2018 Year of Wildlife Wonder  –  Enjoy my daily photo diary of Wildlife Wonder activities through the year. Photos taken on SLR, compact cameras or  phone.

31st October – Happy Hallowleaf

30th October – Litter

29th October – Leaf art with my daughter – just part of the final image!

28th October – Dipper delights

27th October – Kiss from an Old Man’s Beard

26th October – Seasons of the Tree Part 8

25th October – Red, green & amber

24th October – With families at Slimbridge, probably my last dragon of the year

23rd October – Sunset

22nd October – In the woods with young photographers

21st October – Hip Vortex

20th October – Culmination of the two-year Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust wildlife film & photography academy I’ve been working on with the local community & schools

19th October – Colour or monochrome? Tufted ducks at Walthamstow Wetlands

18th October  Seasonal decorations or the deer rut

17th October – Discovered hornets on school wildlife wonder nature walk.

16th October  – Exploring city wildlife with students – exhibition by Arkive, Peregrine photo by Luke Massey

15th October – Camo Frog

14th October – More than a splash of colour

13th October  – Maybe the last lizard I’ll see this year at WWT London

12th October – Dogwood

11th October  Walthamstow Wetlands

10th October  Stunning coral fungi discovered by children in their school grounds

9th October – Exploring contrast with students

8th October  – Wasp nest discovery

7th October – Happy to discover the hedgehog in my garden.

6th October – Outrageous spindle

5th October  – Exploring with the wonderful children at Alexandra School in London

4th October – At the gorgeous Walthamstow Wetlands with Nikon Owners group

3rd October – Wildlife photography with students in Bristol

2nd October Fab youth club photography session with teenagers from Youth Moves

1st October – Preview of the World Biggest Tiger Exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall – Ballerina Maria Sascha Khan enjoying my photography

30th September – Reflections of Cheltenham

29th September – Bed-Room With A View

28th September – Sunset from the hides at The London Wetland Centre

27th September – With Yr9 Art students at Slimbridge

26th September – In school today a girl asked me ‘What’s an acorn’

25th September – Wild margins of Bristol. Photo by Yr12 students

24th September – Dew touched webs

23rd September – Haw berries

22nd September – An incredible day on the Peoples Walk For Wildlife

21st September – Young lizard dropping in to the WWT London

20th September – Sea of beech, the strand line

19th September – Climbing colour

18th September – Wonderful observation by Home-Ed families at WWT Slimbridge

17th September – Toad Monday

16th September – Surprise discovery, maybe one of the hedgehog we rescued from the snow

15th September – Leaf literature

14th September – Off to give a talk about doorstep nature

13th September – Seasons of the tree Part 7

12th September – The Fall has begun

11th September – With 6th form students

10th September – Preparing for a year of WildlifeWonder with this school

9th September Dock Hopper!

8th September  – Blackberry bounty

7th September – Butterflygate at Slimbridge

6th September – Red Admiral

5th September – September surprise!

4th September – Sad to discover this river litter

3rd September – Dipper domain

2nd September – Support act at music festival

1st September – September sunshine

31st August – Small copper on verbena

30th August – Second flush of marsh marigold flowers now the pond levels have risen

29th August – August or autumn?

28th August – Fresh signs of water vole activity

27th August- Night Flora

26th August – Herbs & flowers of Basingstoke

25th August – Red Admiral on garden ivy

24th August – Planing exciting & unique schools project with Bristol Museum

23rd August – Under stone discovery

22nd August – Wonderful observation by girl on todays Young Person’s photography course at BBOWT Nature Discovery Centre

21st August – enjoying my birthday blues!

20th August – Severn view!

19th August – Wasps enjoying the last of our apples

18th August – a big snail and the largest slug I’ve ever seen!

17th August So much creativity and diversity on todays family nature photography session at Slimbridge.

16th August – Discovering red-eyed damselflies with families  at Greenwich Ecology Park

15th August – Dragonfly photography course at Fern Animal Sanctuary, Somerset

14th August – Summer school with young entomologists at Oxford University Natural History Museum

13th August – Evening tree textures

12th August – Autumn col0urs!!

11th August – Urban nature photography safaris at Chingfest in London

10th August – Inspiring afternoon judging Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Competition

9th August – Pastel skies

8th August – Parent & child nature photography at Slimbridge

7th August – Early elderberries

6th August- Comma of the bird feeder

5th August – Rescued spider!!

4th August – Seasons of the tree Part 6

3rd August – Misty St Davids

2nd August – Magpie moth

1st August – Limpet Smile

31st July – Beach lines

30th July – From St Nons

29th July St Nons Chapel

28th July – Daily plastic & litter collection on the beach!

27th July – St David’s Head

26th July – Butterflies puddling at Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Greystones Reserve

25th July  Wild funwith families at the Greenwich Ecology Park in London – A wasp spider!

