Day 19 Read a Wild Book

Who knew ladybirds can stay so still a predator will think they are dead, oh and they are carnivores too! Loads more amazing facts can be found here.

Today's challenge is to read a wild book. I love books with lots of pictures, diagrams and labels so any books like this one are great from my point of view.

But it is stories I like best so here are two of my top recommendations.

Firstly I love books with wildlife and dragons. So this one combines both together.

David Rain is a student looking for accommodation while at university. He meets Mrs Pennykettle and her daughter Lucy at 42 Wayward Crescent. Around the house are a number of mysterious clay dragons made by Mrs Pennykettle and in the garden Conker the squirrel and for David Gadzooks.

'What?" gasped Lucy, too excited to be shushed.

David let his imagination flow. To his amazement, he watched Gadzooks take a pencil from his jaws and hurriedly scribble down a name on his pad.

Snigger

David's eyebrows twitched in surprise. Liz prodded a sausage or two with a fork. Lucy bit a fingernail. Bonnington (the cat) yawned. The whole Pennykettle household waited for an answer.

"Snigger," David whispered.

From somewhere came a gentle hrring noise.

David's dark blue eyes blinked open. "Yes," he said, "his name is Snigger."

To find out just what is going on you'll have to read the book.

Oh some of my dragons just wanted to say hi!

Secondly I love books that have a map at the start. And this one does just that.

What would it be like to live in a world where animals no longer exist or if they do there are very few and when you meet them they talk to you?

Kester lives in such a world and goes on a quest but how can a young boy save the last wild animals?

The wardens haul me back to my room and lock the door behind them as if nothing happened.

Seven days. Stuck in here. Because I thought an insect was talking to me.

Sat up against the wall, clutching my pillow to my chest, I try to focus on the world beyond the window. A solid black sky, but no rain.

I try to think of happy things - like being back at home. I'm helping Mum unpack the shopping. I've said something to make her laugh. Then Dad comes in holding his favourite mug, full of tea, and joins in. And we're laughing and cooking dinner and we're happy. 

Everything is normal again.

If you like these stories The Last Wild is part of a trilogy and The Fire Within is one of seven books in the series.

Whatever you read Have fun 😀📚📚

Day 13 &14 Keep Watching

This weekend the challenge is to keep watching and if you can record some of the things you see.

Today has been another walking day for me exploring new local routes with the help of an OS map. Over the past few weeks I've found lots of new route through familiar places. Here are some photos from today.

But if you can't get out and about there is always a space close to you, a local walk or a garden or yard space. I've set up a new squirrel run and within minutes the squirrel was along and had worked it out.

Here's the video.

Day 7 Begin a nature collection

So how did yesterday go? Did you manage to identify a wildflower?

Here are some buttercups, always a favourite sight to see a field full of yellow while out walking.

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to begin a wild treasure collection. Some people like to collect and press wildflowers, others bones, feathers, fossils, fir cones but what will you find to collect?

For me it has to be going to the beach scouring the shore for an interesting shell or a hag stone. Here are a few objects I've found. The black one is an egg case of a fish called a skate.

Here's today's action down by the pond.

Day 4 Watch a Wild Goggle Box

How did you do yesterday? As the weather got worse there seemed to be a lot less bees about. If you didn't spot any you can always try another day or try to work out the ones in the pictures below.

Today's Random Act of Wildness challenge is to watch a wild webcam. There are lots of places that have webcams live-streaming so here are a few to get you going.

1. BBC Springwatch HERE have both live streams and catch up viewing.

2. The Wildlife Trusts HERE have access to live streaming around the country including badgers, bats and puffins.

3. Cumbria Wildlife Trust bird feeder cam Here

And today's pond watch sees the squirrels come to visit.

Have fun 😀

Wild Day 2 Down by the Pond

Yesterday's random act of wildness was to watch the clouds and use your imagination.

Here's my attempt at putting drawings to the clouds:-

I've mentioned in a previous post about having a pond in the garden to attract wildlife. This video is from the first day keeping watch on the wildlife that made it to the pond area in the garden.

The Wildlife Trusts and RHS also have a super free booklet about making a small pond in your garden so if you are interested you can read about it HERE and download a free booklet.

Today's random act of wildness challenge is to listen for wild sounds. How many can you hear? If you get the chance to hear some bird calls try to identify the bird and its song. Just learning one builds your connection to nature.

30 Days Wild

Here we go the first day of hopefully many random acts of wildness lay ahead and the weather couldn't be better for getting outdoors.

If you haven't signed up with the Wildlife Trust initiative yet you can do so HERE and get a free downloadable pack of ideas. Read more about it HERE.

Today was the first chance to see the Forest School site since the end of March and how it's changed!
The whole of spring has passed and everything is growing wildly. Some of the areas that suffered from the winter rain have begun to recover but many areas we regularly use have become overgrown.

The fruit bushes are beginning to produce fruit but the pond area has dried out and become a little lost in the grass.

Many areas are looking magnificent, the beech tree with its huge green canopy and many flowers around the site and in the meadow area.

A random act of wildness challenge for today is to look up at the clouds. What shapes can you see? Why not try sketching them and turn them into the objects of your imagination. Or take a photo and use some drawing software to make your picture.

We would love to see your pictures and to hear about what you are getting up to. You can add a comment to the blog below or Tweet with @LyndonGreenJnr #30DaysWild

Right off to find a cloud ......    

©Walking in Paradise Photography

Trees

Trees are the amazing giants that surround us.

They existed on this plant before the times of the dinosaurs and have merged into human folklore and mysticism over time.

Science now tells us that trees are sociable, live in families and have ways to communicate and protect each other.

They can be ancient living for over a thousand years. They change with the seasons, provide food, are homes for many creatures and are one of our most valuable industrial resources.

