Image by: Karen Statham
My second week of 30 Days Wild
30 Days Wild is The Wildlife Trusts’ campaign which challenges people to do something wild every day for a month – the purpose is to make people feel more connected to the nature around them.
Sunday – A sky full of red kites
A short drive from where I was stopping in Castle Douglas is Bellymack Hill Farm. Despite being home to a variety of wildlife, it is the daily arrival of one species that steals all the attention and food. At 2pm we arrived at the feeding station, surrounded by the dramatic panoramic views of the Galloway countryside, to experience a sky full of red kites. Feeding time was an unforgettable experience, and £5 well spent, as up to 100 graceful red kites circled above us riding the air before swooping down to the table.
The farm is also part of The Galloway Red Kite Trail. So, if you miss feeding time there’s still plenty of opportunity to view the birds. Red kites arrived at the farm in 2001, when they were introduced to Galloway. Their reintroduction is a great conservation success story. Red kites were persecuted to extinction in Scotland in the 19th century but now there are over 100 pairs breeding across the Dumfries region.
A report, from 2017, stated that the trail had contributed more than £8.2m to the local economy since it opened to the public and has attracted more than 100,000 visitors. As I stood with a crowd full of tourists, all snapping away with their cameras, it was great to see that the red kites are still bringing in the money.
Monday – A forest
With over 300 square miles of forest, hills and lochs, Galloway Forest Park is the largest forest park in Britain - it’s no wonder I was a little confused with where to start. With only a few hours to spare Kirroughtree Visitor Centre, described as Galloway Forest Park’s gateway centre, seemed as good a place as any. We took two of their signposted walking trails. If you went deeper into the forest, I’m sure you’d experience the bigger sense of wilderness from being surrounded by over one million trees. The Wild Watch trail was only a quarter of a mile walk and a short path led you to a bird hide where plenty of woodland birds could be seen on the feeders, but no red squirrels were spotted. We then followed the Little Bruntis Trail which was lined with beech trees. The trees in the forest are mainly evergreen with some birch, beech and larch. I’d like to return to the forest with more time to spare to explore its darker side too – in 2009 it was designated as the fourth Dark Sky Park in the world.
Image by: Karen Statham
Tuesday – They won’t steal your chips
After work I took a trip to see my favourite display at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the kittiwakes on level 4’s viewing platform. The last time I visited they had just returned and were making their nests, now they were sitting on their eggs waiting for their new arrivals.
The kittiwakes have become a great attraction at BALTIC, as they nest on the river facing wall. As coastal birds, they usually nest on cliffs, but the Tyne kittiwakes make their homes on man made structures. The Newcastle Gateshead colony is recognised as being the furthest inland kittiwake colony in the world.
Sadly, not all businesses along the Quayside have been as welcoming as BALTIC and last year it was reported 23 were killed in netting that had been put up on buildings as a deterrent to prevent them from nesting. The pictures of the poor trapped birds on social media sparked massive outcry from the public and a campaign, which has now received over 100 thousand signatures, launched to have the netting removed. Since, many of the businesses have been working with the Council and the RSPB and ‘dangerous netting has been removed’ but some netting still remains and the RSPB has told us to ‘keep an eye out for trapped kittiwakes’. I was sad to read on Twitter another kittiwake has been killed over the past few days in the netting.
Image by: Karen Statham
If only all the other businesses were as supportive as BALTC and educating the public about their uniqueness to our city and their established part of our heritage. In addition to picking up their fact sheet, telling you all about the kittiwakes, you can also buy kittiwake merchandise from their shop. I think I’ll have to go back when the chicks have arrived and buy a kittiwake pin badge. In the meantime, when I’m walking past the other buildings on the Quayside, I will be keeping an eye on our kittiwakes.
Wednesday – Something saved for a rainy day
Today was the first day of the non-stop pouring rain that had been forecast. So, I made my time with nature one I could enjoy indoors and planted some herbs into my new dog planter vase for the kitchen window.
Thursday – The little things that run the world
As I’d only spotted a rather sad and soggy looking blackbird on my journey to and from work, when I spotted my favourite podcast had a new episode streaming, I decided today’s wild experience would be a learning one. The new episode of Radio 4’s ‘Costing the Earth’ was all about, in ecologist Edward Wilson’s words, “the little things that run the world.” The little things are, of course, our insects. In this episode ‘Insect Extinction’, the debate was on what insects do for us and what we are doing to them. I was reminded, something we all forget when we refer to them as pests, that without insects our ecosystems (and probably our world) would fall apart.
The podcast reminded us that they are involved in every aspect of the ecology around us. From pollinating our plants, providing food for birds and mammals to recycling nutrients. Wiping out the insect population would affect the whole food chain. Birds that eat the insects would die from hunger, then those that eat the birds would die from hunger, and so on. To hear that they are in trouble should not be just a cause for concern. The speakers explained this is primarily from the changes in the way we manage land - the loss of grassland, reliance on intensive agriculture and heavy use of pesticides and now species shifting because of climate change too.
The episode also provided an interesting discussion on how we can produce the food required for our growing population in a more sustainable and less toxic way. The podcast is well worth a listen, as are the others in the series too.
Image by: Karen Statham
Friday – A wilder garden
Today I spent a little time tidying up the garden after two days of non-stop rain. My little wildflower patch seemed to have taken a bit of a battering, so I tried to straighten it up. I noticed though that with all this rain they have really come into flower. Growing wildflowers in the garden can be a great way of attracting wildlife and with little effort. Next year, I want to think about how I can do less mowing and more sowing to make my little patch even better for wildlife. I’ve been further inspired by hearing Kate Bradbury's tips on how to make your garden more wildlife friendly on Springwatch this week.
Image by: Karen Statham
Saturday – The big wild weekend
After a wild picnic, accompanied by uninvited ducks and a black headed gull, by the River Coquet in Warkworth we headed over to Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre to celebrate The Wildlife Trusts’ The Big Wild Weekend. I couldn’t believe we were greeted by a red squirrel as soon as we entered the gate. Once we parked, we spotted it on the feeder too and I managed to snap a very blurry picture of it as evidence.
We didn’t participate in the mini beast hunt, one of the activities taking place over the weekend, but we did enjoy a circular walk of the reserve, stopping at one of the six bird hides, and visiting the eco-friendly Wildlife Discovery Centre - constructed with the helping hand of more than 100 volunteers. Working for an architectural practice, I really appreciate the exemplar sustainable design features of this straw-bale building. It really captures the spirit of Northumberland Wildlife Trust and should be what future design is all about.
Image by: Karen Statham
Hauxley really is such a relaxing reserve and was a great way to unwind after the week. Not only is it “one of the best wildlife watching spots in the North East" but you can also enjoy the views across Druridge Bay and take in the smell of the fresh sea air… or the fresh smell of coffee in the cosy Lookout Café.