3 minute read
Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE
From redwing to roe deer –signs that winter is on its way
THE bird feeders are cleaned and back up and awaiting the hungry hordes; birds that are especially busy as the daytime temperatures start to drop. The autumn cleaning of nesting boxes is also now underway, ready for a spring that seems an eternity away. When I’m out at night at this time of the year surveying owls, I keep an ear out for redwings flying overhead. These small members of the thrush family give themselves away at night by their sound; to be precise, their flight calls.
A lot of their movement is done through the night or more than likely through the darkness of the early evening. Some will have started their journeys in the far north of Scandinavia to spend time with us during winter. If the weather turns cold, then the redwings will begin stripping the berries from hawthorn bushes and the like. They may even start picking over fallen apples but then, as temperatures recover, they will switch back to open fields and woodland edges where they can feed upon worms, etc.
As it starts to get dark during November have a listen out for redwings flying over your home; the sound they make is a high pitched “zeezee”.
If you’re out walking in first light or near sunset, you may come across roe deer, one of our native deer species,
venturing out from their scrub or woodland hideaways into the more open landscape. During winter, these normally solitary deer will gather in larger numbers; some have said to have seen up to 12 together and they will be feeding on quite a wide variety of vegetation from grasses and buds to shrubs such as bramble. By CHRIS SPERRING Not everyone can get out to the countryside to watch wildlife and, of course, we know from the many MBE scientific papers that been produced that being close to or immersed in nature is very beneficial for our mental and physical wellbeing. Instead, there are things we can do to get nature to approach us, such as feeding the birds. Providing a food source or bird feeding station will allow us close-up views and help us understand which species we have in our neighbourhood. One drawback to this, maybe, is that you or your neighbour don’t want the risk of attracting rats. Just a quick Google search reveals there are now companies producing rat and squirrel-proof bird feeders which are well worth exploring to offer peace of mind. If you have mobility issues and want to enjoy nature away from your home, then there are nature reserves in, or close to the Mendip Times area, that have “access for all” policies, such as wheelchair-friendly tracks and ramp access to hides. If you’re planning a nature trip and have mobility issues, then take a look at this website before you set off: https://www.accessiblecountryside.org.uk/somerset Christmas is coming and here are some ideas for wildlifethemed presents. Bird nesting boxes for a garden can make great presents for the family member who wants to study birds; even better if it’s got a camera that links to the family TV or computer as now you will have your own “Springwatch” to watch when you want to. With a camera you can study the secret life of nesting birds without ever disturbing them. I have mentioned bird feeders already and these can be purchased as kits which can also include a camera for that “better than what’s on the telly” experience. Instead of animal adoptions, The Hawk and Owl Trust offers an “adopt a bird of prey or owl nesting box” along with information about the species your box will hopefully attract. These are simple, yet affective presents which can and do enhance the nature learning process for us all. The Hawk and Owl Trust adopt-a box-scheme can be found at: https://hawkandowltrust.org/index.php/membership/adopt-abox-membership Happy Christmas shopping!
