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  • About Us
  • Location
    • 10 Local Walks
    • 100 Wild Places
  • Projects
    • Species Lists
  • Gallery
    • Off The Patch
  • Events
  • Donate

Gallery

As well as documenting the sights and sounds of nature at A Patch Wilder, Charlie and Spade have built up a portfolio of nature photography from across the globe. See our other photos here.

I've seen a lot of confusion and misinformation ou I've seen a lot of confusion and misinformation out there on the internet, so for those who were wondering, here is how you can tell the difference  between a real grass snake and a fake adder:

- Real grass snakes will slither away politely as soon as they are disturbed, whereas fake adders will just sit there demanding you respect their venomous vibes.
- Real grass snakes are generally a greyish green with a yellow collar. Fake adders can come in all sorts of colours, some of them are rainbow and some of them even resemble real adders.
- Real grass snakes don't pose a threat to humans but fake adders can be used to club people over the head.
- Fast and accurate identification of a grass snake will always win you the praise and adulation of your peers whereas misidentification of a fake adder as a real adder can lead to hilarity.

Remember: fake adders are out there. Beware!

#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #fakeittilyousnakeit #nicetrynoodle
Dragonflies are out and about in big numbers now. Dragonflies are out and about in big numbers now. This is a broad-bodied chaser - the commonest species we see on the Patch. The detail on their wings is Incredible - like little stained-glass windows.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #dragonfly #broadbodiedchaser
Mr Biscuits ♥️ Since shedding his skin a few w Mr Biscuits ♥️
Since shedding his skin a few weeks ago, Mr Biscuits had been looking fabulous in his monochrome black and white zigzags. 
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #adder #snake #snakestagram #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
Made a friend whilst clearing out some kit round t Made a friend whilst clearing out some kit round the back of the barn this afternoon.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #frog
A freshly-emerged common blue butterfly this weeke A freshly-emerged common blue butterfly this weekend. You are unlikely to see anything else quite so outrageously blue in the meadows here. 
Their latin name, Polyommatus Icarus means "the many-eyed Icarus" and refers to the spots across the underside of its wings.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #commonblue #butterfly #butterflyconservation
Somerset - Land of the Summer People. Somerset on Somerset - Land of the Summer People. 
Somerset once comprised vast wetlands with little islands (now hills) emerging from fens and marsh. Much of the county was underwater through the winter months but Neolithic people built wooden tracks to reach the rich grazing pastures of the Levels and Moors in the dry summer months. 
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#apatchwilder #mendip.#mendiphills #somerset #landofthesummerpeople #sunset
Gorgeous sunset over a carpet of wild garlic up in Gorgeous sunset over a carpet of wild garlic up in the woods this evening.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #sunset #wildgarlic #ramsons
The sound of the summer. Happy Beltane! . . . #apa The sound of the summer.
Happy Beltane!
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #blackbird #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
And hot on the heels of yesterday's dingy skipper And hot on the heels of yesterday's dingy skipper come their partners in crime: the grizzled skipper and the day-flying burnet companion moth. These three species always seem to appear together (usually May) flying up and down the same areas of sparse limestone grassland. Again, this year they are earlier than we've ever seen them previously, but that is hardly surprising given the weather we've had.
Last spring was so cold and damp that worryingly, we didn't see a single grizzled skipper. This species is becoming increasingly rare and so it was a relief to see them back on the wing today!
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #burnetcompanionmoth #grizzledskipper #butterfly #butterflyconservation
The heat of the day brought out the first dingy sk The heat of the day brought out the first dingy skipper butterflies of the year here. This increasingly rare butterfly usually comes out in May (this is the earliest we have ever recorded it here) but with the run of good weather recently they were bound to take advantage!
Dingy skippers like bare ground and so Mendip with it's limestone grassland, rock and quarries is a stronghold.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #butterfly #dingyskipper #butterflyconservation
Swallows having a bit of a mid-air disagreement - Swallows having a bit of a mid-air disagreement - a barn swallow barnie
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #swallow #rspb_love_nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
Just enough time between getting home from work an Just enough time between getting home from work and putting the Patchlings to bed to nip up the field and enjoy the swallows zooming around in the evening sun. 

The last year has been pretty full on, and recently we've promised ourselves that we will spend more time just enjoying the place rather than trying to finish the job list!
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#apatchwilder #nature #rewilding #conservation #family
Spotted a special visitor to the farm this weekend Spotted a special visitor to the farm this weekend. This female blackcap was flitting around the treetops and I  snapped a photo. It wasn't until I got home that I spotted the ring on her leg. I couldn't read the number so can't be certain, but it is very likely that she is one of the birds we ringed here over the last few summers. That means she would have flown south to Spain/Portugal/North Africa for the winter and then returned to the exact same spot on the Patch for the summer!
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #blackcap #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
If you see a woodland bird creeping along a tree t If you see a woodland bird creeping along a tree trunk then there are two main suspects - if it is going up the tree then a treecreeper, if it is going down the tree then this guy - a  nuthatch. This is the only UK bird that routinely crawl down tree trunks.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
A trio of spring flowers adding a dash of amarant A trio of spring flowers adding a dash of  amaranthine magic to the dappled shade of the  woodland understory.
Bluebell, early purple orchid and cuckoo flower.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #bluebell #earlypurpleorchid #cuckooflower
Male orange-tip butterfly on a cuckoo flower. The Male orange-tip butterfly on a cuckoo flower. The distinctive orange tips (only present in males) and the delicate pink of its larval food plant make for an absolute classic, and one of the best spring sights around 🧡 🩷 
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #orangetip #cuckooflower #springhassprung #springtime
...And hot on the heels of the pied flycatcher a f ...And hot on the heels of the pied flycatcher a few weeks back, we have another new bird species recorded on the farm (the 72nd bird species)! This one was less of a surprise and a bit overdue but still very exciting to see. It is, I would say, the quintessential LBJ (little brown job). 
Can you guess what it is? Swipe for the answer.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife  #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
We were treated to a proper slice of Easter today We were treated to a proper slice of Easter today as we spotted these tiny little ducklings on one of the ponds. First time we have had ducklings here and on Easter morning as well! 🐥 🐥 🐥 
Mum must have done a very good job of hiding the next as we had no idea she was sitting on eggs.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #duckling #ducklingsofinstagram #easter #eastersunday #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
Forget the Easter Bunny — this year, the Green W Forget the Easter Bunny — this year, the Green Woodpecker stole the show! Hopping round the meadows this morning, this vibrant bird is more into ants than eggs (they can eat thousands a day with their super long tongue.
They are well known for their laughing call (also called a yaffle), but we hear them far more regularly than seeing them and rarely get a view this good - what an Easter treat!
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #rspb_love _nature #birdstagram #britishbirds  #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #bird_billiance #naturelovers #birdphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife #GreenWoodpecker #EasterVisitor #NatureIsWeird #UKBirds #PicusViridis #SpringWatch #WildlifeWithAttitude
Dramatic skies over Mendip today. I think the hill Dramatic skies over Mendip today. I think the hills look their very best lit in the warm evening light against a backdrop of angry bruised clouds.
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#apatchwilder #mendips #mendiphills #mendiphillsaonb #somerset #somersetwildlife #naturelovers #bbcwildlifepotd #bbcwildlife #ukpotd #natgeoyourshot #springwatch #ukwildlifephotography #thebritishwildlife
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