24th July Found this dead beetle – then almost ate it! (confused it for a dropped raisin)

23rd July – Train journey home after long hot day in London

22nd July – Starling party

21st July – With photography group at BBOWT Nature Discovery Centre

20th July – Two juvenile peregrines at Walthamstow Wetlands

19th July Outside my Edge WI talk

18th July

17th July – Marbled White butterfly – photo by pupil at St Whites Primary School

16th July – Rowan berries – early?

15th July – Burnet moths on scabious

14th July – Reed bunting (female)

13th July – After the rains come snails

12th July – Micro moth on ragwort

11th July Tiger Moth discovered by school children

10th July – Wildlife wonder with London school children Day1

9th July At Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Lower Moor Farm

8th July Skimmer

7th July – Nibley Sunset

6th July – Photography training with teachers at the Cabot Learning Federation Summer Conference

5th July – Celebrating the opening of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Greystones Reserve with Ellie Harrison and local school children

4th July – Teasel flower

3rd July Moth in the kitchen

2nd July – School grounds wildlife wonder with pupils Sandford Primary

1st July – Wildlife window

30th June – Garden Tortoiseshell

29th June – Broad-Bodied Chaser

28th June – Scorching skipper

27th June – Talking Wildlife Wonder with teachers at Primary Science Conference

26th June – Garden newt

25th June – Immersed in photography with animal care students at Filton College

24th June – Small Tortoiseshell

23rd June – Mid-summer sunset

22nd June – Pineapple Weed

21st June – Swift Solstice

20th June – Lesser Stag Beetle on my doorstep

19th June – Evening up poppies

18th June – Little known lifecycle of a ladybird (pupae & larva)

17th June – Pond life

16th June – London lizard at the Wetland Centre

15th June – Wonderful moment watching family of newly fledged gold crests – but probably the worst photo!

14th June – A poignant end to my photography session with Bristol Nature Network #Swift

13th June – A family of newly fledged long tailed tits.

12th June – About to talk “wild About Us to Eastwood Gardeners Club.

11th June – How nature makes us feel – words by children at Wansdyke Primary School

10th June – All smiles in the woods

9th June – Masses of moths attracted to this valerian

8th June – Wild colour

7th June – On safari with the local Historical Society, a water vole appears !

6th June – Wildlife Wonder with Thrupp school – much patience needed by children to capture a photo of this common blue butterfly

5th June – Wildlife Wonder with school children in thew Forest of Dean, they discovered these Burnet moth cocoons

4th June – Plenty of ladybird action today!

3rd June – A trout’s view of a mayfly

2nd June – Among the flowers

1st June – At BBOWT Nature Discovery Centre with young photographers (age 9 – 14). Cuckoos calling, cardinals climbing and a Canada creche!

31st May – So many dragonfly exuviae spotted at BBOWT Sutton Courtenay by families on todays nature photography session

30th May – Exploring with the Get Grubby Gang in Gloucestershire, the children discovered the biggest leech (15 cm long!!)

29th May – Seasons of the tree – Part 5

28th May – Garden bee haven

27th May – London Park-life

26th May – Burnished Brass moth at BBOWT Nature Discovery Centre

25th May – After the rain

24th May – Feeding mayflies

23rd May – Working scientifically with teachers – we discovered dragonfly exuviae (skin shed by larvae after they emerge from the pond)

22nd May – Discovered Marsh Marigold in school pond during Wildlife Wonder day

21st May – Swathes of yellow

2oth May – Yellow flags at dusk

19th May – Wildflower meadows the London Wetland Centre

18th May – Pond living

17th May – Gosling among the daisies at Walthamstow Wetlands

16th May – School Pond

15th May – Working Scientifically

14th May – Love Hawthorn Light

13th May – Pond skaters

12th May – Buttercups

11th May – Safest of nesting places !

10th May – Return of the terns. At Walthamstow Wetlands

9th May – Seasons of the tree. Part 4

8th May – Slowworm creates great excitement on todays school Wildlife Wonder day

7th May – Love frogs

6th May – Wow what a day – first damselfly of the year in garden pond (photo by my daughter) and FIRST SWIFTS!

5th May – Nesting cranes at Slimbridge

4th May – School ground architecture

3rd May  – In the heart of the city, a beautiful wild school oasis

2nd May – Spring blues

1st May – Dizzy with dandelions

30th April – Nature’s playground. Fantastic day with students The Met Academy in Bristol

29th April – Another (and different) water vole

28th April – Happy moments watching this water vole

27th April – Rain dampened red campion

26th April – Distant views of mating buzzards

25th April – Seconds after a water vole poked its head out!

24th April – Never forget to smile, beautiful observation by children at the Wrexham School

23rd April – Wildflower Wonder with pupils at Howe Dell Primary School.

22nd April – Return of the hedgehogs!

21st April – Seasons of the tree Part 3

20th April – Photography course at the London Wetland Centre

19th April – Mating Bee Flys

18th April – Creating a school playground wildflower meadow with pupils

17th April – Earliest beech leaves in Bath school grounds

16th April – The first orange-tip butterfly of the year.

