Exploring nature through the Kestrel Award

admin
, 15 May 2023
Exploring nature through the Kestrel Award
William by his pond

Guest blog by William

I love nature.

I love how many amazing, incredible creatures are out there if you just look carefully.

I love being surprised by what I find, like a Frog under a rock, the newts hiding in our pond, an armoured Woodlouse curled up into a cannon ball, Shield Bug on a leaf, black-and-red Froghopper bugs catapulting through the air, or cuddly voles zigzagging through the wood piles.

I love how well so many beautiful creatures camouflage themselves with their surroundings, like the Elephant Hawk-moth in honeysuckle.

I enjoyed doing the Kestrel Award because I tried out some new nature tasks that I wouldn’t otherwise have done, like investigating how the type, size and number of creatures in our pond changed over many weeks. I also just enjoyed doing it because nature is awesome!

I made a short video of my Kestrel Award – I hope you like it!

Find out more about Sussex Wildlife Trust Wildlife Awards

Leave a comment

Comments

  • Jackie Boyd-White:

    Congratulations William you did an amazing job, fascinating to see all the little creatures that are part of our ecosystem, well done, very proud of you. Keep going.

    17 May 2023 20:55:00

  • Anon:

    Inspirational!

    19 May 2023 14:04:00

  • Diana:

    Absolutely marvellous! You did a wonderful job. Your patience and perseverance paid off. You have captured so many amazing creatures on camera. Well done William!

    20 May 2023 07:24:00

  • Gerhardt Will:

    William,
    Your pond and the amazing life in and around it have really inspired me to try to make one myself! I’m not sure it’ll be nearly as nice as the one in the incredible film I watched about your’s though! Well done!!!

    20 May 2023 08:23:00

  • Claire Kohler:

    You have just sent me on the most interesting and exciting journey I have had for a long time. To marvel at the beauty of the creatures and insects playing hide-and-seek in your very own pond, was very special. Hats off to you, William, and continue to follow your dreams!

    20 May 2023 12:08:00

  • Diana:

    Absolutely marvellous! You did a wonderful job. Your patience and perseverance paid off. You have captured so many amazing creatures on camera. Well done William!

    20 May 2023 12:33:00

  • Doddy:

    Wowzer! It’s a wonderful world William! Isn’t
    Wowzer! What a wonderful world William! Isn’t Mother Nature marvellous? It’s fantastic to see you making a home for so many different species (always good to get on with the neighbours 😁) Loving your blog and video.
    (Just don’t fall out of that tree, OK?!)
    Keep inspiring us William, you’re a ⭐️!

    20 May 2023 14:09:00

  • Gerhardt Will:

    William,
    Your pond and the amazing life in and around it have really inspired me to try to make one myself! I’m not sure it’ll be nearly as nice as the one in the incredible film I watched about your’s though! Well done!!!

    21 May 2023 14:38:00

  • Diana:

    Absolutely marvellous! You did a wonderful job. Your patience and perseverance paid off. You have captured so many amazing creatures on camera. Well done William!

    10 Jun 2023 11:39:00

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1782904597.95520 [906] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1782904597.98150.0263Matched route: news/[slug:s]
1782904597.98170.0002Server address: 216.73.217.103
1782904597.98170.0001Using master page: /templates/pages/blog/post.php
1782904597.98170Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /news/exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award
    [s] => exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award
    [1] => exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award
)
1782904597.98210.0004 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904597.98330.0012 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1782904597.98550.0022 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1782904597.98630.0008INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1782904597.98830.002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22481449
1782904597.9890.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22481449
1782904597.98980.0007 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-07-01 11:16:00' AND saleTo>'2026-07-01 11:16:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1782904597.99220.0025 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 11:16:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 10
1782904597.99490.0027 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1782904597.99570.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postID=3078 AND postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 11:16:00'
1782904597.99670.001 [13] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_sections ORDER BY sectionTitle ASC
1782904597.99770.001 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blogs ORDER BY blogTitle ASC
1782904597.99860.0009 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories WHERE catID=73 LIMIT 1
1782904597.99970.0011Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
17829045980.0004 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1782904598.00140.0014 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_posts WHERE postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 11:16:00' AND postSlug='exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award'
1782904598.02440.023Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782904598.02510.0006 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1782904598.02720.0021Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1782904598.02750.0003 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/news/post' OR regionPage='*')
1782904598.02880.0013 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=104 AND idx.itemRev=0)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1782904598.03210.0033 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782904598.0370.0049 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.03790.0009 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782904598.04030.0024Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1782904598.04040.0001 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04130.0009 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04190.0007 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04510.0032 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04630.0012 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04710.0008 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1782904598.04960.0025 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' OR pageSortPath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.05060.0011 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1782904598.0530.0024 [1] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1782904598.05370.0006Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782904598.05410.0004 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='1' LIMIT 1
1782904598.05490.0009Using template: /templates/blog/author.html
1782904598.05530.0004 [1] SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS DISTINCT tbl.* FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, main.*, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_blog_index idx JOIN swt_blog_posts main ON idx.itemID=main.postID AND idx.itemKey='postID' JOIN swt_blog_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey='postID' AND idx2.indexKey='_id' WHERE 1=1 AND ((idx.indexKey='postSlug' AND idx.indexValue='exploring-nature-through-the-kestrel-award')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemKey=idx2.itemKey GROUP BY idx.itemID, idx2.indexValue, postID ) as tbl WHERE (postStatus='Published' AND postDateTime<='2026-07-01 11:16:00' ) GROUP BY itemID, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC LIMIT 0, 1
1782904598.05740.0021 [1] SELECT FOUND_ROWS() AS `count`
1782904598.05810.0007 [1] Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782904598.06130.0032Using template: /templates/blog/comment_form.html
1782904598.06250.0012 [9] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_comments WHERE 1=1 AND postID=3078 AND commentStatus='LIVE' ORDER BY FIELD(webmentionType, 'like', 'repost', 'comment', NULL) ASC, commentDateTime ASC
1782904598.11370.0512 [9] Using template: /templates/blog/comment.html
1782904598.11590.0021Using template: /templates/blog/post.html
1782904598.11610.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_blog_authors WHERE authorID='1' LIMIT 1
1782904598.11690.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1782904598.11770.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1782904598.11840.0007 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782904598.12060.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.12140.0008 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782904598.12330.0019 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782904598.12440.0011 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1782904598.1250.0006 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1782904598.12550.0005 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782904598.12790.0024 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.12850.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782904598.13050.002 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782904598.13440.0039 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1782904598.13530.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1782904598.13660.0013 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782904598.13960.003 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.14040.0007 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782904598.14250.0022 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782904598.14490.0024 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1782904598.14580.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1782904598.14650.0007 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1782904598.14870.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/news/post' LIMIT 1
1782904598.14940.0006 [2] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-006-001', '000-006', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1782904598.15140.0021 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1782904598.15290.0014Request time: 0.2002
1782904598.15290Process time: 0.2
1782904598.15290Memory: 1.6222