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Nature Notes
from Hilltop News Nature Notes If you enjoy living or visiting the Chilterns you cannot fail to be impressed with the variety of landscape, wildlife and the particular weather it offers be it over the seasons of the year or just on a single day. What's more on any given day, the countryside in which the hilltop villages nestle is often characterised by having its own micro-climate compared to the neighbouring towns and countryside beneath it. This in turn has influenced the composition of local habitats and the occurrence of wildlife. No one set of eyes, ears and sense of smell can capture the essence of the natural history of the hilltop villages. The following nature notes first published in the Hilltop News are just a simple attempt to reflect on the flora and fauna we enjoy through the seasons. These articles were previously published in "Hilltop News". Chris Brown Nature Notes for Hilltop News December
04/ Jan 2005 Human nature being what it is we become convinced that the wet and warm autumn we have had suggests a similarly mild winter is in store. But I predict this year will be harder than of recent with some more severe than usual cold snaps. We will have a greater chance of snow with a significant fall on or about Christmas Day looking more of a possibility than for some years now. Well you heard it here first! Folklore also tells us that if the leaves of the trees did not fall before St Martin's Day (11th November), which they did not this year, a cold winter may be expected for the next three months. Another quite recently discovered 'predictor' of oncoming winter weather conditions is surprisingly the ladybird, which traditionally hibernates in the crevices in bark and these days can be found often in large numbers in fence posts and the like. It is reported that there is a correlation between the height above the ground the ladybirds congregate in the cracks and the severity of the forthcoming winter. The higher they are to be found above ground level the more severe the winter will be. There's no accepted scientific explanation for this so far but just to report that the ladybirds are taking to the high ground this year. As an aside, in the past people used to eat ladybirds to cure toothache! They believed that the oily yellow fluid in their bodies was a good pain killer. December is a cruel month for our bird life. Starvation, disease and predation will take a heavy toll. More birds die this month than any other. It is for this very reason birds 'over-produce'. Tits for example in a good year may have multiple broods, each of 8-10 youngsters. Keeping the bird table topped up, unfrozen water available and a patch of grass clear of snow, to make our 'backyards' a refuge for birds. But in case we forget, these refuges are a 20th century phenomenon. Most of the birds we see around here are émigrés from scrub and woodland such as Dunnocks and Tits or water edges such as the Pied Wagtail. What we now call 'garden birds' are a menagerie of species that has only come together since the end of the Second World War as suburban developments and domestic gardens sprung up. The Yuletide Robin, as mentioned in a previous article, followed the wild boar through the woods long before it accompanied man and no Victorian Christmas card would have had one perched on the handle of a gardeners' spade. The woodland that surrounds us is the place to venture out for a walk this month. Much of the activity now is to be found in wooded areas. With the leaves off the trees theses are the best opportunities to see our regular winter migrants, the redwings and fieldfares feeding on the good crop of 'winter fruits', hawthorn in particular. If you are lucky enough to come across a holly bush in fruit, that has escaped raiders in search of Christmas decoration, listen out for another arrival, the Mistle Thrush within its branches. Because it is one of the first birds to pair up and lay eggs, a bountiful supply of food at this time of year is vital to its successful breeding Its name derives from mistletoe which it also feeds on and was originally thought to be solely responsible for dispersing. The tradition of using mistletoe, holly, ivy and others goes back to pre Christian times. The Romans collected evergreens such as these as well as box, conifers and rosemary which were often made into garlands to represent the continuance of life through an otherwise dark and lifeless period. Elsewhere there are connections with pagan and other festivals. Apparently in old Buckinghamshire lore felling a holly bush brings bad luck and can summon witches. Equally for Christians the holly leaf shape has come to symbolise the crown of thorns on Christ's head as in the words of the hymn "The Holly and the Ivy". The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe has its origins in medieval plant magic. It was used to bring epileptics out of fits and ensure fertility. Much of this died out during the reign of Elizabeth and again in Cromwell's time. However the revival of Druidism in 18th century brought yuletide logs and mistletoe to the fore because of their associations with ancient ritual. Their use as decoration was in fact officially banned by the Church until the 1960s. Christmas Trees reintroduced by Albert is another much older tradition that has been rejuvenated (see evergreens above). The woods will be full of noise from barking muntjac and in January foxes are at their noisiest which during the mating season. Badgers, which only hibernate during the coldest of periods this far south venture out at dusk and can be heard