July is the first full month of summer, and there are plenty of beautiful sights, sounds and colours on display as nature puts on a show for us. As the school holidays also get underway, there are lots of family-friendly events taking place where the whole family can get closer to nature! Learn all about some of the exciting events we have coming up, and the wildlife spectacles to keep an eye out for, this month.
Have you heard the familiar screams of swifts this summer as they wheel overhead? This beloved species is sadly facing many challenges, with numbers having declined by around 60% since the 1990s.
27th June - 5th July is this year's Swift Awareness Week, designed to raise awareness about this precious but endangered species and the efforts we can all make to help them.
Learn all about these fascinating birds below, and discover some easy steps you can take at home to support them on their annual summer visits to the UK.
Swift leaving its nest box by Peter Smith
Looking for a way to entertain your little ones during the summer holidays? Come to The Hive for a wild adventure, and allow them to connect with nature in our hands-on outdoor play area including a mud kitchen, water play area, music station, sensory garden and much more. The Hive is situated in Moss Bank Park, Bolton. Single day passes and season passes (valid until 31st October) can be purchased below.
Join us for a guided walk at Mere Sands Wood on Wednesday 22 July where we'll be focused on spotting a variety of butterflies as we explore the reserve and its various habitats.
Or come along to our Lovely Lepidoptera morning at Lunt Meadows on Friday 24 July, where we will be spotting both moths and butterflies, learning all about the species we spot as we go!
Meadow brown butterfly at Brockholes (c) Alison Wellby
July is a wonderful month for spotting beautiful wildflowers in full bloom. Take a look at our blog below to learn about twelve wildflower species you may be able to spot in our region this summer. Our regular wildflower guided walks at Brockholes and along the Fylde Coast are also a great way to learn more about our region's flora, their history and folklore!
Wildflower meadow by James Adler
July's theme for our monthly photo competition is wildlife close-ups. This is your chance to zoom in on nature's details. Whether it's the pattern of a bird's feathers, the vibrant colours of a butterfly's wings, the fluffy texture of a bee's body or even a singular flower growing within a wildflower meadow, we'd love to see how you interpret this month's theme! Entries close 16th July.
Nick Upton/2020VISION
National Marine Weeks take place this year from 25th July to 9th August, and we have a packed calendar of marine events taking place along our coast all month long!
Take part in a microplastics survey at Rossall Point on Tuesday 7th July, help out with some litter picking at Fleetwood on Saturday 25th July, go mud dipping in St Annes on Tuesday 28th July, or go on a coastal minibeast adventure on Wednesday 29th July.
Summer nights are the perfect opportunity to learn more about the world of moths - in fact, 18th-26th July is National Moth Week! Moth trapping is a great way to get up close with these nocturnal creatures and learn which species live on your doorstep. Despite the name, moth trapping doesn't actually involve trapping them at all; it's simply about taking steps to attract them to your garden using a light source or food source.
Moth trapping by Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Our gardens are so important for wildlife - with over 20 million gardens in the UK, if we all work together to make just a few wildlife-friendly changes, we can create a patchwork of millions of mini habitats!
Sign up for our free My Wild Garden guide for daily bite-sized emails sent over the course of a week, full of simple ideas to help you make your garden, yard or balcony more welcoming for wildlife.
Gillian Lloyd
Dragonfly Week is taking place from 4th-12th July this year, with the sunnier, warmer summer months being the perfect time to spot dragonflies as they hunt for prey.
Dragonflies and damselflies can be seen all over our region, including our wetlands, moorlands and woodlands. Take a look at our dragonfly identification guide to get you inspired - then see which species you can spot on your next visit! Our butterfly and dragonfly guided walk at Brockholes on Wednesday 22nd July is the perfect chance to spot some of the species you've been learning about.
Introduction to butterflies & dragonflies, Wednesday 22 July
Louise Bolton
Are you planning your big day? Join us at Brockholes for our Wedding Showcase where our floating visitor village will be set up for a wedding, showcasing some wonderful local suppliers.
Our events team will be available to answer any questions you may have about hosting your wedding on our reserve. Come along and bring your wedding group with you to see the room set up, talk with the Lancashire Registrars, a photographer, venue decorator, DJ & cake baker!
Christa & Aaron by Project Valentine - Wedding Photography
Learn more about our nature reserves, our upcoming events calendar and the wildlife you can spot at this time of year...
Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
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