wildlife moment of the month

My new goal for paddling in puddles is to blog regularly about my favourite wildlife moments! This week for the first time ever, I caught a gimpse of a pygmy shrew! The pygmy shew Sorex minutus is a small mammal that weighs between just 2.4 - 6.1g, these tiny mammals must eat 125% of their body weight daily! Therefore consuming regular meals of woodlice, insects and arachnids. They are widespread across Britain and Ireland and are found in grassland, heath land and in hedgerows. These little mammals are active throughout night and day.
It was a real treat to see a pygmy shrew, and as with many species across the globe, they are in decline; although exact figures are unknown. They do not currently hold any special protection.
For more information about the pygmy shrew provided by The Mammal Society, please click here.

Here are a couple of my photos from my sighting of the tiny pygmy shrew.

See you soon! 

Lauren

creating a wildlife-friendly garden patch

It's May and I have been busy finishing my final weeks of university. As a lovely distraction, I have created a small wildlife friendly garden patch in my garden. Here is how I made it and a few tips on getting started on your own!! 

Firstly I filled up a raised bed with peat free compost from my local garden centre. 

I then selected the species that I wanted to grow in my patch! I did this by doing a little research into the plants and flowers that are favoured my bees, butterflies and other insects. I decided on... 

Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) 

May Night (Salvia)

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)

Scabious (Scabiousa columbaria) 

I also got a simple wildflower seed mix from my local garden centre. 

I then starting planting! 

Firstly I planted my sweet peas at the back of my raised bed. 

I then intertwined four wooden poles to wrap my sweet peas around so that they can grip on tight and grow up the poles. 

I created four of these intertwined poles for my sweet peas as shown below. 

I then planted all of my plants along the middle stretch of my raised bed and sprinkled my wildflower mix at the front. Here is the result...

I have been watering daily and here is the result one month later...

It's blooming away in the sunshine! 

I have loved making mine and the insects are loving it! 

6 things that will make you love nature

Now that it's 2014, I am convinced it's the year to start loving nature! Here are 6 tips to inspire the nature lover in you! 

 

1. Borrow or make a plankton net, go plankton hunting, then look at it under a microscope! I promise it will blow your mind! 

 2. Investigate your local nature reserve and go for an explore! 

3. Go rock pooling and take a species guide! You'll be amazed at what you can find at your nearest rocky shore.

4. Leave some bird food perched on a surface in your garden and see what appears to have a nibble.

5. Pull on your Wellington boots and go to visit the muddiest place you can find! Mud makes everything better. 

6. Put your coat on and get outside now! They're no such thing as bad weather, only innappropriate clothing! 

Lauren