snuffling in the undergrowth. One advantage of a snowfall close to woodland is the excellent opportunity to study animal tracks. Here are the tracks of our three largest mammals you may come across as visitors to your gardens. Last time I started talking about the animals that invade our houses throughout the year. I heard back from one reader who had discovered a dark-coloured snake, which we decided must have been a grass snake that was preparing to hibernate in some loosened brickwork. Like the ladybird that hibernates another typical asylum seeker is the lacewing. These delicate-looking but extremely hardy insects are the unsung heroes of the gardener, being even more voracious pest disposal agents than even the ladybird. The adults that hatch in the late summer seek out such refuges as the gaps between the wood around windows frames. In the process they turn from their characteristic lime green to pale pink as there metabolism slows down to almost a full stop. They are one of the first of the over-wintering insects to break cover as they emerge from their winter quarters as soon as the first rays of weak sunlight break through in February. Just time to suggest a book for Christmas. As birds have figured strongly this time I would recommend the New RSPB Birdfeeder Handbook by Robert Burton and Bill Oddie's Introduction to Birdwatching. If you haven't got a pair of binoculars in the house to get a closer look at the birds, treat yourself this Christmas! chrisbrown@rayshill.com Tel: 758890 Nature Notes for Hilltop News
October/November 2004 So maybe St Swithun had the last laugh as August was a wet month to say the least. The one thing predictable about August weather is that it's unpredictable. How much rain might you expect in August? Based on August 2003 the answer would be around 7 mm or 1.5 inches. Ask the same question in 2004 and the answer is 142 mm or about 5.6 inches. A quick check on the Met Office archive suggests one would have to go back to 1956 and before this to 1878 to find a wetter August in England and Wales. Looking ahead I think we should therefore also expect a far wetter, but warmer October than usual. The 'first frosts' are getting later and later these days and this pattern, I think, will be borne out this year with a prediction of the first sub zero night being as late as the last week of October (last October it was 24th) or not even until early November. The inevitable fall in night-time temperatures in Autumn is the single cause of reduced insect activity with their numbers rapidly plummeting. Expect to see fleeting appearances on warm October days of the over-wintering butterflies, (peacock, small tortoiseshell, brimstone and comma) feeding on the overripe blackberries which will be particularly abundant this year. Another insect getting into hibernating mode in November is the ladybird. The crevices in tree bark are a typical 'safe house' but any cool, dry location, such as windowsills, can be the home of dozens of these gardeners' favourites. By producing a chemical they attract others to come and join the huddle thus ensuring improved survival rates. Asked to list the creatures people fear most and would do almost anything to avoid and somewhere after sharks, snakes and spiders (of which more later) will come the wasp and often in the same breath, they will say "and of course, the hornet". Hornets, in reality the largest of our wasps, are rarely seen these days although queen wasps are often mistakenly identified as hornets. The latter are distinguished by their brown colouration and large size (35mm 1.4 inches). I had seen very few until this year but we have been 'lucky' enough to have them now as regular night-time visitors (hence moth-like eyes) attracted to our kitchen window and have since discovered where their nest is it has enabled the household to carry out some very close up (the thickness of the glass) but safe study. Despite the low profile the hornet has acquired a legendary, but erroneous reputation, as a horse killer (7 stings) and that 3 stings are enough for an adult and 2 for a child. Apparently the sting, although more painful, is less dangerous than that of the bee and they are far less likely to attack than a wasp. Caution is of cause needed and one is told to avoid rapid movement, getting in their flight path, breathing on the nest or vibrating (what ever that might involve!). Like the ladybird they are very much the gardener's friend. A large colony will devour around 2lb (1 kg) of insects, mainly flies and caterpillars a day! As the hedgerow fruit ripen and ferment they supplement their diet with the liquor, which might cause of their grumpiness. This is fed in turn to the next generation of queens that will mature, mate and then hibernate all in November. Previously, in these rambling nature notes I have described what is going on in the countryside around us but it struck me that the immanent arrival of autumn is a time when many insects and indeed some animals choose to move in with us to see out the winter. So I thought I would start, from this month to turn my attention to some of the creatures who share our houses. The inhabitation, and in some case infestation, of the human abode by arthropods (insects spiders, centipedes woodlice etc) dates back to when Man took to living in caves. Wood for fires, food and animal hides would have provided many opportunities for these creatures to unintentionally share the habitat with early humans. The domestication of animals added other opportunities for many insects to become associated with us. Later as our ancestors began to build simple dwellings these insects would