Looking for something fun to do to get away from the Christmas rush?
Take a look at the Wildlife Trusts! Their 12 Days Wild starts on the 25th December – yes, Christmas Day – getting out for a walk could be a start, or gazing at the clouds or stars in the sky could be something else to do if it’s pouring with rain.
12 Day Wild is a festive nature challenge and the idea is that from the 25th December through to the 5th January, you do one wild thing every day.
You could recycle your Christmas tree, go for a walk, feed your garden birds, stargaze, cloud gaze, or draw a picture of something to do with nature. This could be a great way to get everyone off their screens and to do an activity for nature or with nature together!
The Wildlife Trusts have lots of resources – including the 12 Days Wild digital pack – and they are all available in Welsh!
Maybe one of the things you could do is to come up with a plan of how you can help nature in your garden or local area this year?
Those lovely folk at Pooch & Mutt have created an range of natural meals treats and supplements that both does good and tastes good giving dogs the ingredients they need to boost their mood and behaviour and their physical health.
They create an enhanced range of natural meals treats and supplements that does good and tastes good, to give the UK's dogs the optimal ingredients needed to boost their mood and behaviour paw in paw with their physical health.
They’ve got lots of treats for dogs and cats, and also – very handy – they’ve got dental treat. They’ve got functional ranges – calming, digestion, weight-loss, skin and coat, dental and joint care, and they have products which are suitable for different dietary needs such as hypoallergenic, low fat, grain-free, fish based, probiotics and gluten-free. Not only that, they’ve dry food, wet food, supplements, dental sticks, long-lasting chews, a small dog range and Christmas gifts! Their Christmas gifts for dogs include advent calendars, Christmas boxes, and cheese fondue meaty treats – yummy!!
By the way, did you know that Pooch & Mutt support Woodgreen? They donate bags of their dry food every month to feed the dogs in their care - along with lots of meaty treats to help with training and rewards! And when people adopt a pet from Woodgreen, they receive a rehoming pack with helpful info; Pooch & Mutt will also be supplying a taster bag of dry food with every dog rehoming pack - and also discounts for life on their nutritious range! Pooch & Mutt customers can add a donation to their orders or through their Pooch Rewards!
Wildlife can be hard to spot, especially if they just come out at night, so droppings are a good way to find out who'se been visiting your garden at night, or your neighbourhood. Can you guess with this quiz whose poo belongs to who?
And take actions to help nature, such as recycling your Christmas tree or feeding the birds - or just look out of the window and watch the stars! Find out more about it here.
This takes place in the stunning surroundings of Mauldsheugh in the South of Scotland. Start by taking a walk around the reserve and discover all about the trees, plants and wildlife living there. Get involved in activities such as topping up the feeders and surveying the wildlife, planting trees and checking the ponds.
Whipsnade Zoo is situated in the beautiful Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, and 10,000 animals call it home - many of them are endangered in the wild.
And the zoo had some amazing news to share with everyone earlier this month - a rare Southern white rhino calf was born to Fahari and Sissle in early October!
Welcome to the world, little one!
He weighed roughly just under 50kg and first time mum Fahari did very well - her gestation period was 16 months so she had quite a wait, bless her. Keepers have described how the calf is quite a character and actually stamps his feet when he's impatient for food. He joins his half brother Benja who was born in March. There are only about 17,500 of these particular rhinos left in the wild so you can see this is a really important birth.
In the wild, these rhinos are threatened by the illegal wildlife trade, since their horn is used for traditional medicine in Asia and for making dagger handles in the Middle East. The Zoological Society of London is working worldwide to stop the illegal wildlife trade and you can find out how here.
Earlier this year in July, there was an important addition to the family of reticulated giraffes, when mum Luna gave birth to a male calf. The calf is tall, standing at six feet already, and he could stand and walk and zoo staff monitored him carefully. It wasn't long before he was racing round the paddock with another reticulated giraffe, who'd been born a few weeks before the male.
The reticulated giraffe is endangered, so the new arrivals at Whipnsade are important
This means there are now six giraffe at Whipnsade - the species is endangered because of illegal hunting, habitat destruction and human-giraffe conflict.
Will the new baby Southern white rhino be seen by the public? This little rhino may not be just quite ready - check with the Whipsnade Zoo website! But there's lots going on, with Boo to the Zoo for Halloween - there are lots of activities taking place. Click on the meerkat to find out all about it! It runs from the 26th October to the 3rd November 2024.
The veterinary drama is based on the early career of veterinary surgeon, James Herriot, played by Nicholas Ralph. Herriot’s real name was Alf Wight but he used the pen name of James Herriot.
