Goodbye Blogger!

I have recently decided to change my blog host to WordPress. It is still the same blog and is still 'Georgia's Wildlife Watch'. I won't be posting on this blog anymore so to see my new updates and much more please go to the link below.

http://georgiaswildlifewatch.wordpress.com/

Twin Sett.

Over the past week I've been mentioned in two different wildlife magazines. The first one was the March issue of the BBC Wildlife magazine where a story about the badgers that I recorded and a screen shot featured on the letters page. Then today I was sent the Junior Wildlife Trust magazine which is known as Wildlife Watch which had a part in about some footage that I had recorded and another screen shot.

Here is a photo of my mentions in both magazines:

 

 

 

 

Potty about fungi.

Here's a blog post about something a bit different however, wildlife related. At the school which I attend one of my chosen options is Art. The first project was all about natural forms and nature. In the project I managed to include some of my best wildlife and nature photos especially of fungi along with drawings and much more. Over the past few weeks though I have made my final piece for the project which was made from clay. It didn't necessarily have to be something useful but it had to connect with the recordings that I'd made and the artists which we looked at. Here is the final piece which I did, as you can see it is all to do with different mushrooms and fungi.

Local early signs of Spring.

As the sun was shining when I woke up this morning I decided to go for a walk with my camera and take some photos of some signs of Spring. Whilst on a short walk I heard woodpeckers drumming, I saw bumblebees pollinating snowdrops and daffodils just about to come into flower. The weather was still quite mild too and the sun was out for a change after a week of almost non-stop rain. Here are some of the photos  and a video I took. 

Here is a video of a Bombus Hypnorum (Tree Bee) pollinating some snowdrops.

National Nest Box Week.

As you probably know this week (14th - 21st February) is the BTO's (British Trust for Ornithology) National Nest Box Week. They are asking everyone to put up a nest box in their local area to help increase the number of suitable nesting for birds. Even though you can put a nest box up at any time of the year this week is to encourage people to put one up whether it be at a local park whilst out with a wildlife group or in your back garden. Even if you already have lots of nest boxes up in your garden you could still go out and clean them out ready for the Spring.
The reason why you should take part and why they are holding this event is because natural nest sites for birds such as holes in trees or old buildings are disappearing fast. Taking part will give you the chance to contribute to bird conservation whilst giving you the pleasure of observing any breeding birds that you attract to your nest box.
Here is a link to the BTO's website with some more information, a free NNBW information pack, a guide into how you can buy and make your own nest box, a guide into how you can put it up and where, and monitoring your nest box - http://www.bto.org/about-birds/nnbw

Staffordshire's Badgers.

I recently came across a ePetition to stop the culling of badgers in the area where I live, which is the county of Staffordshire. The cull hasn't started yet but the ePetition is to prohibit the culling of badgers on council owned-land and to invest in vaccination programs locally.
So far there are 245 signatures and the ePetition runs until the 11th of March. Here is a link to the Staffordshire County Council website where you can find the ePetiton - http://moderngov.staffordshire.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?Id=88

You can also find a petition against the culling of badgers in your area or create your own here - http://www.b-r-a-v-e.co.uk/operationbadger/

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

This weekend (25th-26th) is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which is the biggest garden wildlife survey in the world. To get involved all you have to do is watch the birds in your garden or a local patch for one hour. Whilst watching them you have to note down the highest number of each bird species, at any one time. Once the hour is over you have to submit your results to the RSPB website where the results will be used for a number of different things. You can submit your results by clicking here and you can also print off a chart to help you record the birds which are visiting your garden.
Good Luck!

Here's a photo of a goldfinch which I photographed in my garden, a bird you

may expect to see on your feeders whilst taking part in the count.

 Here's a photograph of a great tit which I took. Another bird which you

could except to see on your feeders.

Here's one of a robin. Another species which you could

expect to see.

Rats at The Wolseley Centre.

Today I went to one of my local nature reserves which was the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust headquarters, The Wolseley Centre. I visit this reserve quite a lot but today when I was observing the feeding station I noticed something which I'd never seen there before. These were two massive brown rats, one of them was almost the size of a rabbit! Brown rats can be found almost everywhere in the UK and they are a very adaptable mammal. Here are some photos and a video I took.

The feeding station.

Watching the wildlife watcher!

A few months ago I was contacted by the leader of the Wildlife Trust,Wildlife Watch group at the National Memorial Arboretum asking if I would come and do a talk this year about my wildlife experiences and local observations. Over the past few weeks I put a PowerPoint and some of my best footage together to show. Throughout the talk I spoke about the wildlife at some local places, the wildlife in my garden, different things which I've managed to record on my trail camera and much more. My audience were particularly interested in some of my badger footage! The group which I did the talk for were a great bunch and have been going for about 10 years! You can find more about them here - http://www.thenma.org.uk/visit/families/wildlife-watch-group/

I really enjoyed doing the talk; even though at first I was a bit nervous but I'm looking forward to doing more!

Here are some photos which were taken of me whilst doing the talk.

Stop Press!

Today when I got home from school I had a look through one of my local newspapers and realized a photo I sent in had featured in the 'WildLichfield' section. This is my sixth photo to appear in this local paper along with the story about my Autumnwatch experience.
Here is a photo of it in the Lichfield Mercury.