's semi-parasitic on grass and will hopefully allow the wildflower seeds to take hold and not be swamped by grass. <br />
<br />
Now we just have to wait and see what appears in the spring!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-49357720758848508392017-10-16T17:54:00.000+01:002017-10-16T17:54:16.047+01:00Fungi huntingIt was a beautiful morning for a walk around Pulpit Hill and was so warm I was out in a short sleeved t-shirt (not a regular occurrence in mid October!). With the remnants of hurricane Ophelia due to hit later in the day, it seemed wise to make the most of it and head for the hills. <br />
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So far this year there seem to have been very few fungi around in the woods near us. Everywhere is just so dry (although the dog seemed to manage to find plenty of muddy puddles) that the fungi just aren't fruiting yet. Perhaps the storm will bring us some rain and make the conditions just right.<br />
<br />
I found a few large clouded funnels, one or two rosy bonnets, some sulphur tuft and some small patches of porcelain fungus. I didn't see a single puffball, amethyst deceiver or safffrondrop bonnet ... which should all be easy to find at this time of year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS50MTxs7g3scL3ywoDo3gtUbHIjOY_3SGiO3gSKA0P1U8UAgNiYaS7nyXjCAvAxxBC3ADf4uPpMvviQqkBlKqg_fjMEuH8tf47japlo_20GrpPOYTp-OcogWcMX9JjGYJoMrvqW3G7kg/s1600/IMG_3971+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS50MTxs7g3scL3ywoDo3gtUbHIjOY_3SGiO3gSKA0P1U8UAgNiYaS7nyXjCAvAxxBC3ADf4uPpMvviQqkBlKqg_fjMEuH8tf47japlo_20GrpPOYTp-OcogWcMX9JjGYJoMrvqW3G7kg/s400/IMG_3971+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouded funnel - there were a few 'troops' in the leaf litter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFUM-drm3goeigmfpvYAZtMGh0Co9g66xDku-7dBZT-joG2k-uiO1zEdcLKFEaYBHIWsEhmGYcnrXF1kporyTa2A_55tw3cTsGVB8frF5_ArKJcJheLY7EKN00N9sU0IBRENYwXCMkug/s1600/IMG_3986+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFUM-drm3goeigmfpvYAZtMGh0Co9g66xDku-7dBZT-joG2k-uiO1zEdcLKFEaYBHIWsEhmGYcnrXF1kporyTa2A_55tw3cTsGVB8frF5_ArKJcJheLY7EKN00N9sU0IBRENYwXCMkug/s400/IMG_3986+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porcelain fungus growing on a fallen branch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A small patch of grey coral fungus was growing in the middle of the hill fort on the top of the hill. This is a common fungus, but I've never spotted it before. It looked more purple than grey, but I'm fairly sure that's what it was. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvNjhgmYn-NQIrS3cFuf571KmYknIMLwunkz1SInPLhW0I9i-jmYlUB0qZdKxV189D8oh4-vRLyVaNjqCOvYsDeEB3RpS0J9GONWbMQoxsaRSvOOGClOfoJYz7Pi1dzhWcHxnSjR_jR0/s1600/IMG_3976+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvNjhgmYn-NQIrS3cFuf571KmYknIMLwunkz1SInPLhW0I9i-jmYlUB0qZdKxV189D8oh4-vRLyVaNjqCOvYsDeEB3RpS0J9GONWbMQoxsaRSvOOGClOfoJYz7Pi1dzhWcHxnSjR_jR0/s400/IMG_3976+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey coral fungus<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were signs of new fungi appearing. I suspect this will turn into a parasol or dapperling, but I'll keep an eye on it as it grows.<br />
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Last week I noticed some interesting fungi just starting to appear on some felled beech tree trunks. I was keen to go back today and see what they'd turned into. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGDGcWWu1eebD8ho7YAYeWiRia_lSbLrlqSxburIJJULaHbBKHY5NCVIMczMyruLUUrZkxuiOsmzBdj8j1RMAqOTNtDeS6Xalw4rc7fHemunD_HKtxtGDr_m0ErC23OeUCwOVig2hH2Q/s1600/IMG_3905+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGDGcWWu1eebD8ho7YAYeWiRia_lSbLrlqSxburIJJULaHbBKHY5NCVIMczMyruLUUrZkxuiOsmzBdj8j1RMAqOTNtDeS6Xalw4rc7fHemunD_HKtxtGDr_m0ErC23OeUCwOVig2hH2Q/s400/IMG_3905+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A week ago ... hard to tell what they'll be!</td></tr>
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I'm fairly sure they're golden scalycap, with large sticky yellow caps that are covered in little brown scales. Quite an unusual find, so it was nice to see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaipf0hypg11J1aTwjEbbsgy9SPpyO6AAQMS27OIw-jr7BtlZfC7ZWMaHaJayi7NJlIhB-_QtUe-cqmK3UqNxaN0tjiSSxsvkk8-8jServH2wBE7M4RaNPaFrRtjKqPsXs-mT96iq40DA/s1600/IMG_4027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaipf0hypg11J1aTwjEbbsgy9SPpyO6AAQMS27OIw-jr7BtlZfC7ZWMaHaJayi7NJlIhB-_QtUe-cqmK3UqNxaN0tjiSSxsvkk8-8jServH2wBE7M4RaNPaFrRtjKqPsXs-mT96iq40DA/s400/IMG_4027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JuAli-535mNERGRlO8Fb3KEh15BepWuwF1Oq7Rc5EiCZLPTnt2nFv1ch7L6ZAu_hURVvxmxxhIPcJlElPZuQStW1vue1nIiv9QKzEFkt1yNhRmGYrDMGvNcQAuMD8PevoPnMLTWCQEI/s1600/IMG_4013+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JuAli-535mNERGRlO8Fb3KEh15BepWuwF1Oq7Rc5EiCZLPTnt2nFv1ch7L6ZAu_hURVvxmxxhIPcJlElPZuQStW1vue1nIiv9QKzEFkt1yNhRmGYrDMGvNcQAuMD8PevoPnMLTWCQEI/s400/IMG_4013+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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To finish off my hunt through the woods, I spotted a large white object in the leaves. I went to investigate, thinking it might be a fungus and found a large skull. I'm guessing it's either a fox or a badger, but I will challenge Bug Mad Girl to find out what it is later. She loves it when we find bones, especially skulls!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaJPFQLL9mc2q3N7e85GlFfcyPFoQlWBToiI5l-sZGjR-Hu3Yf27JdthaHaDDz-Qcd6csL31PAVvEBOK0AlwvQGdc1549G7x6snrb8OrOgrwNG5uC67uiflYMe98ZiTpguOL15HDThwk/s1600/IMG_4011+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1600" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaJPFQLL9mc2q3N7e85GlFfcyPFoQlWBToiI5l-sZGjR-Hu3Yf27JdthaHaDDz-Qcd6csL31PAVvEBOK0AlwvQGdc1549G7x6snrb8OrOgrwNG5uC67uiflYMe98ZiTpguOL15HDThwk/s400/IMG_4011+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now the wind has picked up and the sky has turned red (apparently the storm has blown sahara sand into the air, which is turning the sky a very strange colour). Time to brace ourselves for the storm!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-15095222484501915962017-10-15T18:52:00.000+01:002017-10-15T18:56:57.553+01:00Moth Night 2017Moth Night has been running this weekend (it's actually over three nights, not just one), where we're all encouraged to get out and see what moths are still flying at this time of the year.<br />
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We put the moth trap out and waited to see what would be in there in the morning. We always have our fingers crossed that we'll catch a hawk moth (or two) and the recent 'heatwave' meant conditions were good for the rare immigrant silver-striped hawkmoth or the huge convolvulus hawkmoth. You just never know what might be passing and be attracted to the light. There's even a slim chance that there could be a fabulous death's-head hawkmoth (I wrote about them <a href="http://bugmadgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/voluptuous-death.html">here</a>) sitting in the trap when we open it in the morning ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPvyoWFmQptjH8ZovN0c7pptNSzZPwwnsFbchpd94rHz7RKKm1BUM7RjkTp86bW1E6KfbpYm1IKIAciY3D2EK9M12PkUAIxyA_TzrWbXri-526JOkgOMksaj0e0J-8n-Kbbn8TjLP92k/s1600/Deaths+head+on+aish+hand+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1427" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPvyoWFmQptjH8ZovN0c7pptNSzZPwwnsFbchpd94rHz7RKKm1BUM7RjkTp86bW1E6KfbpYm1IKIAciY3D2EK9M12PkUAIxyA_TzrWbXri-526JOkgOMksaj0e0J-8n-Kbbn8TjLP92k/s400/Deaths+head+on+aish+hand+%25282%2529.JPG" width="356" /></a></div>
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... unfortunately, not this time! It always feels a little like Christmas morning when we lift the lid on the trap and see what's in there. No hawkmoths for us, but there were still some very pretty surprises.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IlKzdNw5uRZeqs7x_0w1V4ZSL7ae12DUK6zryr-YlKlAd2UcTjEoDtf_IKhN-pf6wz0AqeEjldOwtov9iC4u47vIn5xe-cXtNUwdjmLlebIEWb7tGRfexAyNwU1XtgxMGtvigWt9Tpg/s1600/Green-brindled+crescent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1571" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IlKzdNw5uRZeqs7x_0w1V4ZSL7ae12DUK6zryr-YlKlAd2UcTjEoDtf_IKhN-pf6wz0AqeEjldOwtov9iC4u47vIn5xe-cXtNUwdjmLlebIEWb7tGRfexAyNwU1XtgxMGtvigWt9Tpg/s400/Green-brindled+crescent.JPG" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green-brindled crescent</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyTns_5cSVDrzSE67gSLMRYbLg0XuyAOJdoXAxThoIPsE9IVkPzV7smbuYr4EQzCSxWy1ozc31wUPWSl-jCH87BoyILzMqudnkfmrlzVeHAdyRF9EJQ1V3zBmFiQWgRVkjSHF8T7mWOI/s1600/Black+rustic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1334" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyTns_5cSVDrzSE67gSLMRYbLg0XuyAOJdoXAxThoIPsE9IVkPzV7smbuYr4EQzCSxWy1ozc31wUPWSl-jCH87BoyILzMqudnkfmrlzVeHAdyRF9EJQ1V3zBmFiQWgRVkjSHF8T7mWOI/s400/Black+rustic.JPG" width="332" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black rustic</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_LI5mPTnYgX5ezipHiFkKWqRf4iLvrwN0dRj_czZhtPIxCxMCpIwi9PL41Qca0h_YWJHDneS5zNN1tyihwqtSmFGn7etIfK2HRKNliHsz0i05eN7CMhDlqNIX9KT9cxVmZXgRnzYuu8/s1600/Blair%2527s+shoulder-knot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_LI5mPTnYgX5ezipHiFkKWqRf4iLvrwN0dRj_czZhtPIxCxMCpIwi9PL41Qca0h_YWJHDneS5zNN1tyihwqtSmFGn7etIfK2HRKNliHsz0i05eN7CMhDlqNIX9KT9cxVmZXgRnzYuu8/s400/Blair%2527s+shoulder-knot.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blair's shoulder-knot</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw6RgFh9SAu9CMs20duCD1f3ZmvwRtDm91h6v9ea8FZeG-KhyphenhyphenLlg7Eze5ycSJ86jOmPeWlVsSUxM1Jcg8gWHehjNbz5sCuzUzS5T11b_FSErSUnYfYuezxRQZ3M-YXTw1MXJlCW6vdXo/s1600/Red-green+carpet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw6RgFh9SAu9CMs20duCD1f3ZmvwRtDm91h6v9ea8FZeG-KhyphenhyphenLlg7Eze5ycSJ86jOmPeWlVsSUxM1Jcg8gWHehjNbz5sCuzUzS5T11b_FSErSUnYfYuezxRQZ3M-YXTw1MXJlCW6vdXo/s400/Red-green+carpet.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-green carpet</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkzlMC7fsmEblcO-kL70POZGE8MgL6_gXJppMBdk8tnrHaBYr7HdMzkBCzOSSAVsttPwYHpfD96qadjegCqeMzBmtjNkGWLjJkxBaEDIPtOYem-IQJCspzAi-9IDLW2hPxdqAk4katkc/s1600/Red-line+quaker.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1369" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkzlMC7fsmEblcO-kL70POZGE8MgL6_gXJppMBdk8tnrHaBYr7HdMzkBCzOSSAVsttPwYHpfD96qadjegCqeMzBmtjNkGWLjJkxBaEDIPtOYem-IQJCspzAi-9IDLW2hPxdqAk4katkc/s400/Red-line+quaker.JPG" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-line quaker</td></tr>
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There were a few other insects attracted to the light, including some little orange ladybirds, lacewings, a shield bug and a very cool ichneumon wasp. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn8oDsk1hwLKTvzFMt_0iDSNBFIZ6pUx0c_K7hnO9F9dKbPb-wJqiN-WHHECS65zdCREftKCcoTc9KZpO-QqAsI0F1Ne5nusRneTe776b5zHicb4-ByVzvpjyrbazUFsTz1UVQIeY-j4/s1600/orange+ladybird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="958" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn8oDsk1hwLKTvzFMt_0iDSNBFIZ6pUx0c_K7hnO9F9dKbPb-wJqiN-WHHECS65zdCREftKCcoTc9KZpO-QqAsI0F1Ne5nusRneTe776b5zHicb4-ByVzvpjyrbazUFsTz1UVQIeY-j4/s400/orange+ladybird.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange ladybird</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ichneumon wasp</td></tr>
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Moth Night took place just in time, as we had unseasonably warm weather all weekend, but the remnants of a hurricane are due to arrive here next week! We'll record our moths on the Butterfly Conservation website and pack away the moth trap for the winter.Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-78676183835104136132017-09-02T18:17:00.000+01:002017-09-02T18:17:22.032+01:00Little devilsThere are only a few days left of the summer holidays, so I took the kids for a walk around Yoesden. It's always a brilliant place to see butterflies and they love hunting around for bugs, but now is also the perfect time to see the devil's-bit scabious that flowers in a part of the reserve known as the hole in the woods. A carpet of purple pincushions, covered in bees and butterflies, is such an amazing sight!<br />
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I took two cameras with me and almost as soon as we arrived the kids took one each, leaving me with no camera! Bug Mad Girl headed off to try and get pictures of the little blue butterflies that were all over the slope. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using stealth tactics to creep up on the butterflies</td></tr>