Callum Woodhouse will be back as Tristan Farnon, after time away serving in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. And we meet Helen (Rachel Shenton) and James’ baby, too! Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) becomes more and more reliant on Richard Carmody, who is played by James Anthony-Rose).
In Episode 1, To all our boys, vet James Herriot is grounded in the RAF and faces an uncertain future.
You can see the first four series on My5, and if you feel like going on a tour of the places featured in All Creatures Great and Small, take a look at Into the Blue – they have an all-day mini coach tour for £75.00! It sets off from York and you’ll tour filming locations around the Dales that were used in the Channel 5 and BBC series.
The Dales are just absolutely stunning!
Your driver guide will tell you about the show’s characters and the places featured, such as Skeldale House, the pubs used for the outside shots of the fictional Drover’s Arms – even the bus stop where James proposed to Helen!
There’s also a visit to the ‘World of James Herriot' – the 1940s house has been restored, so that it reflects life as it was when Alf Wight lived there and worked as a vet – and where he started to write his books!
You could also think about these ways to have a more personal calendar for 2025.
You could go for Getting Personal, where you could choose a calendar and personalise it so that the name of your dog or cat appears in a number of different photos throughout the year. The photos aren’t of your own cat or dog, but the name of your cat or dog appears in each photo, so adding a personal touch.
You can often choose the month the calendar starts, too, so you don’t have to wait for January and the new year! And not only that, you can often get them in different sizes and dimensions, such as desk calendars and wall calendars. There's lots of choice! With some of the calendars, you can upload your favourite photos of your pet to enjoy throughout the year!
You can also produce calendars from Printerpix, uploading your photos, and Snapfish, too.
National Marine Week takes place from the 26th July to 10th August 2024. There’s a LOT happening and you can find out all about what’s on by signing up to the Wildlife Trust’s updates as they organise it.
The first thing to do is to sign up for updates from the Wildlife Trust. You can sign up here.
Then find your local Wildlife Trust here or conservation charity if you don't live in the UK, to see how you can get involved, even if you live miles from the sea.There are 46 Trusts around the UK from Alderney in the Channel Islands to Scotland, Cornwall to Norfolk, and North West Wales to Kent.
Please get political and tell people and politicians that nature matters!
We all need to shout loudly for nature! Nature has no voice, so it’s up to all of us to speak up. The Wildlife Trusts have information about what they think the Government's priorities should be and Polar Bears International (who have been researching sea ice and polar bears for decades) have help here on how to talk about climate change, and how you can get political.
10 ways to get involved in National Marine Week
(You don't need to wait until then!)
National Marine Week runs from 26th July to the 10th August. It lasts longer than a week, because of the differing tidal conditions around the UK. There are celebrations and events around the country
In 2024, the theme of National Marine Week was 'Sea' the Connection and the week highlighted how - as an idland nation - we are all closely connected to the sea. A healthy marine environment matters and it needs to thrive.
Even if you don’t live on the coast, you can connect to the sea by finding out more about the effect pollution is having on them and the wildlife there. Reduce your plastic use and pick up litter too, so that less plastic and litter heads downstream to the sea - left on the ground, it could get picked up by a passing bird and dropped later into a river and then out to sea.
Record your shoreline sightings and help marine and wildlife charities build up a picture of our shorelines and seas. For example, you can help the Shark Trust learn more about sharks, skates and rays by taking part in their Basking Shark project, the Great Eggcase Hunt project, the Great Shark Snapshot (20th to 28th July 2024, anywhere in the world!) and the Angling Project. The Marine Conservation Society has a number of projects, too such as Seasearch for divers, the Big Seaweed Search, and the Big Microplastic Survey. And the Wildlife Trusts have their own Shoresearch and the Scottish Seabird Centre has kindly put a list together of citizen science projects. Find out how citizen science is saving our seas from the University of Portsmouth.
You can download this and print it off, or why not take a photo on your phone to use when you're out and about?
2. Do a beach clean
The Marine Conservation Society has lots of information about how to do this, and get involved. The next Great British Beach Clean is from 20th to 29th September 2024. Why not get your company involved in a Team Beach Clean as an away day and do something really meaningful?
Take part in the Big Nurdle Hunt. Nurdles are small plastic pellets which are melted down to make nearly all plastic products and the problem is that thousands of tonnes of them spill straight into the environment worldwide. Visit the website to find out and how you can go hunting for nurdles!
