Capturing Moments…

Geese and Babies at Aldenham Country Park, May 2024

Today marks the opening of the RSPB Calendar Competition 2026.

The RSPB - a charity for the conservation of birds and nature - “wants to inspire people to protect our wildlife and wild places” and this competition is dedicated to “Capturing the magic of wildlife and wild places”.

I have decided to enter…

All photographs I am submitting were taken in the past year, have no filters and represent - for me and my young family - moments where we've been struck by the beauty of the Wild in Britain.

Each image, I think, also tells an interesting story about Wildlife Protection in the UK and four important themes relating:

1. Increasing Biodiversity while Maintaining Sustainable Agricultural Practices
2. Wildlife Education for Young People & Community
3. The Right to Roam
4. Ecotourism: Exploring Nature Responsibly & Inclusively

Dawn in a Privately Owned Estate, July 2024

As a result of one of our children being born with severe food allergies, we have chosen not to travel abroad for six years. A happy bi-product of this has been that I have become increasingly fascinated with UK travel, Glamping, Ecotourism and our Carbon Footprint in general. In turn, our interest in Wildlife preservation as a family has blossomed.

The photos I’ve chosen represent the responsibility that we, as citizens, private landowners and a nationwide community, have. We need to think more about, do more to protect, and then can enjoy more of the incredible land, flora and fauna around us.

Increasing Biodiversity while Maintaining Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Elmley Nature Reserve plays a crucial role in wildlife preservation through its extensive conservation efforts. Spanning 3,300 acres, it focuses on restoring biodiversity, particularly for breeding waders like lapwings and redshanks. As the only family-owned National Nature Reserve in the UK, Elmley combines agricultural practices with ecological stewardship, promoting sustainable land use. The reserve engages the community through volunteer opportunities and educational programs, fostering a connection to nature. Additionally, all entrance fees support ongoing conservation initiatives, ensuring that Elmley remains a sanctuary for diverse wildlife while providing visitors with unforgettable experiences in a stunning natural landscape.

A Welcoming Robin, Elmley Nature Reserve, March 2024

This Robin is hardly the most exciting of birds that visits the reserve. However, it greeted us as soon as we had arrived and represented how happy the wildlife must be. Equally happy was a pheasant whose company we enjoyed throughout our stay. “Often regarded as the unofficial national bird”, I felt that - being so emblematic of Britain - the humble Robin deserves to be entered.

Wildlife Education for Young People & Community

Aldenham Country Park is actively engaged in wildlife preservation through its diverse educational programs and conservation efforts. Covering 100 acres, the park provides a habitat for various species while promoting sustainability. It offers school visits where students learn about local wildlife and farming practices, fostering a connection to nature. The park emphasises conservation by maintaining wildlife areas and encouraging community involvement through activities like litter-picking and recycling. These initiatives contribute significantly to the preservation of the local ecosystem and wildlife education.

This picture (this blog post’s feature image) is of my son befriending the geese. There were hundreds of their babies behind me, as I took this picture.

The Right to Roam

The Turvey House Estate in Bedfordshire is a great example of private landowners opening up their estates. My photograph is of a cobwebbed thistle that was growing next to a stretch of the Great Ouse river that, until recently, was not accessible to the public.

The protective thistle that was nevertheless enjoyed and embroidered by a keen spider, with the sun just beginning to shine in the solitary magic of dawn time, seemed to sum up the relationship between private and public, and how the two can better work together moving forward.

Only a tiny percentage of rivers are accessible in this country. Landowners are needing to diversify their income as a result of the state of affairs for the Farming industry. These and many other custodians of the countryside are creatively renting out land and turning to Rewilding to repurpose previously arable and, in some cases, dangerously over-farmed land.

The river Great Ouse provides a diverse habitat for much flora and fauna. And the historic Turvey House park and garden, dating back to the late 18th century, has undergone careful expansion and alterations over time, maintaining its ecological value. The current custodians, Charlie and Grace Hanbury, are committed to preserving and evolving the grounds in the 21st century, ensuring the continuation of this important wildlife haven. Additionally, the estate hosts events like Wild Canvas, “a pop-up camping experience”, which promotes appreciation for the surrounding environment and encourages sustainable interaction with nature.

My family were at Wild Canvas when this was taken - I had woken very early and had crept out of our family tent to get some peace and quiet before the day's activities began!

Ecotourism: Exploring Nature Responsibly & Inclusively

My final photograph captured for me that wildlife can be enjoyed - and should be protected - right up to the very edges of our land. And that one need not go far to “see the world”.

The chalk grassland habitat of the White Cliffs of Dover supports rare species like the Adonis blue and chalkhill blue butterflies, as well as the yellow clouded butterfly during migration. Other notable insects include the day-flying straw belle moth, wasp spider, and endangered hornet-robberfly. The cliffs provide nesting sites for various bird species, including the only breeding pair of ravens in Kent, peregrine falcons, kittiwakes, fulmars, skylarks, and whitethroats. Rare coastal plants and orchids also thrive in this unique ecosystem. Conservation efforts focus on restoring and maintaining the chalk grassland, which is crucial for preserving this delicate balance of flora and fauna and it’s important that the area's hundreds of thousands of annual visitors are reminded to take care.

We were staying on breathtaking St. Margaret’s Bay, where the few houses were once owned by seminal British playwright, director and composer Noel Coward and creator of James Bond and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Ian Fleming. And I was reading Channel Shore by Tom Fort at the time. This made me aware of how privileged people have been throughout history in terms of getting access to - and even owning - beautiful bits of Britain.

We are at a point in history where Inclusivity and Diversity are key if we are to make sure that ALL citizens feel a sense of being welcome in, belonging, ownership, pride and responsibility when it comes to Wildlife preservation and Climate Change.