have sought shelter and food alongside them. Until recent times we have used natural materials to construct and adorn our houses and even the advent of non-organic materials has not precluded the invasion by invertebrates into modern houses. Often the co-existence of other animals in the house, invited or otherwise, bring insects with them. Examples include nesting birds, bats rats, mice, locally 'our friend' the glis glis as well as domestic pets. The inclusion of house plants has added further opportunities for insects and others to enjoy the creature comforts of modern-day living. The co-habitation by insects has, in turn, provided incentives for other opportunists to set up home alongside us humans No surprises then that my first pick is the house spider which make its presence felt particularly this month. There's a good chance that if I asked you to look in you bath or sink just now that there would be a house spider lurking somewhere near the plug hole! They don't arrive this way but often lurk nearby as its always damp. The ones you see there are normally the males. Meanwhile those you spot out of the corner of your eye running across the carpet each night are the larger females which, if they escape the lunging slipper, can live happily with you for several years. (The males perhaps lasting a mere few months eventually becoming too tempting a meal for the females to resist.) Just space to include a mention of some books I would recommend if you would like to start or add to your natural history collection. For a really useful book on wild flowers, easy to use and with a mine of interesting historical information, I would go for The Readers Digest Wild Flowers of Britain. My favourite plant identification book for is marvellous drawings though is The Concise British Flora in Colour by W Keble Martin. Sadly out of print these days but quite often to be found in second-hand bookshops. For younger budding naturalists why not make a Christmas present of The Amateur Naturalist by the late Gerald Durrell and his wife Lee. Full of his beautiful descriptions and very well illustrated. As usual do keep sending me your observations and questions and any suggestions for the house guest to feature next time! chrisbrown@rayshill.com Tel: 758890 Nature Notes for Hilltop News
August/September 2004 Looking back to June, despite memories of a disrupted Wimbledon fortnight, rainfall at 34mm (1.3in) was significantly less than June last year. We were blessed with warm weather during early June including 30.6°C on the 8th. (Cambridge at 31.5°C just beat us to be hot-spot for the UK.) The unsettled weather in the second half of the month, which resulted in the familiar power cuts, spilled over into July, with short, sharp downpours producing cool days and chilly night-time temperatures (4.5°C). Indeed as I pen this, St Swithin's Day (15th July) is just a few days off. Last month I commented on English folklore expressions. The well-known rhyme about St Swithin as you may know goes:- "St Swithin's Day, if it does rain; Full forty days, it will
remain; St Swithun (as it is should be spelt) was the Saxon Bishop of Winchester in the 10th century. On his deathbed, so the story goes, he declared he wanted to be buried outside, where he would be trodden and rained on. The monks initially acceded to his wish but the on 15th July 971 they were interring his remains in a shrine in the cathedral, at which point the heavens opened and a heavy rainstorm ensued. The legend has it this occurred again on the next anniversary leading to the rhyme we recite today. Maybe by the time you read this the latter part of July will have been a washout. I doubt it somehow though as the odds are very much stacked against it. Met Office records suggest it has never occurred since records began, so the survival of this lore for over 1000 years must say something about our preoccupation with the weather. Out and about in August are some of our more highly evolved and spectacular insects. First on this list are the dragonflies which can be distinguished from their cousins the fluttering damselflies, by their larger size and fast and purposeful flight. Despite the lack of streams and rivers high up in the Chilterns there are sufficient ponds around us, where the nymphs develop over two years before metamorphosing into adults, to support a healthy population of both insects. Dragonflies are territorial and aggressive hunters often encountered patrolling hedgerows and gardens on the lookout for prey. Hence the name 'hawker' given to larger (up to 4in) species which can fly at up to 30mph but live only a month or so. Although harmless to us, they possess strong jaws that can be heard clicking as they buzz you, which are capable of grabbing other large invertebrates on the wing, including smaller dragonflies. Those displaying the most colouration are usually the males and the green and blue bodies are the result of light refraction or iridescence.  
Another group of highly evolved insects making their presence known these months are the grasshoppers and crickets. As a rough guide, to tell them apart the grasshoppers have short antennae whilst crickets have long, whip-like ones. But first you have to find them, so listen out for the sounds. Although not foolproof, the short intermittent chirp heard in the daytime is more often a grasshopper, while the longer chirring sound coming from the hedgerows, particularly during warm evenings, is probably one of the many bush-crickets. Only the males make these sounds or 'stridulations' by scraping their toothed legs along their wings (grasshoppers) or wing against wing (crickets).  