15th April – Moth

14th April – Even more fresh water vole droppings!

13th April – Dog violets

12th April – Snakeshead fritillaries at the wonderful Greenwich Peninsular Ecology Park in London

11th April – Spirals of Wonder

10th April – Wonderful moments on today’s inspiring family photography course at WWT Slimbridge

9th April – Goat Willow

8th April – Grape Hyacinth

7th April – Relief. Can’t express how excited I was to discover the fresh water vole latrine on my local patch.

6th April – No luck looking for water voles, but found two crayfish – an alive one in the water and this tiny dead one

5th April – Butterfly Time  (left – small tortoiseshell, right – comma)

4th April – Exciting new signs of water vole activity

3rd April – Stars of wonder. First house martin and chiffchaff in song at Nind

2nd April – Easter sunshine

1st April – Easter Drops

31st March – Alder catkins (male) and last years seeds. Female catkins behind

30th March – Seasons of the Tree – Part 2

29th March – Underwater wonder

28th March – Its toad spawning time! You can see the string of spawn in the bottom left.

27th March – Marsh marigold in flower along the river

26th March -A fabulous afternoon with teachers on my Wildlife Wonder photography training session at Green Light.

25th March – First Brimstone butterfly

24th March – Hellebores !

23rd March – Female Blackcap

22nd March – Wall colour

21st March – One school pond, 120 children and more frogs than we could count.  A fantastic wildlife wonder day with Oxfordshire school. Photo by Yr4 children

20th March – Waiting for the water voles

19th March – Roadside sculpture

18th March – Return to winter robin

17th March – Winter Strikes Back

16th March – Fighting egrets at WWT London

15th March – Roe deer buck growing antlers

14th March – Frogspawn tree

13th March – Little Owl Sunshine

12th March – Season of the Tree – Part 1

11th March – Hedgerow Spectacle

10th March – First bumblebee at Walthamstow Wetlands

9th March – Its Hawthorn time. First leaves appearing

8th March – A morning encountering exciting recent arrivals on my local patch; otter spraint and little egret

7th March – A golden spring morning, grey wagtails pairing, bees on churchyard celandine and my first butterfly of the year

6th March – Snow not fully melted, yet frogs already spawning in school pond.

5th March – Announcing the arrival spring?

4th March – After the snow an ice bath!

3rd March – Iced Teasel

2nd March – Drifting snow

1st March – First fieldfare in the garden – feeding on winter stored apples

28th February – Redpoll along the river roots

27th February –  City Gull

26th February – Waiting for owls

25th February – Calm before the storm

24th February – Frog Face

23rd February- Weed Dance

22nd February – Glorious goldcest at Walthamstow Wetlands

21st February – Dipper perching on river flotsam

20th February – Frog time (first frogspawn in local ponds)

19th February – Absent all day, the sun and starlings made a dramatic evening appearance

18th February – First bee

17th February – Laden with lichen

16th February – Roost in motion (starlings)

15th February – Little Owl Wonder

14th February – Wild inspired young photographers photographing water rail at WWT Slimbridge

13th February – Close encounters of the blackbird kind

12th February – Cool Rising!

11th February – Swathes of celandines

10th February – Rain and water everywhere!  BBOWT Nature Discovery Centre

9th February – First blackthorn blossom at WWT London

8th February – Water Rail at Slimbridge

7th February  – Dipper feeding in mill stream

6th February – Winter owl, just a dusting of snow.

5th February – Just one little owl today

4th February – Excited to see my local little owl pair have returned from their Christmas break

3rd February – Hellebore Hues at Slimbridge

2nd February – An epic murmuration.

1st February – Dipper pair are active at their traditional nest site.

31st January  – Delightful dipper

30th January – Preening Dipper

29th January – Dipper Debris

28th January – Big Garden Birdwatch

27th January – Winter Wonderland

26th January – Dipper delight on my local patch

25th January – Creating two wildflower meadows with Bristol school children

24th January – Crocus emerging from its autumnal cloak

23rd January – Drops of snow in Bristol

22nd January – Winter gold

21st January  – Winter colours

20th January – A rain inspired day with photography group

19th January – Starling watchers

18th January – Single starling

17th January – Fly enjoying today’s winter sunshine and aconites

16th January – First Snowdrops (Bristol)

15th January – Goldfinch on feeder

14th January – First crocus

13th January – Local patch little egret

12th January – A million strong – just a small part of tonight’s starling murmuration

11th January – Nightlife in Central London

10th January – Wonder below, winter underwater

9th January – Garden goldfinch – feeding on dead heads of verbena

8th January – First celandine flowers open on the riverbank

7th January – Cat-Ice or Bird-Ice

6th January – Female blackcap (she has a brown cap)

5th January – Juggling King (Fishing at Walthamstow Wetlands)

4th January – Starling Wonder (Half a million birds)

3rd January – Raven school  (on the tower of Bristol Grammar School)

2nd January –  Candlesnuff fungus

1st January – Moonlit Murmuration