6 minute read
Three Great Wildlife Species found in The Deepings
Roe Deer
Roe Deer are one of six species of deer in the UK, the others being Red, Sika, Fallow, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer. Roe Deer have become more prevalent around The Deepings over the last 5-10 yrs. There is no apparent reason for this but the increase in tree plantations, shelter belts and large blocks of game cover and Miscanthus plantations throughout the Fens has undoubtedly allowed their range to increase from elsewhere. These areas provide the deer with somewhere quiet and undisturbed in which to browse, give birth and generally shelter, as do large oil-seed rape fields.
Roe Deer tend to be quite solitary; normally you will see a doe with her fawn/s or a buck and a doe together. In the autumn/winter, if you are lucky, you might see 6-10 animals together as bucks vie for the does’ attentions. This congregation of animals is aided further by the harvest which pushes the animals into smaller pockets of cover.
As a rule they are also tend to stay in one area which can cover several square miles when animals are seeking out a mate or extending their range in late summer, but when a mother has given birth or a couple have paired up this range can reduce to several hundred metres and it isn’t uncommon to see them in a similar location day after day.
Roe does, although mated, can delay the passage of the fertilised egg to the womb to ensure that their offspring are born at the optimum time of the year.
Owls
There are several species of owls locally in and around The Deepings. The three most common are Tawny, Barn and Little Owl, but there are also Long Eared and the migratory Short Eared Owl. All are quite distinct species.
Barn Owls prefer old buildings to shelter and nest in; unfortunately many of these have been demolished or converted as Deeping has grown. Deeping residents are lucky, though, as there are still several such buildings across the neighbouring Fens. In place of barns, these owls will also use purpose-built/located boxes or hollow trees to shelter/nest in (another rarity due to health and safety!) Barn Owls like an open aspect to their nest site and hunting area. In contrast to this Tawny Owls prefer more heavily wooded areas and are found within the Deepings in the larger gardens/parks and churchyard areas as these tend to offer the most suitable habitat. Again, these owls will use purpose-made boxes or hollows within trees to nest in. Tawny Owls tend to be far more secretive than Barn Owls and they are more camouflaged, thus you often hear them before you see them.
Little Owls as their name suggests are smaller than the previous two species. Unlike other Owl species, Little Owls have a diet of beetles, worms etc, rather than mice or voles. Little Owls like to nest in very secluded locations so a hole within an old tree or a small space within an old barn is ideal.
Personally I think the Long Eared Owl is the best looking of the owl species with a distinctive white outer band to its face mask, but they are far more unusual. They will take prey items up to the size of a rabbit and will nest in old nests of other birds. Long Eared Owls and Short Eared Owls can be differentiated by their eye colour, yellow = Short Eared, orange = Long Eared.
Short Eared Owls are grassland birds, choosing to nest in rough tussocky grassland. They tend to be resident only in the north of the UK but the population can be boosted during the winter months with migratory birds from the continent. If food is scarce or if weather conditions are bad a great many birds will make the migration and it is then you can see several of these birds along the Welland bank between Deeping and Spalding. As local inhabitants we are very fortunate to have all these different species on our doorstep (but we need to keep or create more long tussocky grass areas!).
Otters
Otters are one of our most iconic UK species.. After their reintroduction I am pleased to say their numbers have increased dramatically; however, they often still remain very elusive creatures due to their incredible senses of smell, sound and sight. Otters are classed as a European protected species and wilfully to disturb them or their holt is a punishable offence.
Deeping residents are very lucky to have had, this last year, a mother otter and two cubs that were very tolerant of human interaction. A great many people got to see them on their daily excursions along the river. I only wish one or two more areas were left quiet, wild and relatively undisturbed along the river otherwise these animals have very little shelter and maybe the situation will change.
by John Parsonage
Otters don’t have a set breeding season so you can encounter cubs throughout the year but I’ve always found August/September mornings to be a good time to see them. As the vegetation along the river dies back in the winter the adult animals tend to retreat back into the larger, undisturbed lakes and gravel pits for extra shelter. Still-water fishing is also easier than having to deal with raging amounts of winter floodwater. It is in these lakes where the young are born before being brought out onto the river by the mother in the spring and summer. Here they learn their trade and by August/September they are very adept and quite obvious as they become bolder and adventurous. They will tend to use one section of the river for 2-3 months before their bond with their mother dissipates and they venture further afield to establish their own territories and the cycle begins once more.
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