As we've had so much on, I'm going to cheat and use what I wrote last year, so here you go...
12 Days Wild is a winter wildlife challenge held by the home of the longer, summer challenge, 30 Days Wild, The Wildlife Trusts. As stated on their website, The Wildlife Trusts 'For more than a century, we have been saving wildlife and wild places, increasing people’s awareness and understanding of the natural world, and deepening people’s relationship with it.' If you are unaware of them and their work, I recommend visiting their website, https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/, which is home to a wealth of information surrounding nature, wildlife and how we can help it.
In my previous year's posts, I've prefaced this challenge with the caveat that I'm already living a rather wild life. A life that places the natural world in high regard and that includes some sort of action or thought for the wild world every single day. So really, this is more of a challenge for me. It gives me the opportunity and motivation to step outside of my usual daily wildness and take a break from my regular daily routine.
That being said, that wasn't possible this year, and I just had to try my best, so don't compare this year to the previous years!
See previous years below
12 Days Wild 2022/23
12 Days Wild 2023/24 // Part 1
12 Days Wild 2023/24 // Part 2
12 Days Wild 2024/25 // Part 1
12 Days Wild 2024/25 // Part 2
12 Days Wild 2025/26 // Part 1
31st December - Day 7
From sunrise to sunset - the final day of 2025.
1st January - Day 8
Our annual tradition of watching the first sunrise of the year at Marsden Bay.
I think this is actually only our 4th year doing this, and after Baker being so poorly recently, we took him with us in his buggy this year.
Our annual tradition of watching the first sunrise of the year at Marsden Bay.
I think this is actually only our 4th year doing this, and after Baker being so poorly recently, we took him with us in his buggy this year.
2nd January - Day 9
A week or so later than planned, I finally got some bulbs we had planted.
While doing so, Mr Blackbird stopped by for his breakfast.
I also photographed (the very almost) full moon for this month, as I just had a feeling that it wouldn't be visible tomorrow...
3rd January - Day 10
It snowed!!! I took SO many photos, but I'll share them all in a separate post.
The older I get, the more I appreciate snow, and I love to take the opportunity to stand in it with my bare feet, touch it with my hands and let the flakes float down to gently land on my cheeks.
4th January - Day 11
The day of ice! (The good kind)
When I went out to sort the bird baths, I found a really cool, but weird sight where the pigeons' little footprints had frozen under the surface.
I also prepared a slight craft experiment to leave in the garden overnight and unveil in the morning.
5th January - Day 12
It worked! I hung my icehanging in the Elder and then moved it to the Hawthorn so that the afternoon sun could light it up.
As I do every other 364 days of the year, I enjoyed seeing all the birds stopping by for food and fresh water. A fitting end to a slow, mainly home-based 12 Days Wild.
As I do every other 364 days of the year, I enjoyed seeing all the birds stopping by for food and fresh water. A fitting end to a slow, mainly home-based 12 Days Wild.