3. Support seagrass projects
Seagrass play a vital role in keeping oceans healthy and giving thousands of marine species a home, such as the seahorse, the manatee and the sea turtle. Project Seagrass, based in Wales, have a mission: A world in which seagrass meadows are thriving, abundant and well managed for people and planet. And there are a number of projects around the UK to help seagrass. The Marine Conservation Society has more information about seagrass itself and why it matters.
Find out about the Seahorse Trust and its Studland Bay project and also Save our Seahorses, the Irish branch of the Seahorse Trust. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is working to protect seagrass and you can sponsor a seagrass seed pod for £20 to help them. Find out more
4. Be a sea champion!
Find out what the Wildlife Trusts are doing to help our seas and our sea life. For instance, they campaign for parts of the seabed and the sea to be protected from damaging activities.
Go to the sea if it's close to you, or a river or canal; observe and connect to the natural world there and use your senses to really take in the natural world. If you are unable to leave home, take in videos from You Tube to explore the natural world with, from kayaking in Alderney, to meeting the dolphins of Wales. Rockpool species, sharks, turtles, seals – just drink in the marine videos.
There will be many events taking place organised by the Wildlife Trusts around the UK. Some of these will be on the coast on the seashore, some on wetlands, and some further away from the sea, but either way, there's plenty going on all over the UK with beach cleans, night time safaris, marine wildlife surveys, dolphin watches and more! And there are lots of events for families, too so that you can get the kids involved. Find an event here
Here's a question for you! How do you say "I love you" in puffin? Find out here!
6. Find out more about different species and marine life
The Wildlife Trusts’ website enable you to put the name of a species into a search box and you can learn all about it! This year the theme is “Sea the Connection", and it will be looking to highlight how - as an island nation - we're connected to the sea and why a healthy, thriving marine environment is really important and makes a difference.
This is a great opportunity to find out all about habitats – marine habitats, seagrass, biogenic reefs, deep-water corals, mud, sand and graves, kept beds and forests and rocky reefs. Float away to them here.
7. Support campaigns to improve the health of our oceans
The Marine Conservation Society has a number of different campaigns, such as banning disposable vapes and wet wipes. And they have campaigns to stop ocean threads and stop pollution. But there are also campaigns against balloon releases – who knows where they will end up? Find out about their campaigns here.
Take a look at Surfers Against Sewage, too. Water quality, plastic pollution, ocean recovery and the ocean and climate emergency are all challenges they are tackling. And find out about their Million Mile Clean – they want 100,000 people to take a 10 mile stretch and clean it up on the coast, canals, bridle paths, towns and cities!
8. Use less plastic
The Wildlife Trusts have lots of help to enable you to use less plastic in all sorts of ways, from the bathroom, to the kitchen and being out and about, and they also have info about those sneaky plastics you may not have thought of! Find out more
Don't forget that July is Plastic Free Month - a chance for you to reduce the amount of plastic in your life, so it's a good way to do something towards both National Marine Weke and Plastic Free Month at the same time.
9. Remember our Rivers!
Take a look at the I’s Save Britain’s Rivers campaign, challenging ALL parties to commit to sign up to a blueprint that will save our rivers. The article has a number of ways in which you can help our rivers.
Also, you could take a look at the Rivers Trust who are the umbrella body for the River Trust movement. Their 2023/2024 Impact Report shows that 20,000 volunteers got involved helping local rivers and they have ways in which you can get involved in the #VoteforRivers campaign. Vote for Rivers at the upcoming General Election
The Canal and Rivers Trust also has ways in which you can help care for our canal and rivers network to make it easy to #VolunteerByWater
10. Support wildlife and marine charities
Why not adopt an animal and give a Wildlife Trust your support? There are a number of animals to choose from – seahorse, dolphin, seal, otters, beavers and more! Funds raised from the adoption schemes goes towards helping local wildlife conservation work – managing nature reserves or creating new habitats. It all helps, plus adoptions make a great gift for nature lovers! And you could become a member of a Wildlife Trust. At the very least, you can help them spread the word about their campaigns, the threats facing marine and wildlife and the solutions to help them. Help them spread the word about their successes, their needs, what actions people can do to make a difference. Do more than dipping your toe into the water - get stuck in.
There’s a LOT happening with marine conservation worldwide, and many wonderful people working hard to make it happen, from scientists to indigenous peoples, volunteers, rescue centres taking in injured marine life, campaigners, activists… Have a think about ways in which you can play a role in marine conservation and the elections this year – in whatever country you’re in – are a great place to start standing up for our natural world. Worldwide, air, sky and sea need our voice, and so do the animals depending on it. We also depend on it being in a healthy state, so that we can be too.
