🦡It’s #WorldWildlifeDay Spring has almost sprung! The first blossoms are out and the chiff chaffs are chirping. Tell us about your own wildlife sightings in the comments 🔎👀

Wow… check out the number of birds recorded on our wildlife cam at Ullenwood! 🐦🦅🦜🐤 🎥 Mike Bailey

Waking up to 2026... what species might you see coming out of hibernation in February? Photo Credits - common toad 📷Tom Marshall, common frog 📷 Martin Mere, smooth newt 📷 Shirley Freeman, white-tailed bumblebee 📷 Tom Marshall

Check out this dung beetle diagram by Dilly Williams. Conservation grazing helps wildlife by providing dung, which dung beetles use for food and breeding. These beetles are also eaten by tawny owls and bats, especially as moth numbers drop.

When deadwood is not just dead wood 🪵 The Dead Wood Society emphasizes the importance of dead and decaying wood for wildlife, supporting countless invertebrates and fungi. Read the blog: https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/will-masefield/when-deadwood-not-just-dead-wood

🌳🍎 Pruning an apple tree in one of our traditional orchards. The aim is to open up this young tree and reduce crowding by removing crossing, rubbing, and diseased branches. This boosts fruit quality and yield, and helps extend the tree’s life so it can reach veteran status, 50 plus years.

Our volunteer Paul spotted a Slavonian Grebe at Coombe Hill last month - possibly the first recorded sighting here, according to the Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records. The bird was seen diving for around 30 minutes before flying toward the scrapes. © Paul Clark

According to this robin... singles day is IN. Head out for a walk, listen to the birds, or connect with nature in your own way!

Ladybirds are red Kingfishers are blue We have some Valentine's memes just for you

A supporter in Forest of Dean kindly shared his garden cam footage that captured pine martens 🦝. Have you got interesting cam footage? 📹 Share it via [email protected] with your name and the location. 🎥 Govinda Bork

Me at a party trying to find someone I know 👀🦦

In late winter and early spring, many birds of prey begin to display. On bright, dry mornings they take to the air and circle, dive or in some cases even lock talons with their mate, strengthening pair bonds and defending their territory. Have you seen any displaying birds of prey?

It’s World Wetlands Day! Wetlands support rich wildlife, including dragonflies and migratory birds. Our nature reserves like Coombe Hill Canal and Ashleworth also act as floodplains, reducing flooding and storing sediment and carbon, even when submerged in winter. #WorldWetlandsDay

Wait for the cutest hop-over the stream ❤️ at the end. A lovely visitor 🦊 at one of the nature reserves. 🎥 Fiona Wistow

Did you know about hazel tree flowers? Here’s an exciting sign of spring: check out this close-up of a hazel tree! The tiny red “tentacles” sticking out of the buds are the female flowers, while the catkins we all know are the male flowers. Next time you pass a hazel tree, see if you can spot them!

Don’t let the nature crisis become a catastrophe Andrew McLaughlin, GWT CEO, on why failing environmental targets and weakened protections threaten the future of nature in the UK. www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/glouces...

UK roads kill an estimated 20 tonnes of toads each year, blocking migration to breeding ponds. During Feb–Apr, Toad Patrol volunteers escort amphibians at crossings across the UK, including in Gloucestershire with GlosToR. In 2025: 11,911 toads, 545 frogs and 466 newts saved.

Lower Woods! 🐄💚 Thanks to our partnership with Grundon, local farmers, and dedicated volunteers, conservation grazing is helping this ancient woodland flourish. Watch the video to find out how cattle are boosting biodiversity and supporting woodland wildlife. youtu.be/proVdBBPAuo

✍️ New Blog! - "Hopes for a more promising year for wildlife in 2026" Andrew McLaughlin, GWT CEO, expresses concern over worsening prospects for wildlife at the end of 2025 but remains optimistic for the future. Read here: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/glouces...

Productive landscapes that contain plenty of trees can also reap rewards for wildlife. See how one farmer is transforming her land, working with #SevernTreescapes. Severn Treescapes is a National Lottery Heritage Fund funded partnership with @worcswt.bsky.social and @herefordshirewt.bsky.social

Did you know about Severn Bore? It's an amazing local phenomenon. The funnel shape of the Severn Estuary and high tides combine to produce a wave that surges up the Severn, travelling as far as Tewkesbury.

🐾 Congrats to Mum! During a dormouse survey, volunteer Caroline spotted a male in one box & five babies in another. Installed in 2020, our boxes are finally being used in this ancient SSSI woodland. Thanks to Caroline, our licensed surveyor for sharing this beautiful picture! 🌿

Barry Jackson, a long-standing supporter, talks about why he has left a gift in his will to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Please watch our short video. Find out more via the link in the comments.

If you go down to the woods today...you might spot our stunning pine marten statue 🐾. This fantastic piece of art is a celebration of our successful pine marten reintroduction in the Forest of Dean. It can be found in the Forest of Dean, along a walking trail near Coleford. Have you seen it yet?

Join our #SevernTreescapes colleagues for a Pie & Pint evening in Ledbury on 4 Nov for farmers, landowners & managers who care about the health of the River Leadon, its tributaries & the wildlife it supports www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pie-pint-r... @gloswildlife.bsky.social @herefordshirewt.bsky.social

Climate change is the now the single biggest threat to nature and natural landscapes in the UK. With yesterday's policy announcement that the Conservatives would scrap the world-leading Climate Change Act, it is inevitable that we look at such an extreme position with significant concern. (1/3)

Take a rare glimpse into the secret life of the nightjar! 🐦 From nesting to nurturing, this wildcam footage captures a whole month inside the nest of one of Britain’s most mysterious birds. Thanks to Steven Thorogood for creating this amazing video. 🎥 youtu.be/ZxvAJt5y2UI

🐑 It can be tricky getting things out the gate when your colleagues are animals… 😂 Thanks to our Land Manager West, Kevin Caster for sharing this video.