They are critical to the planet, they take carbon dioxide and give out oxygen keeping the planet healthy.

The Forest School and wider grounds have many trees connecting us with past uses of the site. The oldest trees are about 200 years old and remind us of the time they stood in the grounds of Gilbertstone House which stretched all the way down to where Birmingham International Airport currently can be found. Others tell of when the school was opened or the school eco days and more recently planting of saplings from the Woodland Trust.

So why not begin to find out about the history of the trees in your garden or local street or park.
To find out how old a tree is you can count the rings but this has the problem of having to cut the tree down.

There is an easier way fortunately. All you need is a long piece of string and a tape measure or if you have one a flexible tape measure.

Measure around the tree trunk about 1.4m above the ground. Next decide where your tree is. If in a wooded area divide your number by 1.25. If it is in open space divide by 2.5. the answer gives you an approximate age for the tree.

So if you find a tree in open space and the measurement round the trunk is 350 cm 350÷2.5=140 years old.

See here for help sheet

Why not make a timeline for your tree can you find key historical events that have happened during the life of your tree. Was it in your garden when your house was built? Did it see the first person walk on the moon? Was it alive in the time of Queen Victoria?

If you want help to identify what type of tree you are looking at see this sheet or this poster.

Please note this activity is for deciduous trees - those that lose their leaves in winter.


Acknowledgements: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, Tree from seed to mighty forest David Burnie, Photos from Walking in Paradise Photography.

Wild Days

Following on from yesterday another organisation that can get you engaged with the outdoors is
The Wildlife Trusts.

Link to main site here

They also cover the country area by area and our two local trusts are:-

Warwickshire Link                                                              Birmingham Link 

The Trusts have a variety of sites to visit and explore the outdoors, perhaps nearest is Elmdom Manor next to Elmdom Park which has woodland, a meadow, ponds and an old walled garden. 

(please note at time of writing many Trust sites and carparks are not open. Where a site is open they would ask you to only visit if you are able to walk to the site from your home. Please follow government guidance to Stay Safe and Stay at Home.)

Their websites have a wide range of information about habitats and the plants and animals that live on their reserves. So how can you get involved?

Each year they run an initiative 30 Days Wild during June. Forest School is usually involved with this and activities are based around the challenges they have. See pictures below.

Individuals and families can also sign up and keep a diary of their random acts of wildness.

To take part sign up here.

I've usually taken part too and perhaps most successful has been the wildlife pond and trail camera installed in the garden.

The pond was simple just a plastic box sunk into the ground with some soil in the bottom with gravel over the top and some pond weed and a stick so anything that falls in usable to get out. In Forest School we've done a very similar thing with buckets. It's amazing what comes to live there, tiny creatures, hoverfly larvae, newts, frogs and more. The children always love going to see what is in the pond. But if you can't go to this why not try just a jar of water outside. After a few weeks you'll find something living in it.

The trail cam has been amazing. I'm really surprised at what manages to find its way to our garden.

Here are just a few of our highlights.

Hopefully this will inspire you to have some random acts of wildness and don't worry too much about the whole 30 days just have fun😀

WildTime

Spending time outdoors is fun. We all appreciate a little bit of sunshine, a warm breeze, hearing birdsong or a refreshing summer rain. But learning a little about nature also helps to connect us to our surroundings and to feel a part of our wider world.

Research is also revealing to us the health benefits of being out in nature through things like a simple walk, forest bathing or quiet moments of mindfulness.

Whatever your motivation for spending time outdoors there are plenty of places to find encouragement and ideas.

Here is the first organisation and links to their materials to help you along your way.

The Wild Network website has many ideas including a weekly set of challenges which can be done either in or outdoors. I particularly like their animal clothes challenge. What animal can you make your clothes into? Here's an idea:-

Click here to see some more.

They also have walking bingo cards, a different one each week and a free film which introduces how the wild network was started.

The challenge I've taken is to build an obstacle course for a wild animal.

Over time quite a few creatures have visited our garden, i'll share them in future posts, but a the moment we have a couple of squirrels that come each morning.

Now these squirrels aren't very bright. To stop them taking the bird food I put up a nut feeder just for them with a lid. 

What did they do? They ate it! Don't believe me? Here's the evidence or what's left of it.

So without any high hopes I decided to build a squirrel run. The plan was for them to run along the top of the fence, along a rope to the first tray of nuts. Then along the rope and onto the arch to a basket with more nuts suspended from the arch.

Needless to say it didn't work out like this so the run was adapted and here is a short video to show you how it all went.

An adaptation of the run is under construction. The magpie ate all the nuts in the tray and then the squirrel discovered running up the stick. 

If you feel inspired it would be great to hear how you got on. Have fun😃

30 Days Wild

Children and nature go together—or should. Recent studies document the importance of introducing children to the natural world, beginning in the early years. Their social, emotional, and physical health depends on this exposure to develop. Humans are hardwired to need nature—because we are part of it. In some communities, children lack access to nature and the freedom to explore local flora and fauna. How can children care about nature if they haven’t experienced it firsthand? Adults must do what they can to ensure that children have those opportunities. 1

This morning in assembly we introduced The Wildlife Trust's 30 Days Wild.
Every session in Forest School will include a fun activity linked to the Random Acts of Wildness.

We are also encouraging children to contribute their own activities on a diary page available from the office or via the eSchools learning platform.

Children can get involved in any way they want from their back garden, local park but some may want to get more involved and can sign up here (with parental permission)

Every child will also receive a link to a Survey Monkey questionnaire via eSchools to find out how wild we are as a school.

But most of all we just want to to enjoy being outdoors.

Follow us on Twitter to find out what we are getting up to and more ideas of what you can do.

1 http://www.naeyc.org/tyc/article/connecting-young-children-with-nature