Day 4 of #30DaysWild already

The Safari has been out n about over the last couple of days and been fortunate to find some suitable subjects for the #30DaysWild project. A few days ago we passed one of the local schools which has been rebuilt in the last few years and at the front has a large flood water storage area which has been planted with wildflowers. It was looking good when we passed to we contacted the school and asked if we could bob down and take some photos and did the students use it as a resource. 

The following day we were at the school with our camera.

There are interpretive signs around the school concourse which includes a list of the species in the sowing mix. We didn't see all of them but Meadow Clary is a species we hardly ever see and have never photographed before.

Salad Burnet is a little more numerous in the local area but still a pretty rare plant round these parts.

The wildflowers are sown in drifts along raised mounds to great effect.

It really is a good spectacle in this suburban area.

We expect the colours will change over the summer as different plants come into flower so we hope to get back and document the changes and perhaps do some work with the students too.

There seems to be a flurry of activity around a couple of 'celebrity' 3-spined Sticklebacks this week and as our work's pond is full of them we went out and bought a small tank to show the public some in the flesh indoors. The tank comes supplied with a pump but it is a total mismatch and when we turned it on it nearly blew the water and the fish on to the floor. This pic was taken only a few minutes after we'd set it up, you struggle to see the fish but they are in there...honest!

If you're in the area please pop in and have a look at these little marvels - stars of stage screen and television - well television at least!

In the evening we took an enthusiastic gang of cubs out on the beach and they had a right old rummage round the rockpools for an hour. They found a good number of Common Prawns, some in berry, and a few Green Shore Crabs. Star of the evening where a large number of reasonably sized Blennies. We've rarely seen that many in one session before.

Look at the position of those eyes, just right for seeing anything approaching from above

Lovely colour they are too

This morning as we were taking Frank out we saw that the solitary bee had filled it's bamboo tube. Wonder if it has started a new one - it's been the best day of the year today so it should have been pretty active.

And finally the water cleared a fair bit in the tank so we tried a couple of close ups of the 3-spined Sticklebacks.

We're hoping one of them is a male and will start to colour up and make a nest. We'll try to imprve the pics too.

Lunchtime on Patch 2 there wasn't much happening until we came across a flock of active gulls and a couple of Gannets, Most were sat on the water while a few cruised round,. All of a sudden a commotion would break out as the flock rose and chased something unseen.  We saw a largish dark shape break the surface a couple of times but nothing conclusive enough to put a name to. This went on for about ten minutes before all went quiet and the gulls lost interest and drifted off. Nothing was seen to breach but we'd put a quid on it being a Bottle Nosed Dolphin.

Where to next? Day 5 tomorrow and our eyes will be peeled for a wild opportunity.
In the meantime let us know who's the wildest in your outback.