You could also take a look at Seacology, whose mission is "to protect threatened island ecosystems all over the world. We do that by working directly with communities, helping them to preserve their cultures and improve their lives while saving precious island habitats." Visit their website here.
Green People have reef safe sunscreen for all the family! And the Marine Conservation Charity is one of their chosen charities to support! Find out more here.
Well, if you're looking for something a bit different to do this summer, you could take a look at an intriguing activity at London Zoo.
London Zoo have come up with Poo at the Zoo. Not Winnie the Pooh, this is all about poo, and who's done what.
London Zoo has a 'pooseum', and you can find out about the vital insights that can be gleaned from number two!
Challenge the whole family to poo-inspired giant games on the lawns, or join Poo at the Zoo author Steve Smallman for lead live storytelling sessions on certain dates over the summer.
The 'pooseum' is a 22 year labour of love for Tracey Lee, one of ZSL's zookeepers and a former artist. It began as two special specimens - when the last elephant and black rhino were re-homed from London Zoo - were added to canvas in a piece called 'The last poo at the Zoo'. Now, the collection has an incredible 100+ preserved specimens, with dung from a wide variety of animals including an endangered gorilla, a giant Galapagos tortoise and even a tiny poo from a caterpillar!
Every day, the zoo is running a Game of the Day and this will focus on animal feeding and digestion. With Poo Bingo, Poo or False or a matching and memory challenge, Who did this poo?, there's plenty to do.
And at certain times each day, kids can enjoy the stage adaptation of the bestselling book The Great Poo Mystery.
Not only that, there's also a self-led trail with challenges and clues to help young visitors track down a selection of animals including giant tortoises, lions, tigers and penguins.
If you can't get to London Zoo, you could always buy the book Poo in the Zoo for £6.99 from London Zoo's shop.
Plus, you can join the illustrator of the Poo in the Zoo book series, Ada Gray, for drawing classes on selected dates and times, and there are self-led drawing activities avialable at other times.
Poo at the Zoo is running from the 25th July to 1st September 2024, and should be a lot of fun! Find out more here.
Whilst you're at London Zoo, you may want to pop in and see the beautiful three Asiatic lion cubs. Boys Mali and Syanii and girl Shanti were born at London Zoo on 13 March 2024 to seven-year-old mum, Arya, and 14-year-old dad Bhanu. And they are just gorgeous!Take a look here!
International Dawn Chorus Day is on Sunday, the 5th May 2024
I woke up at 4:30 this morning and lay in bed listening to the birds as they sang outside the bedroom window and thought how wonderful it must be to have such a glorious chorus every day to be so happy!
Listening to birdsong is a great way to start the day!
In fact, I’ve been waking up a lot recently at about 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning, and I find I just love lying in bed, listening to the birdsong. It’s such a lovely start to the day! OK, sometimes I do drift off back to sleep, but the birdsong is both soothing and motivating at the same time – I let my mood take me where it feels. It’s a wonderful way to empty your head of everything and just listen to our feathered friends. I find it very therapeutic.
Sunday, the 5th May is International Dawn Chorus Day
Anyway, the first Sunday of May is International Dawn Chorus Day. Would you believe that the event started out in the 1980s in Birmingham and now, people in over 80 countries take part!
It’s a worldwide celebration of the dawn chorus and people all over the world will be waking up in time to put the kettle on and just listen to our beautiful birds, whilst sipping a cup of tea, or perhaps they’ll just lie in bed and listen.
You can listen to the life outside chatting away, and singing a song, and ask yourself, What is it that makes birds so cheerful at this time of the morning?? And who am I listening to?
The Wildlife Trusts's website has help on identifying bird song (such as the blackbird and robin, the chiffchaff and the blue tit), and you can actually listen to a number of birds so that you know what to listen out for if you want to pick up the sound of a particular species.
All you have to do to take part is listen! Who might you hear? The song thrush, the blackbird, or robin or blackcap or chiffchaff? You could record some of the song on your phone and then play it back to see if you can recognise any of the sounds, using the Trust's website to help you. If you're listening outside, don't forget that it can still be chilly in May in the early mornings so a coat and a hot brew could be handy...
By the way, if you want to try your hand at birdwatching through binoculars to see who you can spot and what they're doing, the RSPB has a guide to buying binoculars which hopefully will help you if you're just starting out.
Also, did you know that there are some wonderful videos you can listen to on You Tube for bird song? I personally found this one very relaxing (I didn't listen to all of it because I nodded off, but it was very enjoyable to listen to and a nice change from the radio or TV).