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There were definitely Adonis blues still flying, but many were very old and tattered, so it was hard to tell them apart from the common blues. She got some nice photos, but often seemed to have trouble with a stray blade of grass in the way (I know that problem well!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male adonis blue </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Adonis blue</td></tr>
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There were lots of other butterflies flying, including small tortoiseshells, speckled woods, commas, small heaths, red admirals and a beautiful, newly emerged brimstone. She got a lovely photograph of a male brimstone on a devil's-bit scabious flower.<br />
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She also took this photo of a bee with its head stuck into a gentian flower. <br />
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Her little brother took my other camera and took several hundred out of focus photos of everything, including his hand, the sky, grass, butterflies etc. Landscapes seem to be his thing though and he took a nice photo of the view from the top of the slope.<br />
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I showed him how to get the camera in focus and he managed to photograph a comma on some blackberries, which he took by balancing the camera on a fence post to keep it steady. <br />
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I finally wrestled one of the cameras off the kids and took some photos myself. The devil's-bit scabious was as wonderful as I'd hoped and I even found some white flowers, which seems quite unusual. <br />
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A single flower is beautiful, but the expression "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" definitely applies here and the flowers are most spectacular when viewed en masse (especially with a couple of bug hunters buried in the middle of them!).<br />
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I love that they both seem keen to take some photos, but I'm really going to have to make sure we all have a camera each!<br />
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-36480622702591294762017-08-31T18:52:00.001+01:002017-09-01T08:13:14.311+01:00Heir IslandDuring our recent holiday to Ireland, we spent three days on Heir Island. 1 km wide and 2.5 km long, it's about as far South as you can get in Ireland and is just off the West Coast of Cork, next to Sherkin Island and Cape Clear Island. It's only a five minute ferry ride from the mainland, but there are very few people (about 25 residents, plus a few day trippers and holiday makers) and only a handful of cars. We weren't quite sure what it would be like, but it was exciting to give and a go and have a look .... turns out it was absolutely beautiful!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge of Paris - the centre of the island and as built up it got!</td></tr>
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The scenery was breath taking and we had views across the other islands, right out to Fastnet and the lighthouse. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQGgUOSt8f39sWUlllk-EKySwPtFmUACPFdevjzT6u4vT-QW39Smmu8L_M2qUSDvJXKbzm9NqiUD8d8aFV2z4FG4QqktvDBKGC6V5hbgM5RvGBSrfSCZYOnQc8y2Cbi72u3g-OLwvwzY/s1600/view+1+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQGgUOSt8f39sWUlllk-EKySwPtFmUACPFdevjzT6u4vT-QW39Smmu8L_M2qUSDvJXKbzm9NqiUD8d8aFV2z4FG4QqktvDBKGC6V5hbgM5RvGBSrfSCZYOnQc8y2Cbi72u3g-OLwvwzY/s400/view+1+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Clear Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JWD0RpqAB1iFxofUuSFOeBrU-A1qF1FAf6avD2ZQXoz4iPMH9r6AaUaZ_4bH1BimsWgGqo6_FPFNdi4tX5BW2iZRhS7w9nIKXePctr2Pmz_KOcKeAfGUkcBLGvNkmU78szqPSzd5Co0/s1600/fastnet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JWD0RpqAB1iFxofUuSFOeBrU-A1qF1FAf6avD2ZQXoz4iPMH9r6AaUaZ_4bH1BimsWgGqo6_FPFNdi4tX5BW2iZRhS7w9nIKXePctr2Pmz_KOcKeAfGUkcBLGvNkmU78szqPSzd5Co0/s400/fastnet.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fastnet in the distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We were lucky as there was hardly any wind while we were there, so the sea was as flat as a mill pond. (Not sure it's always like that!)</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufeVQ-Fj1fo7I7VjPLeX1-QnC96nqGlz5phyphenhyphenuP6TpK_u0FKzMyWQS5DxGGQ0Qjd9GtQwmcH3hYG1d3o136KYXU5YJc_yoyEYHfRAtRqqyahVGsDTr2_mOYyDJATs2bk6IjwLKBXGAtNg/s1600/view+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufeVQ-Fj1fo7I7VjPLeX1-QnC96nqGlz5phyphenhyphenuP6TpK_u0FKzMyWQS5DxGGQ0Qjd9GtQwmcH3hYG1d3o136KYXU5YJc_yoyEYHfRAtRqqyahVGsDTr2_mOYyDJATs2bk6IjwLKBXGAtNg/s400/view+5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down by the bridge of Paris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMQWZwqZMZr5wdLKj0r6WvBmbMdhR7WHfIKBjsKHTACdLMns_659KMAkmFG0bMKHvBArgxpdqJCHKrAcHU2CxTCiI_0Cj0epcxsdR3p7f1BXBCg4rQo5Ok3HCx-NcOBeLVfll1_kMyJw/s1600/view+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMQWZwqZMZr5wdLKj0r6WvBmbMdhR7WHfIKBjsKHTACdLMns_659KMAkmFG0bMKHvBArgxpdqJCHKrAcHU2CxTCiI_0Cj0epcxsdR3p7f1BXBCg4rQo5Ok3HCx-NcOBeLVfll1_kMyJw/s400/view+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An island across the bay with some windswept trees and a derelict house - <br />
apparently the island is for sale for 1 million euros</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY2uVVCpayolPmBF0lA7eJWYG1GPdIECq6LtTYK5gu4ZbLORRBwpCaSYFW3DXnCTgSlCSPJatmGLsffsw3SLg-PbzXA3LrQiQ9bsI6esjXi0wk1o0K42pHacVdbeW5putbsfFGA8D8lQ/s1600/boats+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY2uVVCpayolPmBF0lA7eJWYG1GPdIECq6LtTYK5gu4ZbLORRBwpCaSYFW3DXnCTgSlCSPJatmGLsffsw3SLg-PbzXA3LrQiQ9bsI6esjXi0wk1o0K42pHacVdbeW5putbsfFGA8D8lQ/s400/boats+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the pink tower of Kilcoe Castle (owned by Jeremy Irons) between <br />
the masts of the white boat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Traditionally it was a fishing community and you can still watch the fishermen from the island go out to check their lobster and crab pots each day.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTx90tQ-ZtwigLIlqXFa3Jlexds_IPNt9336-0JIHif0yaO4XHQ7kb4nagoQNQ6DjDgVAX3zwgM0MWyoPwUL0BKydVhtzdd-sIIq86rQ4i7tUCEG9TpcAVVzf4I1bPtxKCQIA4NTlNCk/s1600/lobster+pots+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTx90tQ-ZtwigLIlqXFa3Jlexds_IPNt9336-0JIHif0yaO4XHQ7kb4nagoQNQ6DjDgVAX3zwgM0MWyoPwUL0BKydVhtzdd-sIIq86rQ4i7tUCEG9TpcAVVzf4I1bPtxKCQIA4NTlNCk/s400/lobster+pots+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster pots</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9yGT2YEBTGBpUVgwfA-dViY15SIZJyZ5i_mBKnGOpYaFC_bbXF3qCUBUQmRJ0QfyM1tqLbrzV5nFDcjyHOTSNfcsc5ltQfTid6VDXFCe9nGKBHDEb04vAO2DJNofRJOhyphenhyphend_bCqgsEV0/s1600/lobster+pots+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9yGT2YEBTGBpUVgwfA-dViY15SIZJyZ5i_mBKnGOpYaFC_bbXF3qCUBUQmRJ0QfyM1tqLbrzV5nFDcjyHOTSNfcsc5ltQfTid6VDXFCe9nGKBHDEb04vAO2DJNofRJOhyphenhyphend_bCqgsEV0/s400/lobster+pots+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdh-fhyphenhyphen-syze5yTcu6TipuIs6zh6CtJslrG_rNxgEd5Msje8lCNiKbItsJX9cRhz7etrlmsJEHeBkNkPjV7cASIGCJO2v4Gs-4E2z8zJDPNSbehvHuruq679d2s6Vi4h_BrRd1DYha88/s1600/anchors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdh-fhyphenhyphen-syze5yTcu6TipuIs6zh6CtJslrG_rNxgEd5Msje8lCNiKbItsJX9cRhz7etrlmsJEHeBkNkPjV7cASIGCJO2v4Gs-4E2z8zJDPNSbehvHuruq679d2s6Vi4h_BrRd1DYha88/s400/anchors.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rusty anchors left up against a wall - they looked like talons reaching <br />
out of the undergrowth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We really enjoyed the peace and quiet and the chance to ramble around and explore the island. The kids swam (in wetsuits, it wasn't that warm!), explored rock pools and scoured the beaches at low tide for shells.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveOYOflXmKVeIExpMv5ZRYbHMEhNUJ3wXKf9AIlWp72tPEZ-7eyMBXi-3TnTBWC6KfhxUy7A4MEDvHOzphseEc-sy-0vo16s37NlXJHEDmGCJgu_7j8Ivh5Df5RxL0VsLt8oJuD2JIxY/s1600/walk+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveOYOflXmKVeIExpMv5ZRYbHMEhNUJ3wXKf9AIlWp72tPEZ-7eyMBXi-3TnTBWC6KfhxUy7A4MEDvHOzphseEc-sy-0vo16s37NlXJHEDmGCJgu_7j8Ivh5Df5RxL0VsLt8oJuD2JIxY/s400/walk+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for a swim</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgRNMfJBqdjBqkAc9QljCmlTTxRxa3v5hnahO7qJa8S8XMLaoUpD0cIuxtG9IpanRJLgzNvY3eGmfYRtmfMHYXCbzrfA7K1_djz7wYFZpCN5Udt0BhYdwC0tRYHsIZX6zqe72BmJVJRY/s1600/in+the+sea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1600" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgRNMfJBqdjBqkAc9QljCmlTTxRxa3v5hnahO7qJa8S8XMLaoUpD0cIuxtG9IpanRJLgzNvY3eGmfYRtmfMHYXCbzrfA7K1_djz7wYFZpCN5Udt0BhYdwC0tRYHsIZX6zqe72BmJVJRY/s400/in+the+sea.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a bit chilly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisf_Fnwy-9nEVR5sR1R7eMIRS8yqRwEaM1aop5GuzmqLXQNTHphwOGIA59r2aER8hG8TUgA04PpRZr_069T-5kO4c9XwKI_jH97UWbsqpThjtWs_mBiv3HjzG0_idztBu9k24q2HnKRyc/s1600/shells.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisf_Fnwy-9nEVR5sR1R7eMIRS8yqRwEaM1aop5GuzmqLXQNTHphwOGIA59r2aER8hG8TUgA04PpRZr_069T-5kO4c9XwKI_jH97UWbsqpThjtWs_mBiv3HjzG0_idztBu9k24q2HnKRyc/s400/shells.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Low tide treasures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bug Mad Girl can't resist a rock pool, in fact she likes them best when they're deep enough for her to actually get in them! Her best find was a very strange looking thing that she emerged from the sea clutching. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic22092ARXvWL8exkeKL5IMywWEixN0RRgVYSO3099CqDv5lfjK804wz7dRkTt15DFYsnmUxQT5rHtMippHo9iDJzb0eBBIn6A0oBNFxiA8ftY8EM44e0kjOG4xRgDrpSy51Hh2LZS8E4/s1600/cuc+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic22092ARXvWL8exkeKL5IMywWEixN0RRgVYSO3099CqDv5lfjK804wz7dRkTt15DFYsnmUxQT5rHtMippHo9iDJzb0eBBIn6A0oBNFxiA8ftY8EM44e0kjOG4xRgDrpSy51Hh2LZS8E4/s400/cuc+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It was a sea cucumber that was about 25cm long and looked like a black slimy lump of sausage shaped jelly. When she put it in the water it obviously had short tentacles and it had sucker feet that held on to her and a bright orange underside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8of-b-xy5_XqHScPCiHH-f__bMuPGgsJvUauVaSAiVW8qrn7wf_5-YCA8tx1DojZqnaBO21bM6trCX5IVK2AhVSoA2pbNT2zaBYU2iRX2n1x4CR9PQ1GpNnGZi0dBHG_gcysPz1VjOpE/s1600/cuc+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8of-b-xy5_XqHScPCiHH-f__bMuPGgsJvUauVaSAiVW8qrn7wf_5-YCA8tx1DojZqnaBO21bM6trCX5IVK2AhVSoA2pbNT2zaBYU2iRX2n1x4CR9PQ1GpNnGZi0dBHG_gcysPz1VjOpE/s400/cuc+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Sea cucumbers are related to starfish and sea urchins and apparently you can eat them, but we weren't tempted and made sure it went safely back to the sea!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW18bXNW_vTdFrQsupk3rSfRq3SVjhZ89TgzoOqW7h4MXmDmIDhoxZLwqp8brBLVQtkKmBYMaIRabNjCFvUNYwjCTags7vrklsF__2j_O9ogmeBYRi0Pekskh3DLdPbAb8CAUTK1j0UTs/s1600/cuc+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1342" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW18bXNW_vTdFrQsupk3rSfRq3SVjhZ89TgzoOqW7h4MXmDmIDhoxZLwqp8brBLVQtkKmBYMaIRabNjCFvUNYwjCTags7vrklsF__2j_O9ogmeBYRi0Pekskh3DLdPbAb8CAUTK1j0UTs/s400/cuc+4.JPG" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was quite a find - she was very pleased with it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We later found out it was called a cotton spinner, as it can shoot out a string of mucus to deter predators. This crab ran towards it after we had put it back in the water and got caught up in the 'cotton' that the sea cucumber squirted at it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwqTxj9bizh1_tcL7NrCOXK_Pw-NKT_5A3QeCxKgx7uxpFWZT5sgQKXi1UqnKXNSxfpqtcAz2SpDzO6INLni4BEXRFuLKsRHxgV8H0Z7OfV6QTw-Hz4wN5tSK17f1vr0Pc3nD20XB7Qo/s1600/cuc+cotton+and+crab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1600" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwqTxj9bizh1_tcL7NrCOXK_Pw-NKT_5A3QeCxKgx7uxpFWZT5sgQKXi1UqnKXNSxfpqtcAz2SpDzO6INLni4BEXRFuLKsRHxgV8H0Z7OfV6QTw-Hz4wN5tSK17f1vr0Pc3nD20XB7Qo/s400/cuc+cotton+and+crab.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'cotton' can be seen hanging down from the crab</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One end of the island ended in steep cliffs, topped by a colourful carpet of gorse, heather and wildflowers. