Birds, Moths and Amphibians

Birds are perhaps our closest meeting with the wild and may be the reason why the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) is the most popular charity in the UK.

The RSPB works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment through public awareness campaigns and petitions. It has over 1300 employees, 18,000 volunteers and more than 1 million members, making it the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe. It also maintains around 200 nature reserves.

This summer (mid-May  to late August) my wildlife spotting has included seeing a grey heron in the river looking for fish late in the evening; a yellow wagtail with its undulating flight over the river: a pied wagtail (black bib); a blackheaded gull and a moorhen (red & yellow beak) walking on the weir; swifts swooping and diving over the river; two ravens calling “aark, aark” before  heavy rain; a starling with a grub in its beak and a spotted flycatcher with a fly and swallows flying low on high ground.

Also a common (small) blue butterfly, large yellow underwing moths, a yellow & brown striped crane fly (female), buff-tailed bumble bees, a small heath butterfly and a Glanville fritillary and (arachnophobes look away now!) a hunting spider (6cms including legs) in my house and a small frog and a newt in my garden.

Happy Wildlife,

Jo Kirk