Do we have a Wildlife/Nature/Conservation topic?

[kinkytoes]

If so, where is it please?

If not, could we have one please?

I stopped putting food down because I read somewhere that it then encourages birds to pick caterpillars and grubs off your plants (I grow a few veg).

Yikes - hadn't actually looked at the Great Outdoors before, it really is rather quiet, and ripe for a hijacking! At least Gardening has a few post most days at this time of year.

I'd love a place to post and focus on wildlife. To share observations and ideas. And all the obvious links with getting out and about and wellbeing. Bring it on!

Yes please to a nature/wildlife board!

I might actually find someone who shares my love of rats

Rats are great! I do have to try keep them out of the chicken feed though 🤣 (but I do that with a treadle feeder so nothing to hurt them)

@CatOnAHotRadiator they're fascinating little creatures, so clever!

Not keen on rats. But very happy to discuss any wildlife on hopefully our new nature/wildlife board.

Actually my username is white mouse in French so I guess that’s quite apt🐭. I don’t mind little mice, the house we’ve just bought is 200 years old so I expect to come across a few…

Not nature specifically but the natural world in general...

There's been a massive coronal mass ejection from the sun, so there is a good chance for some to see the aurora borealis tonight.

I've started the blackbird research. I didn't realise all the 5 minute segments should be right after one another so I did 5 minutes x 3 throughout the day. Was using the offline form so didn't realise until I added it online.

Lesson learnt!

Do we think I need to start a new thread to get more feedback from MN?

I don't know how long these things take, but it would be nice to know either way if they're going to take our request on board?

I would ask @HebeMumsnet if we could have an update. Maybe renaming the great outdoors, or having a Nature topic within that?

@Yamadori Shame that the solar wind stayed North for most of last night. Tbh, with the almost permanent twilight / lack of proper darkness at this time of year, it is a big ask. They've had some great displays in NZ and North America though!

We have much excitement chez radiator as our new neighbours have lent us 2 more trail cameras so we can double our footage. Just need to find extra Sd cards. They’re about somewhere…

Have just noticed Skiing and Snowboarding has its own topic. Sorry but I think that's far more appropriate to come under The Great Outdoors than wildlife and nature. And far more niche too.

This subject has huge capacity for multiple threads, as has been demonstrated by the many ideas on this thread.

Must admit I'm slightly frustrated by the radio silence from MNHQ.

Yeah agree - @HebeMumsnet any thoughts on a way forward? We're not exactly asking for much - in fact, we're offering to revitalise an underused topic!

I don’t agree that fits particularly well with ‘the great outdoors’ as I’ve always understood it whereas various nature-watching threads have been in there over the years. (I see it’s listed in the Travel category, seems from a quick skim to be main recommendations for resorts etc).
I suppose there’s so much overlap in practice (for me at any rate) between observing nature and ‘going for a walk’ that it’s always seemed entirely congruent to discuss interesting birds and goretex coats in the same place. And ‘nature’ is so obviously why the outdoors is so great!

To me, I would assume the 'Great Outdoors' topic is for people who like hiking, walking, mountain biking, rambling, climbing, camping etc, and not so much for those interested in funny-shaped clouds, or caterpillar id, or mutterings about HS2, or asking what sort of bird seed bullfinches like.

Hi @kinkytoes , I have reported this post so that hopefully it gets the attention ( again) of mnhq

Ah thank you @ScottBakula ☺️

I've just noticed yoga has its own topic too. I'm noticing more and more niche topics which probably get far less traffic than this one would.

Gosh. I'm now 99% sure that this thread is no longer appearing in active convos.

😟

Oh must be a glitch. It's there now. Phew!

There’s been a couple of things I’ve thought about posting about in the last few days… my fox family and its troubles, the reappearance of hedgehogs after a lengthy absence (spotted on camera) but to have a discussion I need a new thread… and a board to put them on. Come on @mnhq
Pleeeease.

I would like a nature board!

I'd like this too.

Yes @mnhq , I'd love a nature board where I can talk about my bird feeders, what's occurring in my new garden wildlife pond, the citizen science surveying pollinators project that I take part in and where I can come to for a bit of help identifying wild flowers.