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFg_Q2n4hYJ13noz1o_2-tBn3wEzvyOkp1nOSmbpSxiTlJCp47c7lGNeIQ_1X-xgLI4C1HwpqHOIQDiBeDND_9KlHwqpyRsFdnirfy6EcU7R_wrTbEErhK7uCGUJHqVXvYEK38hAdKwQ/s1600/heather+and+gorse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFg_Q2n4hYJ13noz1o_2-tBn3wEzvyOkp1nOSmbpSxiTlJCp47c7lGNeIQ_1X-xgLI4C1HwpqHOIQDiBeDND_9KlHwqpyRsFdnirfy6EcU7R_wrTbEErhK7uCGUJHqVXvYEK38hAdKwQ/s400/heather+and+gorse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather and gorse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPfjqPOdYmgLvvovURtUBveHCZpuD08ywga4uC6BVRIlYsWKKzPT6jba2xvxabYKQ4-sCyJk8746Lwd8sNqIGdlsaKGRa0TssLwvfkH04gS1dwdTBb8fzRk3eCPykMvWMxn3i1qU5YRs/s1600/eyebright+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPfjqPOdYmgLvvovURtUBveHCZpuD08ywga4uC6BVRIlYsWKKzPT6jba2xvxabYKQ4-sCyJk8746Lwd8sNqIGdlsaKGRa0TssLwvfkH04gS1dwdTBb8fzRk3eCPykMvWMxn3i1qU5YRs/s400/eyebright+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western eyebright - much chunkier than the Chiltern eyebright we get at home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqoaVPkE-lsKHwGS-c9hSKunOVmcz9X6Q4m6LYZUIB-6wVrHVqcThCTx9GT72PZpqT-i9czHoPqKC2SSMsBkMsbDoVV3Zb9xdDyxyn_1s82i4QazOI5jBt3PC9QfR3Z7GANGZHM2L0nc/s1600/pink+flower+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="1600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqoaVPkE-lsKHwGS-c9hSKunOVmcz9X6Q4m6LYZUIB-6wVrHVqcThCTx9GT72PZpqT-i9czHoPqKC2SSMsBkMsbDoVV3Zb9xdDyxyn_1s82i4QazOI5jBt3PC9QfR3Z7GANGZHM2L0nc/s400/pink+flower+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lousewort - very pretty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The cliffs were covered in mosses, lichens and flowers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eumW8fExX95ZhNr_ZkfS_cx0I-OjIhPB8ekvvSS52ukd9mr3W0ZiCnE7LnHhA4u7b1yzlNoDTjFYEH23DsyNoU49oBpzugDJSImzWHvD_tlSTSxkX_6XrgpeNbkrPNGbxh630aBMjWg/s1600/cliff+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eumW8fExX95ZhNr_ZkfS_cx0I-OjIhPB8ekvvSS52ukd9mr3W0ZiCnE7LnHhA4u7b1yzlNoDTjFYEH23DsyNoU49oBpzugDJSImzWHvD_tlSTSxkX_6XrgpeNbkrPNGbxh630aBMjWg/s400/cliff+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were lots of bees up there and we saw a few butterflies and moths.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89bZcBu10NCsLaj_heSQWeX7bylpH-m121_1YeM-ZgTAKMSzHnnOpLqJlgRKaklkqm_h7jydr0iulhPuQCbaI9Nub4dXc1NGcJq1umaa0ODYmNisV7yHIZjwi5o8eAZvkCMxs43BCm3U/s1600/bee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1328" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89bZcBu10NCsLaj_heSQWeX7bylpH-m121_1YeM-ZgTAKMSzHnnOpLqJlgRKaklkqm_h7jydr0iulhPuQCbaI9Nub4dXc1NGcJq1umaa0ODYmNisV7yHIZjwi5o8eAZvkCMxs43BCm3U/s400/bee.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the bees - not very happy about having a camera in its face!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha51XQ8qpYnN94KdAp7iaHHly4v0-5_ClNMxd-srd3bqi3xP2pyi2ffJALNUQrQ5JN1A1iPvb28FjTFblQk2E6a_DoFyRidxFKGoY480X-ZxL7pXj2fj8EuRwiSB8_N1Cy3VHJBv4_P8I/s1600/burnet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1381" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha51XQ8qpYnN94KdAp7iaHHly4v0-5_ClNMxd-srd3bqi3xP2pyi2ffJALNUQrQ5JN1A1iPvb28FjTFblQk2E6a_DoFyRidxFKGoY480X-ZxL7pXj2fj8EuRwiSB8_N1Cy3VHJBv4_P8I/s400/burnet.JPG" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burnet moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We found lots of crab claws and shells, where the sea birds had taken them onto the top of the cliff to eat. There were also several little piles of bones, but we couldn't piece them back together to work out what they were.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw57g9Vkg7pL7rfULri8IwloY7G6SboYX4JaLcxzh6y3OKtJLGj8tRDh7VmkVSzDRzCgD2SK0Hs_pw8RjtOAtg_EMJsiCjf98qeqg5wKDWoxlUzgYeYyFm3B_A3ipY6kzB_eBNH7xfZE/s1600/bones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw57g9Vkg7pL7rfULri8IwloY7G6SboYX4JaLcxzh6y3OKtJLGj8tRDh7VmkVSzDRzCgD2SK0Hs_pw8RjtOAtg_EMJsiCjf98qeqg5wKDWoxlUzgYeYyFm3B_A3ipY6kzB_eBNH7xfZE/s400/bones.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdSe8gb0XLpc-d7punoPFdXSKjphM9yV1-ZDlyxSOnuQm8JRmgO2w-_TAQBK-tAxLuJFss01-tZ4fPf8DyfhvAcYC1Z203pW9V4c9I3uFe3kQygul4YgImHN6k14TGkKaumL0aYmvDJA/s1600/claws+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1325" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdSe8gb0XLpc-d7punoPFdXSKjphM9yV1-ZDlyxSOnuQm8JRmgO2w-_TAQBK-tAxLuJFss01-tZ4fPf8DyfhvAcYC1Z203pW9V4c9I3uFe3kQygul4YgImHN6k14TGkKaumL0aYmvDJA/s400/claws+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab claws</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were lots of great birds on the island, but a few stood out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBdeCBRIZmPJ4-EwEuk00WdqJZDWwBa3GbG1OiDruZWTOHU7xJvFY9uyIm-JpJKsZoN0dnsvINW_ukLaf_1EifVxRqqNcM9PNHVFPh6eKAiSAWtOehQz8d1dG5DfAlH8BW6iOzn5xflc/s1600/birds+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBdeCBRIZmPJ4-EwEuk00WdqJZDWwBa3GbG1OiDruZWTOHU7xJvFY9uyIm-JpJKsZoN0dnsvINW_ukLaf_1EifVxRqqNcM9PNHVFPh6eKAiSAWtOehQz8d1dG5DfAlH8BW6iOzn5xflc/s400/birds+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cormorants looked like pterodactyls lined up on the rocks out at sea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMb_xSeOrKbofp5i7Jgm-Gq1jXcVTAr0Tajfu5FkHyuMKfTwHrRUBluraqFkhAclqu02jTIhu_uCzkXLV-puU-qDOzPZOJm4P83A60_CJF0vd0S4D_s3Di4YasiMUiH0BlN2Es2adHoY/s1600/hooded+crow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMb_xSeOrKbofp5i7Jgm-Gq1jXcVTAr0Tajfu5FkHyuMKfTwHrRUBluraqFkhAclqu02jTIhu_uCzkXLV-puU-qDOzPZOJm4P83A60_CJF0vd0S4D_s3Di4YasiMUiH0BlN2Es2adHoY/s400/hooded+crow.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big black and grey hooded crows picked through the mud <br />
and sat on the telephone poles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM607eiGB_1GxN0CijqvjwuO7NL5ufM4b_j4xgnEypmYX6SoOA0nTU5jZq7IncefwTDCbxWyQv1im6ALXkT2BJUUXjDl30URCfBcw7jjvv1ylY5vTuTap7S8UD_iY7VaTerrguPly5g9A/s1600/wagtail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM607eiGB_1GxN0CijqvjwuO7NL5ufM4b_j4xgnEypmYX6SoOA0nTU5jZq7IncefwTDCbxWyQv1im6ALXkT2BJUUXjDl30URCfBcw7jjvv1ylY5vTuTap7S8UD_iY7VaTerrguPly5g9A/s400/wagtail.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely little wagtails</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There was a small flock of starlings on the island, that gave us the spectacle of a mini-murmuration each evening. We also heard the curlews and saw them fly over head from one side of the island to the other at dusk. However my favourite birds had to be the masses of swallows that lined up on the telephone wires and dived and swooped all around us. <br />
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</tbody></table>
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The stone walls were full of beautiful ferns and mosses. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShWv8Ge-CyA4pezRXfid5I-7058kwBEMVAeB-2foF6ajK4vUu_Ns0cbBhRFd-uy6mY8jgY9xUrj-vSyKQERB1ux5b4Z4AYEcYpnIYK2mjdbwel2gxTmuRQzMfGEMY8-7ZqD42DQsOOtc/s1600/fern+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1600" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShWv8Ge-CyA4pezRXfid5I-7058kwBEMVAeB-2foF6ajK4vUu_Ns0cbBhRFd-uy6mY8jgY9xUrj-vSyKQERB1ux5b4Z4AYEcYpnIYK2mjdbwel2gxTmuRQzMfGEMY8-7ZqD42DQsOOtc/s400/fern+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our evening entertainment was crabbing off the small pier next to the bridge. The crabs can't resist a piece of bacon on a line and hang on tight once they've got it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWR06-dZZRAsHiyeOdWVWuOCTIjib3s-Cyzg-OgXzBkF7Vj2Wn432w1AzgdpXRCZkXSindIhlNfpgXDGmNcZaGak0xIcFntJ2yMEO1AIynLFrojk-gXFypF3QqkxMYljk4ithRBz4v58/s1600/crabbing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWR06-dZZRAsHiyeOdWVWuOCTIjib3s-Cyzg-OgXzBkF7Vj2Wn432w1AzgdpXRCZkXSindIhlNfpgXDGmNcZaGak0xIcFntJ2yMEO1AIynLFrojk-gXFypF3QqkxMYljk4ithRBz4v58/s400/crabbing.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crabbing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBYOCAVX6toZhUAs6txqZZxOKopzzl1YZC_Ml4ZtlkWo0A6MelL_nbxm8vW9yRdKT8uXn2GZUaWifMUKh1Chk1ZIOYcMg7hPjkc6QwWOGPl_lOtG1AVerrHIEPr_DWAlQ9yKWuKICPsQ/s1600/crab+bundle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBYOCAVX6toZhUAs6txqZZxOKopzzl1YZC_Ml4ZtlkWo0A6MelL_nbxm8vW9yRdKT8uXn2GZUaWifMUKh1Chk1ZIOYcMg7hPjkc6QwWOGPl_lOtG1AVerrHIEPr_DWAlQ9yKWuKICPsQ/s400/crab+bundle.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes you can get a lot of crabs on the bacon. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxo_00EOpTIaVRA2YMsidNrvQyR3MHAVSEszN3g5E58uHw51ybwKOpjFJnvvTQnsDJTk_0tcHrBBXa49GY3mjXabB1S8vBD5av03XwIIrVnXGv870C5dTE44pVgIjDnhMaxBiXMYb7Dk/s1600/crab+bite.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1428" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxo_00EOpTIaVRA2YMsidNrvQyR3MHAVSEszN3g5E58uHw51ybwKOpjFJnvvTQnsDJTk_0tcHrBBXa49GY3mjXabB1S8vBD5av03XwIIrVnXGv870C5dTE44pVgIjDnhMaxBiXMYb7Dk/s400/crab+bite.JPG" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We always put them back in the sea, but they occasionally <br />
get their own back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As the sun went down, the views only got better! What a wonderful place!<br />
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-21004715578699806482017-08-05T19:42:00.000+01:002017-08-05T19:42:17.727+01:00Snakes in the grass at the Big Vegetable ShowOur village show was held today, or as we call it, The Giant Vegetable Show. It's usually a good show, so we dodged the thunderstorms and popped up the road for a look. There were plenty of very big vegetables and some odd looking vegetable animals, but the stars of the show turned out to be snakes! It's not every day you see a Burmese python (one of the largest snakes in the world) slithering around a field in Buckinghamshire!<br />
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The kids loved holding the snakes and would now like one as a pet. I told them that when they grow up and leave home they can have as many pet snakes as they want!<br />
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They were also quite taken with the bosc monitor!<br />
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We met a noctule bat called Rose ...<br />
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... watched ferrets racing ...<br />
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... and spotted the queen bee.<br />
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Then the bee keeper donned the outfit and opened up the hive inside a netted area. I've never seen anybody do that at a fair or show before, so it was interesting to see. He puffed smoke at the bees, which I always though made them drowsy. Apparently it doesn't though, as it makes them think there's a forest fire. Then they dive into the hive and eat as much honey as possible, ready for a hasty escape. That gets them deep into the hive makes them so full that they can't bend their abdomens round to sting anybody.<br />
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Mustn't forget the vegetables!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very odd vegetable animals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enormous cabbages and courgettes</td></tr>
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We also saw some very badly behaved dogs. They were supposed to ignore the sausages and squeaky toys all around them and go to their owner when called, but almost all of them couldn't resist the tempting treats, which was very funny.<br />
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Then the little one met the mayor, which seemed to make his day. He even wiped the ice cream from his face before saying hello!<br />
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What a great show!</div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-85069135663284545142017-07-17T13:48:00.001+01:002017-07-17T13:48:52.240+01:00A chalkhill, white-letter, dark green morningI stood at the top of a Grangeland slope this morning and there were so many chalkhill blues fluttering through the short grass that I hardly knew where to look. I'd focus on one that had briefly settled and another would flutter past and distract me. It was such an amazing sight to see the short grass slope shimmering pale blue as hundreds of them flittered and danced! Not a bad problem to have, but it did make my head spin slightly!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBbfu8h4SInimMfJumv9V4VxCWFkVXH8EtH3ZyorRrsjHp7MLw9sFDGpUJRaoWrIU7_AXbxR9eMHauBpds_GYgVx4L7Vu-_MPAKd_aYWc0mWxkICSP5RBWrGiiF6EP5BqJpBqF9RGkBI/s1600/chalkhill+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBbfu8h4SInimMfJumv9V4VxCWFkVXH8EtH3ZyorRrsjHp7MLw9sFDGpUJRaoWrIU7_AXbxR9eMHauBpds_GYgVx4L7Vu-_MPAKd_aYWc0mWxkICSP5RBWrGiiF6EP5BqJpBqF9RGkBI/s400/chalkhill+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chalkhill blue</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq66SlCKw4yEbr0UmqtZ_osSl5-xk85eItNoBxEYmtBr7qGD7V9xL7UbbVMA82dhCfDhK6eGVYXpb3ZKCeORdEH8Nun2I6qmIQkAuCXEMqSoi9QqExcB0VW1UPLyef8d-LKtwFAxXtDig/s1600/chalkhill+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1258" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq66SlCKw4yEbr0UmqtZ_osSl5-xk85eItNoBxEYmtBr7qGD7V9xL7UbbVMA82dhCfDhK6eGVYXpb3ZKCeORdEH8Nun2I6qmIQkAuCXEMqSoi9QqExcB0VW1UPLyef8d-LKtwFAxXtDig/s400/chalkhill+3.JPG" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chalkhill blue</td></tr>