August and September also provide an abundance of fruit and seed for many garden birds. This is essential for the young born this year and to build up the fat supplies of all so they have a better chance of surviving the winter. I predict, from the type of weather we have experienced over the past 12 months, a better than average crop of wild fruit, both hedgerow berries and apples, etc, this year. But many of our commoner garden birds also rely on the 'spent flowers' of perennials and shrubs in our backyard prairies. For example, each variety of our native finches (green-, gold-, bull-, and chaffinch as well as the sparrow and siskin) has evolved a different-shaped beak and has become specialised in extracting particular seeds. So to give them a chance to take there fill and do you a favour at the same time by removing insects harboured lower down on stems and leaves, try to desist from dead-heading for as long as possible. 
All the birds and insects I have selected this month are excellent examples of specialisation within the animal kingdom and how, over many millions of years they have evolved and diversified through survival of the fittest. In fact it was a study of finches' beaks (in the Galapagos) by Charles Darwin, which as you may know led to explanation of this phenomenon and caused a stir amongst the creationists of the time when, in 1859, On The Origin of Species was first published. Previous to this the belief had been that the earth had been created in 4004BC. This enlightenment also enabled understanding about the fossil record, including how dragonflies like those we can see today could be found in carboniferous rock over 300 million years ago. So to enjoy the sights and sounds of some more marvellous examples of natural selection my suggestion for a walk this month is to take to the 'high ground'. The open farmland of St Leonards / Buckland Common as well as along the 'mountain' in Hawridge (see local history walks - www.cholesbury.com) are excellent opportunities to listen out for skylarks. The trend towards more intensively grown summer cereals has taken its toll on the skylark in recent years. However, in these parts because the variable soil conditions produce some more sparsely cropping areas in fields this may be encouraging better survival rates amongst the fledglings. If out for early morning or late evening walks also look and listen out for noisy flocks of sand or house martins which congregate in late August, before their annual migration to Africa and ahead of their close relatives the swifts and swallows. As usual do keep sending me your observations and questions. chrisbrown@rayshill.com Tel: 758890 Nature Notes for Hilltop News June
2004 Weather in April and May, in contrast to last year, was characterised by lower temperatures and higher rainfall. Anyone with a rain-barrel or well will know that April with 3.25 inches (cf. 1.5 inches in 2003) and early May were in fact extremely wet months. Although May, up to writing this, has also been cooler I expect higher temperatures (over 25°C) towards month's-end and for a few days into June followed by another wetter, cooler spell. Last year we had several days in the high 20's in June and low thirties in July so think about buying that summer hat and sunscreen soon but wisely keep that brolly handy too! 
If we were living in the 18th or 19th Century we would more likely refer to old sayings and proverbs than any amateur meteorologist's wayward predictions! There is a fine line between folklore and science. Scientific investigation may uncover connections between an event and its cause and vice versa as sayings can provide clues leading to scientific discovery. "Ash before oak in for a soak, Oak before ash in for a splash". This proverb has been researched recently using records taken over a 250 year period. The results showed correlations with higher average annual temperatures occurring when oak burst-bud before ash. In wetter (cooler) years both 'burst' together or ash slightly earlier. Average temperatures in the UK over this period have increased by around 1.5°C and oak has been up to 7-10 days ahead of ash in recent years. If this trend continues, oak might slowly shade out ash in our woodlands, changing the character of the habitat and their wildlife. This increase is one small example of how global warming can affect our landscape. By the way if we use the saying to predict the weather this year, both trees burst-bud at the same time (25th April) so according to the saying we are in for a wetter summer than usual. We shall see. 
More oak trees will be good news for jays too who will be seen regularly from now on. They have a varied diet but rely heavily on acorns for food from the winter to late spring. Jays gather and secret away acorns in the autumn. They have one of the best memories amongst birds and are able to memorise even where they have hidden acorns quite far away from the tree. However, some of those they fail to find will germinate. So if you happen across a young oak sapling away from any mature trees it is more than likely that its one that got away from the jay. Thanks for the various reports on cuckoos. The earliest I was told about for this area was 18th April, about four days later than last year. As the saying goes listen out for its tune changing in June to a whistle. Until the 18th century it was not known that birds migrated. It was believed these birds were hawks which changed into cuckoos at this time of year. The red kites are about again and I was recently told about sightings of other raptors including a pair of hobbies seen about this time last year. For this month's excursion my recommendation is to try out a new walk along footpaths you are less familiar such as the local history walks available from local pubs, or www.cholesbury.com, or contact me for a copy. Paths and track-ways are nature's equivalent of our motorways, enabling animals to traverse their territory or plants to disperse their seeds and very rapidly move in on new habitats. The hedgerows defining these paths also provide a insight into the origin of these byways. Tree and shrub species give clues to a hedge's history. Hazel, hornbeam, spindle and field maple indicate a woodland origin. Thorn hedges may have been man-made boundaries to keep animals in or out of woodland. Other may have been specially planted to provide for fuel or other needs, including furze (gorse) and holly for its magical powers as well(!), oak for building and ash for waggons, apples and cherries for food. Perennials in a hedge were also highly valued and harvested for food or medicinal purposes. 
