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Wild Thanet

Celebrating the fantastic of wildlife of the island we call home. All photo’s by Tom Griffiths. | Sister page: Totally Thanet

11/10/2024

LATE SUNSHINE AT STODMARSH:
Picnic and long walk, going the whole length of the reserve. The colours are changing, and the muted energy of the place is breathtaking. The Kingfisher was out and posing for the camera, but the extra blast of sunshine seemed to bring ALL the birds out to display their new, glossy winter coats. 😊

30/09/2024

THE FEASTING BLUETIT:
I always think that bluetits are like the naughty, scruffy little schoolboys of the titmouse family. This little fella was gorging himself on the last of the blackberries, and with red juice staining his beak he was having a wonderful feast!

25/09/2024

BANE OR BEAUTY?
In our days of allotmenteering, the Cabbage White Butterfly was the bane of our life; and we watched in horror as the caterpillars munched through our brassicas with great abandon.

Seeing them in the wild however is a wonder! With only two weeks or so to live and do all that needs doing, they rarely stay still for long. The late warmth means that there are still a few around, such as this one caught at Stodmarsh the other day.

Next time your young child refuses to eat their greens, take comfort in the thought that the young Cabbage White caterpillars are munching their way through acres of brassica’s with never a complaint… ☺️

23/09/2024

BITTER BEAUTY AND SLOE GIN…
The Blackthorn is always the first to flower before the similarly flowered Hawthorn, but by the time the autumn is upon us they are unmistakable, with the Hawthorn producing a beautiful red berry and the blackthorn a gorgeous blue/black ball of bitterness.

The hawthorn berries are highly nutritious and can be eaten i@mediately but the blackthorn fruit is bitter and should be left until after first-frost when you can add it to gin to make Sloe-Gin.

Try both the berries when you’re out and tell me what you think of them! 😊

21/09/2024

LAST HURRAH OF SUMMER!
Everyone is out tonight to see the last big sunset of the season. The air is warm, the music is playing and all across the bay eyes are raised to see the incredible spectacle that is a Margate Sunset!

20/09/2024

RESTING TURNSTONES:
Turnstones are, perhaps, my favourite of all our shoreline birds. The colours are gorgeous, and even more so when they fly. But most of the time we see them frantically dashing along the line of the shore, like so many commuters running to catch a bus. Out they go to lay hold of the culinary treats the latest wave has deposited, then back again to avoid the next incoming wave.

If you see them while you’re out, especially at high tide or in the winter, do try not to disturb them (especially if you have dogs) because they are resting, gathering their strength for the next ebbing of the tide.

18/09/2024

NOT JUST ANOTHER SQUIRREL:
You can never have too many squirrel photo’s, right?

Perhaps it’s their innate friendliness and inquisitive nature that endears them to us, and in my mind they are always in the same category as the Robin; happy to be companionable to Big People who take the time to slow down and not just clumsily stampede through their territory.

Whatever the reason, a squirrel always gets my lens-time. I hope this one lives a long and happy life and his nuts always turn up just where he left them… 🐿️

14/09/2024

SUNSET TRIP TO RECULVER TOWERS:
The North-Western boundary of Thanet is a stark, liminal place. It has seen much of its land mass swallowed up be the sea and much of it’s estuary reclaimed by the land. Roman legions have camped here, spiritual pilgrims have travelled here and the plants that love salt and spray thrive here. It is a place of beauty and a place that grounds the soul…

13/09/2024

THE DAPPER MIGRANT:
The Migrant Hawker is one of the smalller dragonflies but has the most incredible colouring and pattern.

We spent a happy hour or so yesterday at Stodmarsh, trying to catch Cabbage Whites and various dragonflies in flight, to rather limited success. And then this. Posing for the longest time, as still as a tiny statue, dazzling us with his dapper blue-striped tailcoat and waiting patiently for the clumsy Big People to get close enough and dial the focus fine enough to adequately capture him in all his glory.

I do hope that Mrs Hawker was as equally impressed as we were…

10/09/2024

NOT JUST ANOTHER GERANIUM:
Herb Robert is one of those unassuming little plants that so often gets overlooked. Whether he was named after a certain mischievous goblin in Shakespeare’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ or after a monk of the same name who cured the sick using the plant, the last displays can still be seen in our little island with its rather warm weather patterns.

So here’s a challenge in September. Just how late will be YOUR last sighting of this delightful flower? Let me know when you see them in the comments as the days go by…🌻

07/09/2024

BUTTERFLY SEASON!
Butterfly season has definitely arrived - keep your eyes open and you’ll see them everywhere - stay still and hold out your hand and some inquisitive fellow is likely to land on it… 🦋

06/09/2024

PRESENT WITH NATURE:
When we are present with nature, nature welcomes us back home. When we gaze at stillness, stillness enters into us. When we listen deeply we hear the song celestial…

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