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I didn't think things could get much better than that, but then I spotted a little brown butterfly that looked a bit different. As I got closer I almost dropped the camera when I realised it was a white-letter hairstreak. It's the first one I've ever seen at Grangelands and I was thrilled when I saw the distinctive white 'W' on it's hind wing and realised what it was. It was a bit tatty, but I don't mind!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eb0jBc7n4XHMFzWaKAgS4UjtZZbXWA-vYZXO8mjecy5988GWWBIt2rfROMfCkKmyUwuRUGLMXN-ild0rM6q-6P39eLJXF7KXo_W153RJdM9vgqVnRSaRtYAI848qIDQkNMKAMKN1eJM/s1600/white+letter+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1558" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eb0jBc7n4XHMFzWaKAgS4UjtZZbXWA-vYZXO8mjecy5988GWWBIt2rfROMfCkKmyUwuRUGLMXN-ild0rM6q-6P39eLJXF7KXo_W153RJdM9vgqVnRSaRtYAI848qIDQkNMKAMKN1eJM/s400/white+letter+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-letter hairstreak, showing the white 'W' on its hind wing </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0-IphyW3dmdNZLRYQXwLs3m0FQjmTv0wLnsql5hPqVsqjq8Fhtoxw_1_e0DKVPce8I8p0sD7a9PKFFtjyfLhMcHUcfZqUEobg1Ad17ppa5e9aQgWbxgyCajiCmbAWOSUCXaQ2wM9e50/s1600/white+letter+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="1600" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0-IphyW3dmdNZLRYQXwLs3m0FQjmTv0wLnsql5hPqVsqjq8Fhtoxw_1_e0DKVPce8I8p0sD7a9PKFFtjyfLhMcHUcfZqUEobg1Ad17ppa5e9aQgWbxgyCajiCmbAWOSUCXaQ2wM9e50/s400/white+letter+5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-letter hairstreak</td></tr>
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There were butterflies everywhere, loving the wild marjoram and the sunshine. I got carried away following marbled whites, common blues and small skippers and trod in a rabbit hole, turned my ankle over and put my hand down on a thistle. It really hurt! As I sat there picking prickles out of my fingers, a dark green fritillary settled next to me. It was chased away by a meadow brown, but was back within a few minutes to almost the same spot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBL0RApjMReVhTSEBH6ta7tUFWUN10Sle4L5pM2blsiGxUw8RALzq1GE9Ll4mLMnHzACjRlAT5OKuBbwXcK0YmtfkXBIq-FbXwH-ho45koXFUepMhYYMrTxBOqXiuxKj7UaRpR2woDrY/s1600/dark+green+frit+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBL0RApjMReVhTSEBH6ta7tUFWUN10Sle4L5pM2blsiGxUw8RALzq1GE9Ll4mLMnHzACjRlAT5OKuBbwXcK0YmtfkXBIq-FbXwH-ho45koXFUepMhYYMrTxBOqXiuxKj7UaRpR2woDrY/s400/dark+green+frit+1.JPG" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark green fritillary</td></tr>
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What a wonderful morning! As I walked back, there were brimstones, gatekeepers and meadow browns and I saw a comma and red admiral when I was almost back at the car park. Another beautiful morning at Grangelands!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9N8XhYnsLfUfiY9GIsIWWY8dlv_XT-z1_EBySuWw6PEkrHqxPHNGnHp8LkKD9uUs6xRV28aG6rC_N8sDrGLKuLJgbbvb4jWFE23ZcMf9f847VTEVHgsIv3z1Yu_SnJOBRcNje2AcW2Ik/s1600/brimstone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9N8XhYnsLfUfiY9GIsIWWY8dlv_XT-z1_EBySuWw6PEkrHqxPHNGnHp8LkKD9uUs6xRV28aG6rC_N8sDrGLKuLJgbbvb4jWFE23ZcMf9f847VTEVHgsIv3z1Yu_SnJOBRcNje2AcW2Ik/s400/brimstone.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brimstone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk0Iw3zF4R_cdYuxpv44I8DfzlCc0AQL62-LGhKVm19Z0e-ctZlI2zbgEjvMTPlL1x4wuoPWHaiVlDmOgjkp37xrR3IP9t0kzLLILxFr2SwzmooRtbZqCiLrGaSWN-7W5CWfOebyeHAY/s1600/comma+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1138" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk0Iw3zF4R_cdYuxpv44I8DfzlCc0AQL62-LGhKVm19Z0e-ctZlI2zbgEjvMTPlL1x4wuoPWHaiVlDmOgjkp37xrR3IP9t0kzLLILxFr2SwzmooRtbZqCiLrGaSWN-7W5CWfOebyeHAY/s400/comma+2.JPG" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comma</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_R5G_H0QDeO097miPC2fnLNda3wG-RxIxvNARPa0MjPAO37t6_pny_tanpCGvrdludm5Z7ykD6aDiYiwYhUWkblYxIstLUZ-FLSRVipZW4cSciC1X5RN3iIVZhrmx2LK13hBK2p31xo/s1600/red+admiral+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="1485" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_R5G_H0QDeO097miPC2fnLNda3wG-RxIxvNARPa0MjPAO37t6_pny_tanpCGvrdludm5Z7ykD6aDiYiwYhUWkblYxIstLUZ-FLSRVipZW4cSciC1X5RN3iIVZhrmx2LK13hBK2p31xo/s400/red+admiral+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red admiral</td></tr>
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-36586826472604652482017-07-14T13:06:00.001+01:002017-07-14T13:06:20.963+01:00Red kite tumbleWe've had a bit of a drama with the red kite's nest in my parents back garden. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y1BbSAyDrdIh01iiJonOCJHbtA37s0VumyWi4g-SbTUVS-hsafngYhVv3n3BENtU4ZRYq84LwlwF0vGXVOsY3m02LisMUu3JXtwCh4ptRTmXXFH6DUfCgcsosOiFCKnH6H_Szcfx0ww/s1600/IMG_2430+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1600" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y1BbSAyDrdIh01iiJonOCJHbtA37s0VumyWi4g-SbTUVS-hsafngYhVv3n3BENtU4ZRYq84LwlwF0vGXVOsY3m02LisMUu3JXtwCh4ptRTmXXFH6DUfCgcsosOiFCKnH6H_Szcfx0ww/s400/IMG_2430+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The smaller of the two chicks, a couple of days ago</td></tr>
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The smaller of the two chicks fell out of the nest at some point Tuesday night or Wednesday morning (when it was very rainy and chilly). He was found sitting in the middle of the lawn, looking very wet and cold. <br />
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He looked very sorry for himself as he was soaked through and was too young to fly, so wouldn't have been able to get back up into the nest. He was a 'sitting duck' and the neighbours cats were already lurking in the bushes, so Mum carried him indoors and he sat on their kitchen table while they tried to decide what to do with him. One foot seemed to have been damaged in the fall and he wasn't using it at all. Later that morning the sun came out, so they put him on a bench on their patio to warm up and his parents both came and sat in the nearby trees and 'talked' to him. <br />
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My parents called Tiggywinkles, which is a very well known wildlife hospital only 15 minutes away from them, to ask what to do with him. They said to bring him in and they'd make sure his foot was OK, give him pain killers if needed, then look after him until he was old enough and strong enough to be released. If he had damaged himself so badly that he couldn't be released, they'd care for him permanently.<br />
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All a big sad really, but at least he has a chance of making it back to the wild. He will probably be able to fly within about a week, so fingers crossed he makes it. <br />
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Unfortunately I missed the whole thing, as I was out all day on a school trip, so I have no photos of the drama!<br />
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The older chick is doing well and the parents have been trying to encourage him to fly around the garden. He flies from one tree to another, then goes back to the nest for a snooze and some food. He spends the rest of the time sat on one of the branches outside the nest. Won't be long now until he flies off for good. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiYxa0kjuUq1akRUF-Oqwy9XzW4ssuzV-pF14-eG-HIxHVSz-kABCTxcoCoRpQIQoCn7C1Mm4jiAa0tLRHCS1WwsXUa2GDoOLdybe3aN7MTByxVQBUNdMbyI538uHyRO7HsskzZ7eICM/s1600/IMG_2434+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiYxa0kjuUq1akRUF-Oqwy9XzW4ssuzV-pF14-eG-HIxHVSz-kABCTxcoCoRpQIQoCn7C1Mm4jiAa0tLRHCS1WwsXUa2GDoOLdybe3aN7MTByxVQBUNdMbyI538uHyRO7HsskzZ7eICM/s400/IMG_2434+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elder of the two chicks</td></tr>
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-2499144675907235942017-07-12T18:59:00.004+01:002017-07-12T18:59:58.970+01:00BBC Wildlife photo of the weekI was thrilled to find out that one of my photographs is BBC Wildlife magazine's photo of the week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tNi3Dm0oN5rMATjXxFxeRqCOM5xsfuhg-STeXFFo6CXNrSC75toTyZjVTDx28R1Hd7skYSQ8gPwwnG84yDuTev9Lu4QCEuIeFFZs_No91IVIEH0_f5CSvsHZUcvnDK_gV94lKAOrrIs/s1600/12+tort+hatch+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tNi3Dm0oN5rMATjXxFxeRqCOM5xsfuhg-STeXFFo6CXNrSC75toTyZjVTDx28R1Hd7skYSQ8gPwwnG84yDuTev9Lu4QCEuIeFFZs_No91IVIEH0_f5CSvsHZUcvnDK_gV94lKAOrrIs/s400/12+tort+hatch+4.JPG" width="287" /></a></div>
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We looked after some small tortoiseshell caterpillars over 30 Days Wild, that we watched pupate. This picture was taken when one of them hatched out about a week and a half later. The blog post with more photos and a video of the moment one hatched can be found <a href="http://bugmadgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/30dayswild-day-12-happy-hatching-day.html">here.</a><br />
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Thanks BBC Wildlife!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-1787327989905489382017-07-09T18:39:00.000+01:002017-07-09T18:39:15.606+01:00Reptile rockeryEach month Springwatch have a Wildlife SOS (Save Our Species), which encourages everybody to do something specific to help our wildlife. This month it was to build a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BBCSpringwatch/videos/1435749416518562/">reptile rockery.</a> When Little Brother had to do a project on 'habitats' for his homework, we decided building a reptile rockery in our wildlife garden would be perfect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CNWY_jXgMb1cbbC_WDG8eEWBcQ2BdLuWf4APsC1lgBC_PhejKkS9iZnUYxbWrVfjG2EbVI-5R3ZAWDZDfQIIIcYt5NIyiHMm3239u0fgjZGvVnfHkjS5Id7b3HJPAmULLSzz1K5V694/s1600/rep+rockery+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="1600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CNWY_jXgMb1cbbC_WDG8eEWBcQ2BdLuWf4APsC1lgBC_PhejKkS9iZnUYxbWrVfjG2EbVI-5R3ZAWDZDfQIIIcYt5NIyiHMm3239u0fgjZGvVnfHkjS5Id7b3HJPAmULLSzz1K5V694/s400/rep+rockery+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As reptiles are cold-blooded, they need somewhere sunny to bask and warm up, as well as somewhere shady to hide when it's too hot or when there are predators nearby. We raided Nanny Moth's garden and found a mixture of flat stones, broken pots and pieces of concrete (all flattish and warm in the sunshine), which we arranged with plenty of gaps as hidey holes. Then we planted some herbs around the edge, to provide extra shade and to attract insects for our reptiles to eat. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhNECTbwfuM1ipKNDrf0YgqlgSVUY33jxKpP4qOdwA74sbb1ZjaubHzhQODlxofPeTlCXvPQ3pvmiAB2-0hrHqPJklWfaoT8e7Ei_2EuKrkrtVX_L5qiViNo6IJ1LQ-6otcswKCmim7U/s1600/rep+rockery+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhNECTbwfuM1ipKNDrf0YgqlgSVUY33jxKpP4qOdwA74sbb1ZjaubHzhQODlxofPeTlCXvPQ3pvmiAB2-0hrHqPJklWfaoT8e7Ei_2EuKrkrtVX_L5qiViNo6IJ1LQ-6otcswKCmim7U/s400/rep+rockery+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The reptile rockery is in a sunny spot near our new pond, so it will also be a great place for frogs and toads to hide. No sign of any basking reptiles yet, so we helped with a few from the toy box!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirBqQvetagLtQNh8rEu8ceOF0plNIQHIwoWOt1egbM8KinzSC15q3IztJieSxbDba2owYpmnJZDTB8Z139Ha4PoOtVyI3MA9vqZFRuh7tsQdtdK3AVz4Ua839dvRk8vwQG7taLrGWj9E/s1600/rep+rockery+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirBqQvetagLtQNh8rEu8ceOF0plNIQHIwoWOt1egbM8KinzSC15q3IztJieSxbDba2owYpmnJZDTB8Z139Ha4PoOtVyI3MA9vqZFRuh7tsQdtdK3AVz4Ua839dvRk8vwQG7taLrGWj9E/s400/rep+rockery+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the furry anaconda needed wrestling!</td></tr>
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Homework done and Wildlife SOS done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzm8m7xfvgm5qcNYNNmK34CgDaMkOkziIFc-oG2VaSWFtjSzY_at7rcMTlQNsCmQWQeVoG7F3F19-nGW5YoOs89f89CGI2ERG68_rncClF0NrKVn3qoocv143L6DiXAYvVc2Kz6frqgcI/s1600/IMG_2460+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1600" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzm8m7xfvgm5qcNYNNmK34CgDaMkOkziIFc-oG2VaSWFtjSzY_at7rcMTlQNsCmQWQeVoG7F3F19-nGW5YoOs89f89CGI2ERG68_rncClF0NrKVn3qoocv143L6DiXAYvVc2Kz6frqgcI/s400/IMG_2460+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He wrote up a little bit about reptiles and the habitat they need for his homework</td></tr>