Hedges maybe the remnants of a wood which has been 'ascarted'- cleared for agricultural purposes. If the plants seen include healthy populations of bluebell, wood anemone and yellow archangel, this is a sign it previously was part of a wood. Older hedges often zigzag to incorporate an established woodland trees now long gone. Hawthorn hedges, which date mainly from the 'parliamentary enclosures' of commons in the 18th/19th centuries are straighter, often 'plashed' i.e. laid, and contain few trees or many typical woodland plants. 
You can, with surprising accuracy, estimate how old a hedge is by a simple calculation. This involves counting the number of different trees/shrubs in three, 30 yards stretches of hedge, multiplying the average of this by 99 and deducting 16! Although this might sound like another bit of folklore it is also based on some excellent scientific work done by Max Hooper in the 1950's. Many hedges around here can be dated to between the 13th and 15th centuries and others to the time of the enclosures. If you think you have found a really old hedge, do let me know. We have an excellent network of footpaths which are well-used and normally kept clear. Usually any blockage is unintentional. A polite word with the landowner who are normally want to ensure paths are kept open anyway is usually enough. If blocked by overgrown hedges or even fences do get in touch with the Parish Council who can gently encourage some maintenance to be done. As I started with a saying I will end with another "If bramble blossoms in early June the harvest will ensure the farmer's in fine tune". Please do tell me if you hear a farmer singing, any sightings or other comments. chrisbrown@rayshill.com Tel: 758890 Nature Notes for Hilltop News April
2004 Despite April being a month of short sharp showers we should not expect these to contribute much in the way of water for the garden or crops until perhaps the last week or so of the month. Meanwhile 'hilltop villages' temperatures will be noticeably cooler than down in the Vale and frosts, some quite severe, can be expected for at least 1 in 3 nights over the whole month. The start of May usually signals the first really warm weather. Last May temperatures were regularly in the high teens and, perhaps forgotten in the heat of the subsequent record-breaking summer, we enjoyed a cluster of hot days peaking at 28°C. However, compared to this time last year the season is running up to two weeks behind so for the keen gardeners looking for an early start to planting out, beware as I would expect the frosts to extend into early May. 
The progress of our typical Chiltern trees as they come into leaf or bloom is a useful check on whether the season is running ahead or behind. Normally the white flowers of blackthorn are one signal of the start of Spring. This can be as early as the second week of March but this year I suspect it will be the end of the month, if not a tad later, before they are fully out. The hawthorn, which is normally the first to show leaves, is quickly followed by the beech trees with their translucent, lime green foliage and complemented by the iridescent show of colour from the carpet of bluebells. Last year we were one of the first places to hear the cuckoo around 24th April so keep a keen ear out and report any early 'callings'. On warmer May days the first house martins arrive, having survived the journey across France from the Sahara for the breeding season in northern Europe. Originally a cliff dweller, the martin has moved inland to exploit man-made structures. Its breeding success is dependant on the quality of the nest-building. A dry Spring can affect the availability of the right type of mud which in turn affects the numbers and survival of chicks. Next month, the maybug (cockchafer) will be on the wing as the evenings warm up. The presence of lights around our houses regularly bring them knocking on the windowpanes as they clumsily seek a mate. I should acknowledge that their C-shaped creamy-coloured grubs are not the friends of the keen rose grower as they cause havoc burrowing into the rootstock, nor of farmers as they infest grassland and nor of foresters as the adults feed on oak. In turn though they provide a health morsel for our larger bats, such as the horseshoe, out and about this month too. 
