blog
Welcome to my blog.
I feel most importantly when we are out and about in our beautiful country side or visiting another country we should "Respect" our surroundings, firstly by respecting the laws of the land, country code and our fellow humans who travel the same paths and enjoy the same wild places as we do. All too often I come across poorly kept camp sites and terrible fire scars filled with cans and bottles and trash in our countryside, one we used on a Bearclaw bushcraft course as a lesson of how not to do it! It was then cleared by us and put back to how Mother Nature would have liked it. I feel this problem is borne from ignorance of the uneducated and the down right stupid individuals who go into our countryside without showing "Respect" or incorporating "Bushsense" into their actions. I'm afraid this is a common western world complaint, Our brethren from the desert plains or the deepest jungle would never contemplate such deep disregard for their environment, as it is their supermarket as well as their home, but that rant's for another day.Here's the link to the countryside access web site and links to the individual aspects of the countryside code for reference.
http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/content/view/full/75Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs
Leave gates and property as you find them
Protect plants and animals and take your litter home
Throughout my writings here I will explain my take on respect for the country side and the wildlife and nature that surrounds us. Our society is rapidly losing compassion and respect for nature's wonders..it's up to us outdoors folk to educate others and make our world a better place. I'll also be jotting down my walks, bimbles, meetings with friends new and old, anything that takes my fancy from the natural world as I go through my life that I think you may interested in!
Your Local patch.
Do you make the most of your local patch of green? May be a park, footpath or RSPB reserve? Im a mamber of the RSPB and the Essex Wildlife Trust which have many reserves and visitor centres and I also like to bimble about on my local foot paths through the country side, mooching, bird watching or just walking my tribe of Terriers. I am a frequent visitor to my local RSPB reserve, Rainham Marshes, where not only the flora and fauna is abundant but so are the incredibly interesting and knowledgeable voulenteers and wardens. By having a walk round and chatting to some of the folks there you learn what's about, where it is on the reserve and many exchanges of information can freely take place. Finding people that share your passion of nature in your area can sometimes be difficult, and if you find this is the case I suggest you check the link to Rainham Marshes and find your local reserve for a bimble! Oh don't forget your Bino's!
Here's a list of what I have seen at the Rainham site so far, I'll update it as and when.
Cetti's Warbler, Garganey, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Reed Warbler, White Throat, Redshank, Greenshank, Little Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Mallard, Ruddy Duck, Common Gull, Meadow Pippit, Sedge Warbler, Black swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Great White Egret, Cuckoo, Magpie, Linnet, Black Bird, Reed Bunting, Common Tern, Shell Duck, Oyster Catcher, Starling, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Hobby, Moorhen, Coot, Stonechat, Pochard, Gadwall, Swift, House martin, Black Cap, Marsh Frog, Water Vole, Common Lizard, Grass Snake, Stoat, Little Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew, King Fisher, Wryneck, Wheatear, Black tailed godwit, willow warbler
Keeping a good log and note book is a good idea when watching wild life. Information like place, time, date, weather, plant seen on etc is invaluable.