It’s #RememberACharityWeek, a UK awareness week that celebrates the incredible impact that gifts in wills have for charities like ours, helping protect wildlife for generations to come. How would you like to be remembered? Find out more: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/gifts-in-wills

We’re recruiting two Wild Trainees in our Engagement and Communications team. Part of our Wild Trainees Programme, these roles give young people the chance to build skills in practical conservation, communications, evidence, and community engagement. 👉 gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/jobs

Grove Sykes, Our Lead Land Manager East, delivered a special talk on butterflies. 🦋 🎥 Watch to learn more about their role in nature, the challenges they face, and how we can all help protect them. 💚 youtu.be/XjhL3uFrN14

We’re excited to announce Knapp Lane Meadows, our new nature reserve in the Stroud Valleys! Thanks to 700+ local donations, a legacy gift, and support from the Ecological Restoration Fund via @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social, Watch our short video - thank you all! youtu.be/iXO_UVEzsT4

Cameron Thomas MP, Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury, visited Robinswood Hill lastweek alongside our Waterscapes project partner, RSA, to see our work and discuss our flood resilience efforts and plans in Stroud and Tewkesbury. #FloodResilience #RSAinsurace #GlosWildldife

It’s not just pollution incidents - Water Guardians are interested in all aspects of water health. Back in May, the Water Guardian Project Officer and three volunteers took part in a spot of Himalayan balsam pulling. Find out more: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/wildlife-exp...

Last week, we welcomed our Chair, Kathryn Monk to two of our Forest of Dean reserves: Woorgreens and Edgehills. She was joined by CEO @andymcwild.bsky.social and guided by our brilliant Land Management West team, Harry Smith and Kevin Caster. (1/5)

A Chalkhill Blue... Or July's sky, with delicate black edging.. From Crickley Hill, cared for by @gloswildlife.bsky.social !

We've built The Den - a new outdoor classroom at Crickley Hill - thanks to Ecctis' generous support! This immersive space will host children exploring nature and wildlife in one of the region’s most biodiverse sites. youtu.be/RZWtI6XEuhY #crickleyhill

Adders at Our Nature Reserves 🐍 During a recent reptile survey on one of our heathland restoration sites, the Land Management Team spotted a female Adder along with two others. These surveys help us understand how reptiles - especially Adders are using the reserve. (1/3)

We loved having so many amazing volunteers at this year’s Volunteer Conference! We shared updates on the Beaver Feasibility Study 🦫, Do One Thing, and Surveying. Plus, we toured an award-winning, wildlife-friendly farm. Huge thanks to our volunteers! 💚

In 2024, the Youth Rangers began looking after small areas of Robinswood Hill in Gloucester. This started with removing invasive species, such as dock, nettle, and bramble. Then came the hay cut - raking off the arisings and reseeding with seed collected from another meadow at Robinswood Hill.(1/2)

🦋 Discover the Magic of Daneway Banks: Large Blue Butterflies, Wildflowers and Limestone Grassland. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our Land Management Team and the @royentsoc.bsky.social, this rare butterfly has been successfully reintroduced. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuVs...

Chalk streams are rare freshwater habitats - 85% are in southern England. Their clear, mineral-rich water supports trout, voles, kingfishers & more. But pollution & over-abstraction threaten them. Sign this petition to show your support: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71... #chalkstreams

We’ve had the privilege of being part of Cotswold Canals Connected, which united the efforts of Stroud Valleys Project and the Cotswold Canals Trust. We’ve supported work that not only restores historic waterways but also enhances biodiversity, community wellbeing and local heritage.

🌿🐞 BUG HOTEL 🐝🌼 We're thrilled to share this wonderful community project from Cheltenham! 📍 Tucked away in The Orchard—an open space off Billings Way, Merestones Drive—this beautiful Bug Hotel was built with the help of younger residents and their families. 📸 Nigel Curry

🌍 Today is #WorldEnvironmentDay — a powerful reminder to celebrate and protect the natural world we all depend on. But the UK Government is breaking its promises to safeguard wildlife and wild places. 👉 Learn more & take action: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/planning-and...

🚨 Broken Promises on Nature Nature is under threat from the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Our CEO @andymcwild.bsky.social has written to Gloucestershire’s MPs — now we need your voice too. Use our action form to email your MP today: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/broken-...

The UK Government promised voters they would protect nature and build new towns “with nature at the heart”. But now they’re breaking those promises with new planning system changes. Stand up for wildlife today. 👇 www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/planning-and... #PlanningBill #wilderfuture

Planting trees 🌳 in Oxenhall, Gloucestershire, as part of the Severn Treescapes project! 🌱 The Severn Treescapes Project supports farmers and landowners by providing funding advice and assistance for planting or encouraging natural colonisation of trees. youtu.be/HbTXhD2FEBM

Our partners, the Royal Entomological Society, are taking part in the Big Give Green Match from 22 - 29 April. We co-own our Daneway banks site with them, and we'd love it if you could support their work for the Large Blue Butterfly. Find out more here: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

"Future Fit Homes" – FREE Lunchtime Talk at Robinswood Hill, tomorrow at 12:30pm. The future is uncertain, but we can shape it in wildlife-friendly ways. Join Elizabeth Hall to explore how ecology begins at home—and simple steps to future-proof your living space. Find out more: ow.ly/5P6X50VzYLx