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I'm not sure we have any reptiles in our garden yet, but maybe this will help some to live there. Wouldn't it be great to have a resident slow worm or grass snake one day!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-17467873844475077572017-07-08T13:17:00.000+01:002017-07-08T13:17:05.668+01:00Branching out!Big news ... the first of the back garden baby kites has left the nest and is out on a nearby branch. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4dxQpxREvsFWvPvFKxHVnB0_mo5YFFSDy8p8djmWIC1fzzV1CO9UOACua-26rlYJX_ABybadiwg5wfbCepKjqh3-heyWQD4VXpAnIwYHtbnMqFl0BcmznUShoZa3m0bJnAmskQErzMY/s1600/IMG_2415+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4dxQpxREvsFWvPvFKxHVnB0_mo5YFFSDy8p8djmWIC1fzzV1CO9UOACua-26rlYJX_ABybadiwg5wfbCepKjqh3-heyWQD4VXpAnIwYHtbnMqFl0BcmznUShoZa3m0bJnAmskQErzMY/s400/IMG_2415+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mum on the right and the larger of the two chicks on the left</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XSamBFSpqLS8d7W75vAcM85jwcnF0WPKZzafTnYjk16DddynxjTfZmBJplYbJpWezRzxz1cznPwMELXQsNr794o9xKX00gtWnps6e2kAlZbWl5gh9ttPI6JSnlW3vJLlR3idlAQ7mL8/s1600/IMG_2434+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XSamBFSpqLS8d7W75vAcM85jwcnF0WPKZzafTnYjk16DddynxjTfZmBJplYbJpWezRzxz1cznPwMELXQsNr794o9xKX00gtWnps6e2kAlZbWl5gh9ttPI6JSnlW3vJLlR3idlAQ7mL8/s400/IMG_2434+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It hasn't gone far. The nest is on the left of the photograph below and Mum and the chick are out on the branch on the right. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJL-d9ZxWG8NXpJskX3MSX4epdXTN0h1NRMU5NbEQ_toBkQz-QVAFg2uy_FqLECcR7XGPf5jCJEz9tSMVESwiOdFaZ9A72m4Ou9QlQtnIclmIKfeJkqj9KcuBDn3rPTYFQNCkz8-t0Tw/s1600/IMG_2419+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJL-d9ZxWG8NXpJskX3MSX4epdXTN0h1NRMU5NbEQ_toBkQz-QVAFg2uy_FqLECcR7XGPf5jCJEz9tSMVESwiOdFaZ9A72m4Ou9QlQtnIclmIKfeJkqj9KcuBDn3rPTYFQNCkz8-t0Tw/s400/IMG_2419+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The second chick is about a week behind the first and is sitting tight in the nest, just watching what's going on. This one still has fluffy grey feathers on its head.<br />
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The chick is a bit wobbly still and fell forward before regaining its balance after a bit of flapping. Mum is staying very close by and keeping a watchful eye on it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of a wobble</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balance regained</td></tr>
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Both parents have been doing a great job of looking after the chicks and it looks like all their hard work paid off. They're looking a bit shabby now though and are moulting their feathers, which means there are always lots of great feathers around the garden. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlm9mgmks6jSNXaS3_Hmz3eN8qDOkm6_OYZco2S2PXZi6K0Uf3rib9VEbmWfZM1s3nMYKaUeYMG1vajQ5bXTndXHR3YnYy5QcIecjs04XC0RsjDCEjHtcFUEWNKU0Hlq0r4HbJ1dHouU/s1600/IMG_2432+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlm9mgmks6jSNXaS3_Hmz3eN8qDOkm6_OYZco2S2PXZi6K0Uf3rib9VEbmWfZM1s3nMYKaUeYMG1vajQ5bXTndXHR3YnYy5QcIecjs04XC0RsjDCEjHtcFUEWNKU0Hlq0r4HbJ1dHouU/s400/IMG_2432+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking a bit ruffled!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPSR3mpcHy2kWIycicqaFScXkmJZ8nbku3V8Dn7qwKHxlhC0pIMOL14PLK_SsWIleI30C2hc28Zf80Ip7tRnSTnmUqB53ThaVDW0asdUmHgIbIShfBxYP57KAo2ix1wAkhIMwmtbGdH0/s1600/IMG_2447+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPSR3mpcHy2kWIycicqaFScXkmJZ8nbku3V8Dn7qwKHxlhC0pIMOL14PLK_SsWIleI30C2hc28Zf80Ip7tRnSTnmUqB53ThaVDW0asdUmHgIbIShfBxYP57KAo2ix1wAkhIMwmtbGdH0/s400/IMG_2447+%25282%2529.JPG" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tickle of red kite feathers collected from the garden</td></tr>
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The collective noun for a group of feathers is a tickle, which always makes me laugh!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-91110567991974647862017-07-07T18:42:00.000+01:002017-07-07T18:42:02.150+01:00Chalkhill blues and silver washed fritillariesI walked around Grangelands this morning and was delighted to see the first chalkhill blues of the year out, fluttering low over the short grass on their favourite slope. They'd settle very briefly for the occasional quick photograph, but never seemed to sit still for long!<br />
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They're such a beautiful pale blue and a real sign that summer is here. One even sat on my finger for a while!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBvSasWB4paJK5VT0G_X4CWmAMFRUatuewivkACnB-Xzuyn3gwSLoS2ceOY62Pns3PSkl4j1wIhnyLVmg8C4arSMrs6L0Occ9WyJN-kZg7mTaV2shkiTroe9lzkAmSCvsx6rrr_E8d24/s1600/chb+finger+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1600" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBvSasWB4paJK5VT0G_X4CWmAMFRUatuewivkACnB-Xzuyn3gwSLoS2ceOY62Pns3PSkl4j1wIhnyLVmg8C4arSMrs6L0Occ9WyJN-kZg7mTaV2shkiTroe9lzkAmSCvsx6rrr_E8d24/s400/chb+finger+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I mostly saw the blue males (as their bright colour makes them so much easier to spot than the brown females), but I did see one pair mating.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZIzlYs6BQZdPYbwJx23Bt6vY30A_2DOOp25FMdUjAQZU1TkWZUI5Lc5XdJmXkpEGmOpGbmaLpo-6zoNktKGepsZFHhbgqShyo-z2Modip8CrCZcCk2ErvRNKSl9b-e9NIAjpjH_ZG34/s1600/chb+pair+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="1600" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZIzlYs6BQZdPYbwJx23Bt6vY30A_2DOOp25FMdUjAQZU1TkWZUI5Lc5XdJmXkpEGmOpGbmaLpo-6zoNktKGepsZFHhbgqShyo-z2Modip8CrCZcCk2ErvRNKSl9b-e9NIAjpjH_ZG34/s400/chb+pair+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In another week or two this slope will look like it's shimmering in the sunshine as there will be so many chalkhill blues flying over the grass. They're fussy butterflies and like short grass on a sunny slope, particularly this slope. Walk around to the other side of the reserve and you won't see any at all.<br />
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There seemed to be butterflies everywhere, including meadow browns, gatekeepers, small tortoiseshells, small heaths, ringlets and marbled whites. Many of the marbled whites had bright red dots on their bodies, which are tiny parasitic mites called trombidium breei.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDKLJX2Ch94TcXm5k7Mp0etB94zFyG0PXTtMLKSVOtIqdsSsI61KF6pScwSA4QQIWNt7S-tPZy48vJyGvvNao95SHwugBCwr07Oa6-O3Tini6zxIm2ejjkic0iOGlRRmMVrDYr2tOHkQ/s1600/marbled+white+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDKLJX2Ch94TcXm5k7Mp0etB94zFyG0PXTtMLKSVOtIqdsSsI61KF6pScwSA4QQIWNt7S-tPZy48vJyGvvNao95SHwugBCwr07Oa6-O3Tini6zxIm2ejjkic0iOGlRRmMVrDYr2tOHkQ/s400/marbled+white+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled white with red mites</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhgb0iV67q4b-f438KLiTjHHKhdrFTkx3aaAol52O9-1xu57xOqNTBmLbZ7cY_3lt-ghMTaI5Tl5q6YJgTkAyZnnghkhtWagoFcP_ozL3RF_KKvmd-j8PM6VzGV2DUVMFjdjPIHDbx1E/s1600/meadow+brown.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1600" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhgb0iV67q4b-f438KLiTjHHKhdrFTkx3aaAol52O9-1xu57xOqNTBmLbZ7cY_3lt-ghMTaI5Tl5q6YJgTkAyZnnghkhtWagoFcP_ozL3RF_KKvmd-j8PM6VzGV2DUVMFjdjPIHDbx1E/s400/meadow+brown.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This meadow brown also had mites on it</td></tr>
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The thistles were full of soldier beetles, which always seem to be having a party!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEA8-vzUkw-oK8IhzZ4wI7vl8XDZsiNtOu6K3YZtG7_B2RnkZYe4hm68i6Fq4F0NILIapyIH30pb0chM6hte8RiqcubhKtqnihS2j9JDfOa0rZzi6ouzyljfFHWobfW6LtiVgWu-_03A/s1600/soldier+beetles+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="946" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEA8-vzUkw-oK8IhzZ4wI7vl8XDZsiNtOu6K3YZtG7_B2RnkZYe4hm68i6Fq4F0NILIapyIH30pb0chM6hte8RiqcubhKtqnihS2j9JDfOa0rZzi6ouzyljfFHWobfW6LtiVgWu-_03A/s400/soldier+beetles+4.JPG" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching me, watching the soldier beetles!</td></tr>
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As I walked back through the dappled shade of the trees, two silver washed fritillaries were feeding on bramble flowers. They're beautiful, big butterflies and a real treat to see.<br />
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What a beautiful morning full of wonderful butterflies!</div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-32015546076714182232017-07-02T18:40:00.000+01:002017-07-02T19:25:46.489+01:00Baby kites and beautiful mothsIt feels strange not to be tagging everything with #30DaysWild, but that's all finished now, so we're back to just being wild again! Today we visited my parents and checked in on the red kites nest in their back garden. The chicks are really big now and you can see a big difference between the two of them (there's possibly a third one in there, but we can't be sure!)<br />
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The one on the left has lost all the grey fluff from it's head and is starting to really resemble the adults. The one on the right looks about a week behind its sibling and is still sporting the wild grey fluffy look. <br />
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The parents don't stray far from the nest, but one of them was really enjoying a bit of sunbathing, sat in the Christmas tree at the end of the garden.<br />
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We had the moth trap out last night and caught another big haul of hawkmoths, with 2 privet hawkmoths and 5 elephant hawkmoths. They're fabulous moths and the kids love to hold them before we let them go. A privet hawkmoth on the nose is a big treat in our house!</div>
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We lined them all up along Bug Mad Girl's arm and watched as one by one the elephant hawkmoths flew away. The privet hawkmoths seemed quite happy to stay sat there, so we put them on the hollyhocks and they can leave when they're ready. <br />
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A few of the other nice moths from the trap included a scarlet tiger (on the grass next to it), a white satin moth, 2 sycamores and an old lady. The white satin moth and sycamore are both considered local species (so not rare, but not common either). The old lady is a big moth and reminds me of the time one flew into the house and we all thought a bat was flying around indoors!</div>
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-35006893113807873422017-07-01T14:40:00.003+01:002017-07-01T14:40:46.294+01:00#30DaysWild - The best bits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, we've done it! 30 days wild, 30 blog posts and lots of fun and fond memories. Here's a short video with all of our favourite wild moments from the last 30 days. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzzx73C31o2_UIaPQKeK3oZyhn1PlmzH9G23oI4B-JUd_0yaaV1RX3DY68ZoNansRt0-6GDvkJhIr3j9-IWYg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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In case you can't view it, or don't want to, here's a shorter traditional version...<br />
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It all started with an interview on BBC Breakfast about 30 Days Wild. It was totally terrifying, but a fantastic opportunity and we got to meet lovely Carol Kirkwood!<br />
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We then set about 'wilding' our back garden, by digging a pond and putting our tadpoles in it. We planted loads of bee and butterfly friendly plants, left a patch of our garden unmown and made a toad and frog house. We were thrilled that damselflies found the pond and were laying eggs in it within a week of it being dug.<br />
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We watched (and videoed) our caterpillars pupating and watched them again, 10 days later, as they emerged and flew away.<br />
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We found all sorts of weird and wonderful wildlife during the 30 days, including beetles, roman snails, slowworms, spiders and butterflies. We even found a rare sawfly and had a night-time adventure to look for glow worms. <br />
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We saw some wonderful plants and took part in the Great British Wildflower Count.<br />
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We were thrilled when the back garden red kites had babies and loved watching them as they grew. <br />
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We caught lots of wonderful hawkmoths in the moth trap...<br />
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... and had a lot of fun!<br />
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But most of all we just got stuck in and had a brilliant 30 days Wild!<br />
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Thank you 30 Days Wild and The Wildlife Trust!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-19869034027433144782017-06-30T13:25:00.003+01:002017-06-30T13:25:33.106+01:00#30DaysWild day 30 - A finale of frog orchids, fritillaries and fantastic views<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the last day of 30 Days Wild I decided to go and hunt for the frog orchids on Watlington Hill. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful views from the top of the hill looking out over Oxfordshire</td></tr>
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The frog orchids aren't big and showy like many of the other orchids, and they're hard to spot as they blend into the grass so well, but that just makes it even more exciting to actually find one.<br />
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Their colour varies from red (in drier conditions) to light green (in damper conditions). They don't look very much like frogs, but you could maybe see a frogs body with it's long legs dangling below and behind it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_S5wvmkJbRI_c7KtILMNwA3ERA0cVZl1fcarf-HEBmTqWhxufPzrrGQ2C-FBbCLK9uNewbYMXyeYfZlw4Kr2DWSirqwokrpD5cRwdc-sH_4vSVufDwN6tqB1gtjszQ6L9ltmsCOd2xk/s1600/frog+bug+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="774" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_S5wvmkJbRI_c7KtILMNwA3ERA0cVZl1fcarf-HEBmTqWhxufPzrrGQ2C-FBbCLK9uNewbYMXyeYfZlw4Kr2DWSirqwokrpD5cRwdc-sH_4vSVufDwN6tqB1gtjszQ6L9ltmsCOd2xk/s400/frog+bug+2.JPG" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one had a bug on it, which I believe is a type of mired bug called <br />
calocoris roseomaculatus</td></tr>
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As I walked around, I saw lots of butterflies including marbled whites, meadow browns, small heaths and small skippers. I also saw 3 dark green fritillaries bombing about and was lucky enough to get a photo of one that had settled for a few seconds. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDsAZxngQ9GkhTDThXjf0Ti6L48jAocqKnAZ7zyArB5ZltVXj7cBDC6BZ0pEwTv1Bnf8uok-snPdjTsQ6740BvsrT5rswhg7KY1VTV42j1YNdhfgO4vJM3l4GQY20KyAQneN9zSj7PLo/s1600/dark+green+frit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDsAZxngQ9GkhTDThXjf0Ti6L48jAocqKnAZ7zyArB5ZltVXj7cBDC6BZ0pEwTv1Bnf8uok-snPdjTsQ6740BvsrT5rswhg7KY1VTV42j1YNdhfgO4vJM3l4GQY20KyAQneN9zSj7PLo/s400/dark+green+frit.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark green fritillary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdApjwoSzWQNTIAZx4lspOhwFwCySCiYBMOd0Q9cPXgszTdLxA2uo_2vLI1c6pyefQr_kmPiBsxMXf0AmFGK8m5_Ud_P0Po7uJXlEJFmo-HTAG4qlpxt2ZjqPB0A5v5pPHUnPYDAKBG4/s1600/marbled+white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdApjwoSzWQNTIAZx4lspOhwFwCySCiYBMOd0Q9cPXgszTdLxA2uo_2vLI1c6pyefQr_kmPiBsxMXf0AmFGK8m5_Ud_P0Po7uJXlEJFmo-HTAG4qlpxt2ZjqPB0A5v5pPHUnPYDAKBG4/s400/marbled+white.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled white</td></tr>
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A green woodpecker flew past me, with its distinctive undulating flight. Then a mistle thrush (I think?) bounced around on the slope below me. <br />
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From my vantage point on the top of the hill, the red kites were soaring around me and in some cases below me, giving me a unique view of them from above.<br />
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A wonderful way to end 30 Days Wild!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-8267173334267921132017-06-29T18:35:00.000+01:002017-06-29T18:35:47.292+01:00#30DaysWild day 29 - Feeling sluggish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5AP1VaWoxj3aOfWEFXApm80UHZWMj4hZfKnkOl273fMxBKpQVk8xnm-Au3qJqEXzP9GMnj4qz-5kCKG7qRH_mD5lLwMCK0GDaXfyU2_jGNHpSACHRY27iZu_QyWri4nUbATQLb5NeFA/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1233" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5AP1VaWoxj3aOfWEFXApm80UHZWMj4hZfKnkOl273fMxBKpQVk8xnm-Au3qJqEXzP9GMnj4qz-5kCKG7qRH_mD5lLwMCK0GDaXfyU2_jGNHpSACHRY27iZu_QyWri4nUbATQLb5NeFA/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The recent damp weather has bought the slugs and snails out of hiding. We counted 24 on our short walk to school this morning, then I found these two monster slugs in the back garden.<br />
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They had such beautiful markings and were really quite big, but I would prefer not to have them living in amongst my lettuces, so I moved them out of harms way to the nettle patch. I believe they're green cellar slugs.<br />
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Instead of a shell, they have a leathery patch called a mantle shield. The hole in this shield is called the pneumostome and acts as the slug's breathing pore or nostril. Like most slugs, they have two pairs of feelers on their head. One pair detect light, while the lower pair are used for smell or possibly taste.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pneumostome on the right hand side of the mantle</td></tr>
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As for this evening, Bug Mad Girl has gone kayaking with the guides. She left the house wearing a wet suit, so I suspect there may be some wild swimming in the Thames tonight!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-37142877191836769442017-06-28T14:11:00.001+01:002017-06-28T14:11:27.411+01:00#30DaysWild day 28 - As right as rain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XKS38039DuVdFxhCkC2YiINyJQXAqvABfTpDq1qQMDdey1tADc-yLnYJJU9K0kKWx3pmRD81d95RhtGIlNC8pb5NZ2iR1NpiST_9n8X9KYMAPujgRWIRdlXY8DkqodY6vTyDWamfdgM/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1233" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XKS38039DuVdFxhCkC2YiINyJQXAqvABfTpDq1qQMDdey1tADc-yLnYJJU9K0kKWx3pmRD81d95RhtGIlNC8pb5NZ2iR1NpiST_9n8X9KYMAPujgRWIRdlXY8DkqodY6vTyDWamfdgM/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The weather has mostly been wonderful for 30 Days Wild this year, but it looks like the last few days may be a bit damp and dreary. As the rain will do the garden the world of good, I braved the drizzle and went out to take some 'drippy' photos and see what I could find out there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiB47BfGNhogghqyhNU8JfvMj0ZdxNqwbQUYp1PuIbZQGpjwcM1leE5IYICC2y8e1mGjkXUABbR62021Cd2ZF8ArtK5Csr8R1io6dWsLRviwRkjs_0t9Ym-En-H__gwhodiP9WOA7noU/s1600/teasel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiB47BfGNhogghqyhNU8JfvMj0ZdxNqwbQUYp1PuIbZQGpjwcM1leE5IYICC2y8e1mGjkXUABbR62021Cd2ZF8ArtK5Csr8R1io6dWsLRviwRkjs_0t9Ym-En-H__gwhodiP9WOA7noU/s400/teasel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Droplets of water on the teasels made them look like they were sparkling</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady's mantle has to have the best rainy day leaves</td></tr>
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The garden is full of huge hollyhocks, which are just starting to flower. They come in all colours and are lovely and cheerful on a dreary day.<br />
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I even found a little bug sheltering from the rain inside one of the flowers.<br />
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Other insects were carrying on regardless of the rain and didn't seem to care about it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFVSxvCZdSaubefBKgHdA1F4ca53VuksHqU3nlIaK6pvj2Fe7qDdV80EkEZ6gWL6eUaLRyyh2fH5l_Scfpw7Fh00mJ1j3jAmt7jXkAA0dqtWv-k9SlyVzT2ckGrjjLa79QlJ-jNSgX1I/s1600/ladybird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1250" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFVSxvCZdSaubefBKgHdA1F4ca53VuksHqU3nlIaK6pvj2Fe7qDdV80EkEZ6gWL6eUaLRyyh2fH5l_Scfpw7Fh00mJ1j3jAmt7jXkAA0dqtWv-k9SlyVzT2ckGrjjLa79QlJ-jNSgX1I/s400/ladybird.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 spot ladybird in our 'wildflower meadow'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5toNNS_W7NOj7uyk-34CTHb-WyD_TvM1xwMYJ9f3Gw8M5ip3tIRt_x_foeWBy5EyeGY46c4y8JdrOeo5XtgPUbQ1KY-7UhKt4pNx06L74Eyq3Otj25zUoZX4aPnlYn-QBv8I3kwhoqMs/s1600/soldier+beetle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1035" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5toNNS_W7NOj7uyk-34CTHb-WyD_TvM1xwMYJ9f3Gw8M5ip3tIRt_x_foeWBy5EyeGY46c4y8JdrOeo5XtgPUbQ1KY-7UhKt4pNx06L74Eyq3Otj25zUoZX4aPnlYn-QBv8I3kwhoqMs/s400/soldier+beetle.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soldier beetle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKVM9CezEKusjl_f4OL79hDh-BFNH8PutLlX9R29wgvmPkJh2zqvt3ZYtBbg2sSM5K0VsqSSG2YT7FcQa2hOlJjtC4WYdDlpm631GQKgDW3-AHHNj-M0n8FgQRvb6NSkHHGrLvWIIfQg/s1600/nettle+cats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKVM9CezEKusjl_f4OL79hDh-BFNH8PutLlX9R29wgvmPkJh2zqvt3ZYtBbg2sSM5K0VsqSSG2YT7FcQa2hOlJjtC4WYdDlpm631GQKgDW3-AHHNj-M0n8FgQRvb6NSkHHGrLvWIIfQg/s400/nettle+cats.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gang of tiny caterpillars on the nettle patch </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CS8yu6NUjKBdPF-LfHXr7-dwarg6d9kQqKneaK7CR1qkRrPwqfuAzulHd_OjbhduSWRcj1WJJ7QCZEJXkXLXeIlCMfarn5WBFi7TpPqkF36IPNC2XTlOHPvI58fUbHk0rOR7AlHfvDo/s1600/scabious.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CS8yu6NUjKBdPF-LfHXr7-dwarg6d9kQqKneaK7CR1qkRrPwqfuAzulHd_OjbhduSWRcj1WJJ7QCZEJXkXLXeIlCMfarn5WBFi7TpPqkF36IPNC2XTlOHPvI58fUbHk0rOR7AlHfvDo/s400/scabious.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front garden is full of very tall yellow scabious, which the bees absolutely <br />
love, even when it's wet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The rain has finally filled up the pond, which was looking very low for a while. It's full of wriggly mosquito larvae at the moment!<br />
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Elsewhere in the garden, the rain promises good things to come!<br />
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And finally, a bit of sunshine to brighten up the day!<br />
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-50572340155374756272017-06-27T18:03:00.001+01:002017-06-27T18:03:57.145+01:00#30DaysWild day 27 - Getting stuck in<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w4zgLpL_q0KEQ3eHPFUpVaqExawBH9gYCy_5GMCOHvsUlv5Cy2_kOGpfh7KSkXWjA7achEo8J_m7BhRlwLh0QeXqELH-_-zcsZSkRvdvHJNPV2WIstYQZty0NzWHTEG9UJKJng7G9zE/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1376" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w4zgLpL_q0KEQ3eHPFUpVaqExawBH9gYCy_5GMCOHvsUlv5Cy2_kOGpfh7KSkXWjA7achEo8J_m7BhRlwLh0QeXqELH-_-zcsZSkRvdvHJNPV2WIstYQZty0NzWHTEG9UJKJng7G9zE/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_27.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We're down to the last few days of 30 Days Wild and we've had so much fun getting stuck into all things wild ... almost as much as this soldier beetle that I met on my walk around Pulpit Hill and Grangelands this morning. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxMQK4v_I4JS4Qmgo6VQjJBVRLb0l_gUac7_w4_bF6I4gzoI51yONZpxmLpPJZ-2Q6ZmlRTeL1Srz6m4W76I19mNSfAVevbUZH03d5z4h10AOt9QxuPIkKpkoADPXTpr2gSHb9dCvukE/s1600/beetle+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1444" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxMQK4v_I4JS4Qmgo6VQjJBVRLb0l_gUac7_w4_bF6I4gzoI51yONZpxmLpPJZ-2Q6ZmlRTeL1Srz6m4W76I19mNSfAVevbUZH03d5z4h10AOt9QxuPIkKpkoADPXTpr2gSHb9dCvukE/s400/beetle+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottoms up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a bit of a dreary, drizzly morning, but there were still clouds of meadow browns and marbled whites flitting amongst the flowers, mostly refusing to settle for a picture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O52cedCby7qMm-NVXvUUJsDLTS6-Kh5ZC5GwtUfOfGMGJ5vdNTBWgr6SzRxL7WsVsn_xpCn0x7Wj17J9_A8WXHDfc_wx1-X7ejiR4FaAi5IOxuGoh8Vr8YdmDqoX-V77pUz-pZCeefo/s1600/marbled+white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1171" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O52cedCby7qMm-NVXvUUJsDLTS6-Kh5ZC5GwtUfOfGMGJ5vdNTBWgr6SzRxL7WsVsn_xpCn0x7Wj17J9_A8WXHDfc_wx1-X7ejiR4FaAi5IOxuGoh8Vr8YdmDqoX-V77pUz-pZCeefo/s400/marbled+white.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A marbled white that settled for a few seconds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There were also several small skippers, which are such delicate little butterflies and much more obliging when it comes to having their photo taken!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeVhPtr1GTqwGZXvCipRfHa1ju54bygrYtJT9drNNYJoLfxKNDszaG3hey8bx9gUDe828LoFduHS14eN0vFsc-2G4WN4PSY2EzjJxQujqK8F4wVTQRd_HjVR10izQkoZDG8jnsdglAnA/s1600/skippers+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeVhPtr1GTqwGZXvCipRfHa1ju54bygrYtJT9drNNYJoLfxKNDszaG3hey8bx9gUDe828LoFduHS14eN0vFsc-2G4WN4PSY2EzjJxQujqK8F4wVTQRd_HjVR10izQkoZDG8jnsdglAnA/s400/skippers+2.JPG" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small skippers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUDhh1NfPFUQpgwqRsIwF-IG6pfb6drKfBSzeClBsuU65QqqKBaoIVOIqSoGB0_HqhDHtaxGH2hiF1npcyHWnBRmAEukflqsd79pGtM9qhY0PsLbFXyr7cJacn9MZOS39s6O4EStCIw/s1600/skipper+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRUDhh1NfPFUQpgwqRsIwF-IG6pfb6drKfBSzeClBsuU65QqqKBaoIVOIqSoGB0_HqhDHtaxGH2hiF1npcyHWnBRmAEukflqsd79pGtM9qhY0PsLbFXyr7cJacn9MZOS39s6O4EStCIw/s400/skipper+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small skipper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also saw my first few ringlets of the year and a small heath.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGkFN-w5eCdeLHaIQRiEWTPrZCBEgQ7hASpLptwUA6hRcz1K4yeba3_jpFHVJUK7Q-JDNuBT7F1rT-ekWsNe9_23ocA8C_pTij45YvUod9-NtiVA3_G0XqIEijn7v4Q2BWpZbtMHxng/s1600/ringlet+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGkFN-w5eCdeLHaIQRiEWTPrZCBEgQ7hASpLptwUA6hRcz1K4yeba3_jpFHVJUK7Q-JDNuBT7F1rT-ekWsNe9_23ocA8C_pTij45YvUod9-NtiVA3_G0XqIEijn7v4Q2BWpZbtMHxng/s400/ringlet+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ringlet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Then I climbed up to the top of Pulpit Hill, admiring the view across the Chilterns to the Vale of Aylesbury on the way.</div>
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I stumbled across a beautiful patch of foxgloves, growing in a clearing in the trees.<br />
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The trail of dots acts like runway lights, leading the bees into the flower to the nectar at the back of the tube. The bee rubs against the pollen in then narrow end of the tube, then transport it to the next flower to pollinate it. <br />
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The little hairs on the lip of the flower are designed to put smaller insects off entering the tube, as they'd be too small to rub against the pollen inside. <br />
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Another lovely morning!</div>
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Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-89320247545244243432017-06-26T20:01:00.000+01:002017-06-26T20:01:19.194+01:00#30DaysWild day 26 - Watching the back garden birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_bdaQKtuHmD3m8uS4jzwej8yH8GMePVDlfMFd0k7-pL0O1xKZwJuo3XMW8cUttePeCuaS80bc_lob_QmKst5cWpqHN05oFjb6uTsTbNy-Ee90fGj38pk4k0aLPMQpw6aUnClr0KJkl8/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_26.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1233" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_bdaQKtuHmD3m8uS4jzwej8yH8GMePVDlfMFd0k7-pL0O1xKZwJuo3XMW8cUttePeCuaS80bc_lob_QmKst5cWpqHN05oFjb6uTsTbNy-Ee90fGj38pk4k0aLPMQpw6aUnClr0KJkl8/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_26.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We moved house earlier this year and we were all a little worried that our new back garden wouldn't have the amazing variety of birds that we had in our old house. By putting out lots of different types of feeder, it didn't take very long at all to realise that this garden was just as good. All sorts of little characters visit us on a daily basis and now we're seeing all their babies around the garden as well.<br />
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The blue tits and great tits have each been bringing their two fledglings to the feeders. To start with they would sit in the apple tree, making an awful racket, demanding to be fed by the adults. Now they seem to be getting the hang of feeding themselves though and join the parents on the feeders.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great tit family</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-VcJh_mbCYbtwHmEXnSqYb-z_D94gBCzNBhsW2YJd6wwh0k_T8-VIsZJ-0IQHP2VsjVl-fMCDjaPQrw6bJ4fVSj0Gk5DN9KVWTMXJzcdmYZgFQgLj0uk1bIJmnfjnYyDEipgdJXzNdg/s1600/IMG_0348+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-VcJh_mbCYbtwHmEXnSqYb-z_D94gBCzNBhsW2YJd6wwh0k_T8-VIsZJ-0IQHP2VsjVl-fMCDjaPQrw6bJ4fVSj0Gk5DN9KVWTMXJzcdmYZgFQgLj0uk1bIJmnfjnYyDEipgdJXzNdg/s400/IMG_0348+%25282%2529.JPG" width="351" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue tit family</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfbTb78BFEomqQQ50dU5NjDdsGisYV2BTJ9fb-nyADy-EmpZ4u4BAj2Zont8UsXHg3pcojJybo8-7F5zOgxiDwgiSDLOLH_0Gw9FNF9OcqhfguswVOVpDv3F4DT3V28OWKT1_ShnBslY/s1600/IMG_0351+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfbTb78BFEomqQQ50dU5NjDdsGisYV2BTJ9fb-nyADy-EmpZ4u4BAj2Zont8UsXHg3pcojJybo8-7F5zOgxiDwgiSDLOLH_0Gw9FNF9OcqhfguswVOVpDv3F4DT3V28OWKT1_ShnBslY/s400/IMG_0351+%25282%2529.JPG" width="338" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue tit family</td></tr>
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By comparison, the goldfinches are quiet and subtle, flying onto the nyger seed feeder and showing their baby how to pick the seeds out of the little holes in the side. Such dainty little birds. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-bq880qtIjuVB4X_K59VCHU6skhqQNv9Ae53tZQa517oI_zJAVt9uCjYrM_D3tBjWlUxSmfLyZagw3-OxfnmqTLP5ceE3HDJacu4VR0eezg9iRoLfv6LuW3zsKnBVeG2pWwdf7ggxk4/s1600/IMG_1789+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-bq880qtIjuVB4X_K59VCHU6skhqQNv9Ae53tZQa517oI_zJAVt9uCjYrM_D3tBjWlUxSmfLyZagw3-OxfnmqTLP5ceE3HDJacu4VR0eezg9iRoLfv6LuW3zsKnBVeG2pWwdf7ggxk4/s400/IMG_1789+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldfinch adult and baby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJqATMT2nD26rNdIlczjQ6F2hj6mfvtdhe87-VDwKeucho1qItbLPSabDY7omMlBa9d5nGRRUr2cBw1yVSUVZEsIt3OGBu_e_j6DFMjrxkie0ALJky3J-9_uSjJ1M11GvDEAlkF-WMGk/s1600/IMG_1797+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJqATMT2nD26rNdIlczjQ6F2hj6mfvtdhe87-VDwKeucho1qItbLPSabDY7omMlBa9d5nGRRUr2cBw1yVSUVZEsIt3OGBu_e_j6DFMjrxkie0ALJky3J-9_uSjJ1M11GvDEAlkF-WMGk/s400/IMG_1797+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldfinch baby</td></tr>
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We've had a few unusual visitors today as well First a greenfinch, which we hardly ever seem to see, spent some time eating sunflower hearts. Then a great spotted woodpecker flew into the apple tree and stayed for a couple of minutes. It's always a thrill to see a woodpecker in the garden.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0qNm6I_HK_DrpzYHzpykJiPWrMz8vsGV2Hw2aDBwJMv1F8kEYjojg1pSben4T1Fo-JNCns0T_UNXQpyGwBRgcOEPuiXbzr2v62C2d2XP4Qhf9c6MefR9BhrBKJtetLXzTr3iy23gi-E/s1600/IMG_1959+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0qNm6I_HK_DrpzYHzpykJiPWrMz8vsGV2Hw2aDBwJMv1F8kEYjojg1pSben4T1Fo-JNCns0T_UNXQpyGwBRgcOEPuiXbzr2v62C2d2XP4Qhf9c6MefR9BhrBKJtetLXzTr3iy23gi-E/s400/IMG_1959+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenfinch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGnEqZ1RW0VkORMjjyoQR47UGLV4td4GwZTJhrYPuKfM5LmbE1RwZkDp9mxo2WE7nk0LX-TiV4E7wFwLvciJSuV9K5773-f2WsHeXqgXy9b9R47aApKr6ySkuXk4G-8X4YIq9aCmQu4w/s1600/IMG_1962+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGnEqZ1RW0VkORMjjyoQR47UGLV4td4GwZTJhrYPuKfM5LmbE1RwZkDp9mxo2WE7nk0LX-TiV4E7wFwLvciJSuV9K5773-f2WsHeXqgXy9b9R47aApKr6ySkuXk4G-8X4YIq9aCmQu4w/s400/IMG_1962+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenfinch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnstYHBohHhZu3BebtUE5jkb1W0PxNESp7gOhP3i9fxzQL3MhHQeKKomnlkFV1rWxXNlDaLLNeKoEGhPqttzXP9bfHPOGTeIqxq5Frjgxg5m-MH0pAMxvwWyYoon4u5NLM3jiqB2LD3w/s1600/woodpecker+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1287" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnstYHBohHhZu3BebtUE5jkb1W0PxNESp7gOhP3i9fxzQL3MhHQeKKomnlkFV1rWxXNlDaLLNeKoEGhPqttzXP9bfHPOGTeIqxq5Frjgxg5m-MH0pAMxvwWyYoon4u5NLM3jiqB2LD3w/s400/woodpecker+1.JPG" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrible photo, but there is a great spotted woodpecker in there!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TLRXpkpmoCY_FJRsKZ7RbDimzJicKPycTgvrW3gyrlRntYgMLoxJxXCuQ8QIitKJOU3VbeS3OAmUeSdDMeNQA9H3iour8AaMEjTUq10Lr1568d1rBS2aiqM0KzRw2hTKOtZypVywNmY/s1600/woodpecker+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1600" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TLRXpkpmoCY_FJRsKZ7RbDimzJicKPycTgvrW3gyrlRntYgMLoxJxXCuQ8QIitKJOU3VbeS3OAmUeSdDMeNQA9H3iour8AaMEjTUq10Lr1568d1rBS2aiqM0KzRw2hTKOtZypVywNmY/s400/woodpecker+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, not a great photo, but it's definitely in there!</td></tr>
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We don't seem to have many sparrows around the garden, which is a real shame as we used to love seeing our funny sparrow family. I occasionally see one for a few minutes, but they're not regular visitors at the moment. Maybe they'll move in though when they realise the feeders are always full.<br />
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Finally, the woodpigeons have a nest in a neighbours tree, which is just next to our patio. I watched today as two crows were eyeing up the nest, probably after an easy lunch. I thought the nest would be doomed as there were two big crows against one pigeon, but the plucky parent took them on and defended her nest. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui3eSKLaf96cTr6VCw4WdGCTW88HrNxtL55o-WczZum6ZsaNUBq9kchy7EFTMlpTnShbhVPfdED2Sr79v5FL65lbsXQq65edYTsQDYpJVQ-zXjTbZ2mJ_y2v3LnfsRhh3oeg19mEALaE/s1600/crow+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1600" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui3eSKLaf96cTr6VCw4WdGCTW88HrNxtL55o-WczZum6ZsaNUBq9kchy7EFTMlpTnShbhVPfdED2Sr79v5FL65lbsXQq65edYTsQDYpJVQ-zXjTbZ2mJ_y2v3LnfsRhh3oeg19mEALaE/s400/crow+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two crows plotting!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2S7ZSVa8TbxryMndpxUV4O94AlIwuJt9FHTYDmB9vMjfHON7aYRA2BDZlggMUOp_ErC4Rv9hp6XLTJUTtvAA1ypK5eCsLiaKyEReli1oR4XL6WuLbMh-3QjZOFGzHo0mLcDtE1eQ5ZWI/s1600/crow+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="1600" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2S7ZSVa8TbxryMndpxUV4O94AlIwuJt9FHTYDmB9vMjfHON7aYRA2BDZlggMUOp_ErC4Rv9hp6XLTJUTtvAA1ypK5eCsLiaKyEReli1oR4XL6WuLbMh-3QjZOFGzHo0mLcDtE1eQ5ZWI/s400/crow+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh no you don't! Woodpigeon chases off one of the crows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf92egX1rXEIxCmbH2bIxiUMYl-o86a294SPpZWiviMpZAl-8kR4mq3uQx70sH7eZR6JTCboG-cQWYtFARTYZmBfttpFfI4r-IBbNNSd7lxs4EbpaACe59bOUAl9ZJ331GFAR718LnZ88/s1600/crow+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1600" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf92egX1rXEIxCmbH2bIxiUMYl-o86a294SPpZWiviMpZAl-8kR4mq3uQx70sH7eZR6JTCboG-cQWYtFARTYZmBfttpFfI4r-IBbNNSd7lxs4EbpaACe59bOUAl9ZJ331GFAR718LnZ88/s400/crow+5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back for another go. The crow was trying to play it cool, but the <br />
woodpigeon knew what it was up to.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJlRKyEQLtVLQnCiLckqSJwgEaPUUmPPPGypv8wetfxAHGF7k9LlsZUkTD-70KO95pg5m53XBITIYDmoneqbgLTpeTr6J-d_PDMQmGqNzckne1oNAle8OevSXeOPK7GVeMvaPEdPujt0/s1600/crow+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJlRKyEQLtVLQnCiLckqSJwgEaPUUmPPPGypv8wetfxAHGF7k9LlsZUkTD-70KO95pg5m53XBITIYDmoneqbgLTpeTr6J-d_PDMQmGqNzckne1oNAle8OevSXeOPK7GVeMvaPEdPujt0/s400/crow+6.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get lost crow! Chases the crow off again</td></tr>
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For now at least she has seen them off! What a great parent!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-70731561194409522342017-06-25T18:40:00.001+01:002017-06-25T18:40:12.036+01:00#30DaysWild day 25 - The pink arrows and a slime mould investigation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z5y01eC_hIkqTQUc1ONOctVG4tJgDL8yQkkTRFQRR-rk9lb9n2DMKrEW4AyquLSSEXmCbPlLsCVUqeNO9Wl9RpNYIKBUGDY4VwnB3Aojl-j2V8ri8KMBjt9Y3zwzoUpQcB8S9WPZdNw/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1233" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z5y01eC_hIkqTQUc1ONOctVG4tJgDL8yQkkTRFQRR-rk9lb9n2DMKrEW4AyquLSSEXmCbPlLsCVUqeNO9Wl9RpNYIKBUGDY4VwnB3Aojl-j2V8ri8KMBjt9Y3zwzoUpQcB8S9WPZdNw/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_25.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The moth trap was out again last night and we had a bumper catch of hawkmoths. They're our favourite moths as they're big and colourful and look a little bit like jet fighter planes. We caught 8 elephant hawkmoths, a privet hawkmoth and a poplar hawkmoth. It seems like the elephant hawkmoths are having a really good year!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50p3XqwRmvPlc0M3ZDAYdkb7dNrExyONjx5OcNeNcHs2LF9EwV8lavT5nbb5SMfTB45rEISX-awIxUYKcU_BASo5C3xOCclwTsuphiR1DXeN4X18sslfsgvZW38yQ_dwju0HbnQhyaL8/s1600/hawk+ele+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1600" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50p3XqwRmvPlc0M3ZDAYdkb7dNrExyONjx5OcNeNcHs2LF9EwV8lavT5nbb5SMfTB45rEISX-awIxUYKcU_BASo5C3xOCclwTsuphiR1DXeN4X18sslfsgvZW38yQ_dwju0HbnQhyaL8/s400/hawk+ele+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant hawkmoth</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyB-FQ1Zumb-fggz-qmrX0IEG9kdVCl9WlRmheE9TIfrY2lBmoO2W85l3VZjHE5O6BBx-6nnjrPzmRpeg9ksXX58ulrupL5TLu9TFrUuXu-WpDAC5g93or7xQecTk1uGWMVeA1g1BxbWE/s1600/hawk+poplar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyB-FQ1Zumb-fggz-qmrX0IEG9kdVCl9WlRmheE9TIfrY2lBmoO2W85l3VZjHE5O6BBx-6nnjrPzmRpeg9ksXX58ulrupL5TLu9TFrUuXu-WpDAC5g93or7xQecTk1uGWMVeA1g1BxbWE/s400/hawk+poplar.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplar hawkmoth</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZojMi59TZKElGjJ6e0mHr1BO5pDfB02Y5mqdYYsyjqDSxMmbU6kHYXpxVXd1D_v_KJ7w6SrGNhz49176LUvFBEZdEQ7CM7v5ci_D_y9hswpJF63A5Wd6HORkX9rnBGbE8ZLGlVCv5mM/s1600/hawk+privet+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZojMi59TZKElGjJ6e0mHr1BO5pDfB02Y5mqdYYsyjqDSxMmbU6kHYXpxVXd1D_v_KJ7w6SrGNhz49176LUvFBEZdEQ7CM7v5ci_D_y9hswpJF63A5Wd6HORkX9rnBGbE8ZLGlVCv5mM/s400/hawk+privet+2.JPG" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Privet hawkmoth</td></tr>
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We put them all on the shed door, so they could fly away when they were ready. A pattern started to emerge, until we ended up with our own night-time aerobatic display team ... otherwise known as the Pink Arrows!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6ypJ4QiYfjHaB6woVKFEZ8Sm4OP1YN53IWI7b545Jw1xQwM7fHfQ9Ul8B5kS8DTU7APYFN4Mpv73VH5ojfsHGvsrzWWyqD7yAVdgAH8vRXtgqWzI2aeUVGXMvdIB44ppvYAGzN2csbs/s1600/hawk+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6ypJ4QiYfjHaB6woVKFEZ8Sm4OP1YN53IWI7b545Jw1xQwM7fHfQ9Ul8B5kS8DTU7APYFN4Mpv73VH5ojfsHGvsrzWWyqD7yAVdgAH8vRXtgqWzI2aeUVGXMvdIB44ppvYAGzN2csbs/s400/hawk+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pink Arrows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrt1oxkA_Jp7XpRdVACQ2iPlw1PuWhgJ_Q8cQcRSVcAz7wlWBuwzzzB_FZtY1B7NBSgrkW3M0bs70Pk4lVw-gGOI0589iLqbnOFSocg7E_nBjibI17atdG48H5f_nPBLSYuNI5SQ_8wU/s1600/hawk+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrt1oxkA_Jp7XpRdVACQ2iPlw1PuWhgJ_Q8cQcRSVcAz7wlWBuwzzzB_FZtY1B7NBSgrkW3M0bs70Pk4lVw-gGOI0589iLqbnOFSocg7E_nBjibI17atdG48H5f_nPBLSYuNI5SQ_8wU/s400/hawk+2.JPG" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lined up on the runway</td></tr>
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Hawkmoths really are fantastic!<br />
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From the beautiful to the not quite so attractive ...<br />
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Slime mould may not be the most glamorous thing in the natural world (let's face it, with slime and mould in your name, you're going to struggle to shine), but it's fascinating stuff. When a large yellow sponge-like one appeared overnight on a wooden sleeper in our garden, Bug Mad Girl couldn't resist investigating further.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtPAmKF_BG4d4C3uBWvckr-W5wievPNfVhXFfkbQKC3PxIXK1p1fM0OYThvPrxPrw2OiC_mvmOHq9VVZ0rL5_Ja4-gy1UkPnhkL0VNLiX1IHMq2leOHy2Z33lkpD-emooxc5M90kWprsG/s1600/IMG_1357+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1443" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtPAmKF_BG4d4C3uBWvckr-W5wievPNfVhXFfkbQKC3PxIXK1p1fM0OYThvPrxPrw2OiC_mvmOHq9VVZ0rL5_Ja4-gy1UkPnhkL0VNLiX1IHMq2leOHy2Z33lkpD-emooxc5M90kWprsG/s400/IMG_1357+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slime mould appeared over night in a sleeper</td></tr>
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Slime moulds aren't fungi. They belong to a group of single cell organisms that can live independently, but can also group together when food (bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms) become scarce, to form multicellular structures. They can even move en masse in search of food. This is Fuligo Septica , which has the lovely common name of dog vomit slime mould (although I think if my dog ever threw up that I'd be quite worried).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UYeyvqtglffoQwWOmvGp_chMHSjJXPhgPsI3yevGCCQ3mjPJtYDY_nlDiiwsAl7P7yfHaEAgUprH1B314QY-qt3zPvF6EXVqshTVaSsew19pQc9bke2ezPrIdiXf1RVScq69IME-Cmiz/s1600/IMG_1360+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UYeyvqtglffoQwWOmvGp_chMHSjJXPhgPsI3yevGCCQ3mjPJtYDY_nlDiiwsAl7P7yfHaEAgUprH1B314QY-qt3zPvF6EXVqshTVaSsew19pQc9bke2ezPrIdiXf1RVScq69IME-Cmiz/s400/IMG_1360+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog vomit slime mould</td></tr>
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Bug Mad Girl cut a little bit off of it so that she could take a closer look under the microscope. The outer crust looked like a sponge and was harder than the oozing 'melted cheese' inside. It dried out surprisingly quickly, turning crusty where it was exposed to the air. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eI9kabbOISej4cIiEkD7QP2sGG9uxMh47gZNrhNNyaTWeQLijhhsaMsazjk_puPEqq59z2ec56iHpHNeUfr-R4HmLwX9wqd_jLG8DT_08Sa-kDPsEMVtI0QPdTB8nyd3W64gWCw4U5Pe/s1600/IMG_1371+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eI9kabbOISej4cIiEkD7QP2sGG9uxMh47gZNrhNNyaTWeQLijhhsaMsazjk_puPEqq59z2ec56iHpHNeUfr-R4HmLwX9wqd_jLG8DT_08Sa-kDPsEMVtI0QPdTB8nyd3W64gWCw4U5Pe/s400/IMG_1371+%25282%2529.JPG" width="357" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks a bit like melted cheese inside!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVD2pkBJ4d4Zd_HfQWVgoAqypqabh5Rq6QYiryzqr9bXispVhrLGzIR35PcTMtp7GIkZJxV4n0t9UeTEcx8vCTAI5L1gFyIcAN-FkGGQFWwZ6US56QyyTFOdb1Otgs_tlQWkBYTLGSWHj/s1600/IMG_1372+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVD2pkBJ4d4Zd_HfQWVgoAqypqabh5Rq6QYiryzqr9bXispVhrLGzIR35PcTMtp7GIkZJxV4n0t9UeTEcx8vCTAI5L1gFyIcAN-FkGGQFWwZ6US56QyyTFOdb1Otgs_tlQWkBYTLGSWHj/s400/IMG_1372+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crusty outer layer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KEuV8rDXsbVVDzrHhSEm7XsL3zxArAQODdpyhRcPY3_8kCq5djiid9l1yvHJE0TN9UZqN7xufKoF4ljWMUQHqt6j_UBKH3VKaabxvL8t3hMkBQs7MkChtsit7VwmGsUZU4h0MuoK2k92/s1600/IMG_1362+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1565" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KEuV8rDXsbVVDzrHhSEm7XsL3zxArAQODdpyhRcPY3_8kCq5djiid9l1yvHJE0TN9UZqN7xufKoF4ljWMUQHqt6j_UBKH3VKaabxvL8t3hMkBQs7MkChtsit7VwmGsUZU4h0MuoK2k92/s400/IMG_1362+%25282%2529.JPG" width="391" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a good look</td></tr>
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During the day the slime mould dried out and gradually turned harder. It will be completely gone within a day or two.</div>
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I love it that she's so curious about so many different types of wildlife! </div>
Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-42005957467816125292017-06-25T09:28:00.002+01:002017-06-25T09:30:11.258+01:00#30DaysWild day 24 - Glowworms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchXuVqhRPslpnTSNUErsNpGkYZ4HsS2-6lgoh-P5I_eT-qLdqWp7pWlxjtM-upfubCMJoC2ngf9VtUnNxyo61L6j3DTPfT6Q64_Psle8HHIbJRIs_fh1l964mdiW1bsYP3-NEzJf3CtA/s1600/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1233" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchXuVqhRPslpnTSNUErsNpGkYZ4HsS2-6lgoh-P5I_eT-qLdqWp7pWlxjtM-upfubCMJoC2ngf9VtUnNxyo61L6j3DTPfT6Q64_Psle8HHIbJRIs_fh1l964mdiW1bsYP3-NEzJf3CtA/s320/TWT+30+Days+Wild_countdown_24.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Last night we went on an adventure! We were looking for glowworms, which live on Brush Hill, a chalk grassland slope just above the village where we live. We headed out at 9.30 in the evening and it was still surprisingly bright, which made the walk through the woods slightly less scary! <br />
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When we arrived we waited for darkness to fall by admiring the view, drinking hot chocolate and climbing a few trees.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view at dusk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best climbing tree on Brush Hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hot chocolate went down very well</td></tr>
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As it got darker, we set off by torchlight to hunt for glowworms. At first all we could find were slugs and we got a little bit side tracked looking under bushes (you never know what might be under there!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting darker!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rain earlier in the day had brought the slugs out</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's hiding in there then?</td></tr>
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The lights below us were standing out in the darkness, so the time was about right to start looking for tiny green specks of light in the grass.</div>
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It took a while, but eventually we were thrilled to find 2 glowworms. You really have to hunt for them, as the glow is tiny and hidden down in the grass.<br />
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Glow worms are beetles from the firefly family and it's only the female that produces the green light, from the last few segments of her abdomen. She's completely wingless, so glows to attract the smaller, winged males. She spends two years as a larvae eating slugs and snails, then pupates in a burrow in the ground emerging in June or July. She climbs out of the burrow, glows, mates then crawls back into the burrow to lay her eggs. She dies soon afterwards and is only an adult glow worm for about a week.<br />
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We were careful to put them back where we found them, so they could find their burrows again and decided to go home. By now it was 10.30 pm and it was very dark! <br />
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The walk back through the woods was 'brisk' as we could hear the trees creaking in the wind and we could feel the eyes watching us. It was a bit scary! Something screeched at us from a tree above us and we could feel the monsters getting closer ...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were definitely monsters out there!</td></tr>
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... but we made it back to the car safely and were home by 11 pm. What a brilliant adventure!Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027400601976925266.post-23924591207237596422017-06-23T20:22:00.000+01:002017-06-23T20:28:53.308+01:00#30daysWild day 23 - Explorers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We decided to go and explore the field behind our house after school today. We played hide and seek in the long grass ...<br />
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... although the dog can't resist 'finding' and tends to give away everyone's hiding places!</div>
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We found a path through the trees around the edge of the field, which led to a secret area with a stream and a little waterfall.<br />
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We looked up and realised we were right underneath a red kite's nest.<br />
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Back in the field there were lots of webs full of nursery web spiderlings. Some of them had the parent spider guarding over them. They're pretty big, impressive spiders. <br />
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We had a hunt around for bugs and found plenty of meadow browns that were disturbed as we walked through the grass.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghH4qkAecLPQq0ZoiwVlhKZuCbro6V2rcumrXp_4IaH4T51X9JxHV4qWMJelYtd5g44qfckZL4V1jW-HsdoQXoEG_ovKIQHOyCJFARpdOXTtSrBhYfpgj4W5zn3xBz6IrdHrRaNSZHcsI/s1600/bug+hunting+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghH4qkAecLPQq0ZoiwVlhKZuCbro6V2rcumrXp_4IaH4T51X9JxHV4qWMJelYtd5g44qfckZL4V1jW-HsdoQXoEG_ovKIQHOyCJFARpdOXTtSrBhYfpgj4W5zn3xBz6IrdHrRaNSZHcsI/s400/bug+hunting+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bug hunters</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 spot ladybird</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybird pupa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5az247te8rp0Odqf1Oj28oBtDLgC_td1zWi1K2MXBKDUQCpLvhEfGkCyljcZamwPQAeKPubAPvq_Sd_8BY75sOdTr2W-gF7moAr38345t4DSSi1sqxq43eQEuQiES1JdbZu21DoyamQM/s1600/grasshopper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1452" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5az247te8rp0Odqf1Oj28oBtDLgC_td1zWi1K2MXBKDUQCpLvhEfGkCyljcZamwPQAeKPubAPvq_Sd_8BY75sOdTr2W-gF7moAr38345t4DSSi1sqxq43eQEuQiES1JdbZu21DoyamQM/s400/grasshopper.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grasshopper</td></tr>
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We found some amazing seed pods that open by twisting in a spiral. We collected some that hadn't opened yet and we'll scatter the seed in our wildflower meadow (the unmown patch of our garden) when they open.<br />
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We ended up making crowns out of grass, which the dog ended up wearing!<br />
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Then headed back home.Bug Mad Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461289565201621802noreply@blogger.com0