We tend to think that many of the familiar - and the less well known - fauna and flora of this part of the Chilterns have been around these parts for a very long time. By which I mean thousands of years. This is not so in many cases. Beech, now our dominant woodland tree, although present in ancient woodland, was planted in large numbers in the 18th century, replacing much oak woodland, to supply the furniture industry. Then there is the sweet chestnut that was brought by the Romans, the rhododendron via county estates from Asia and the sycamore, which was only introduced in the 16th century, probably from Spain. It is well known that the muntjac was an escapee from one or more large estates, although the likely source of the majority was a major release from Whipsnade Zoo in 1921. Other 'exotic' deer have made similar bids for freedom from Woburn, Whipsnade and Regents Park Zoos. Perhaps the Glis glis or edible dormouse also comes to mind that has restricted its territory to this part of the Chilterns despite having been released from nearby Tring Park in 1902. The Romans were said to have brought them to Britain 2000 years ago but unlike the roman or edible snail found around these parts they are believed not to have bred in the wild on that occasion. The pheasant was prized for its meat and was introduced from the Caucuses in the 16th century. While the partridge arrived from France and Hungary from the 17th century onwards. 
Surprisingly, the rabbit has only been with us since the 12th or 13th century, having been spread from Essex by the late Normans, although the Romans are also credited with importing them. Even the brown rat is not a true native, having arrived on ships from Russia in the 1700s. The grey squirrel, which has driven out its native red cousin was erroneously introduced from North America to Cheshire and its presence was appreciated until it was recognised as a pest in the 1930s. And finally, the wild boar that was a native until 1700s when it was driven to extinction from hunting. Since 1985 they have been reported as roaming parts of Kent and East Sussex although there have also been reports in the Chiltern beech woods as near as Wycombe and Great Missenden! By the way, you know how robins will keep watch for worms while you dig the garden, darting in and out as you take a break. Well it is said this technique evolved originally from following wild boars as they moved through the forest churning up the ground. 
With the woods really coming to life, for this month?s excursion there is only one choice, a 'bluebell wood'. There are several excellent ones but if you are looking for a suggestion and have access to the internet visit the Cholesbury Local History website www.cholesbury.com and look out one of the walks. If you missed editions of these Notes they can also be found on the site. As always let me hear about any interesting sightings or questions you have via chrisbrown@rayshill.com. Chris Brown Nature Notes for Hilltop News February
2004 This being the first Nature Notes for 2004, I will start with a brief look back on the more noteworthy weather statistics for The Hilltop Villages in 2003. January provided the lowest temperatures of last year with -8.5°C on 12th. In contrast, August 10th will go down as the hottest day, 36.3°C in these parts . By the way the all-time national record is now held by Brogdale near Faversham, Kent which recorded 38.5°C on the same day. The windiest day was 12th March with gusts up to 21mph. November was the wettest month with over 4 ins, one quarter of which fell on 22nd alone, whilst the yearly rainfall figure was in total just over 20ins A modest amount when one realises that the Lake District typically has over 70ins. In any case what has a bearing on crop yields is not so much the amount, but rather when the falls, and in common with the rest of SE England last summer was exceptionally dry. As a consequence the water table is still falling around these parts, possibly made even worse by additional extraction by the water companies. Now looking ahead I thought for a change I would bravely attempt some weather forecasting, based on my local records! February will start out with temperatures around 5-7°C but could reach 13-14°C towards the end of the month. Watch out for a cold snap with night-time temperatures maybe down to -7°C around the second week of February and we could even have some snowfall around mid February. Not surprisingly, strong winds will again dominate the middle two weeks of March. Overall whilst February will see much less rain than we saw in January, March will be much wetter and with that wind will be particularly inclement at times. Perhaps more than at any other time of the year our wildlife is dependant on the change in weather in order to be kick-started into action. One of the first hints of nature awakening will probably be snowdrops (wild not cultivated) flowering (21st Feb), followed by primroses and lesser celandines (28th Feb). Our trees take a fortnight longer than those in the Vale to burst bud but you might see the hazel in flower by early-mid March, followed swiftly by the vivid green of the hawthorn and then the elder. Overwintering bees are often tricked by a few days of warmer weather into making their first forays around 26th February only to be caught by a cold snap a few days later. Hibernating butterflies, such as the peacock, small tortoiseshell, brimstone and comma will make their first appearance around 23rd March. Listen out for squirrels even noisier than usual as they star pairing up. Birdsong has already changed; triggered not by temperature but by the increasing day length. The shrill notes of garden birds such as robins, wrens and dunnocks can be heard staking out there territories. But to survive they must feed almost continuously from dawn to dusk and a heavy frost will take a heavy toll amongst the smaller birds, reducing their body heat beyond a fatal level. Climatic changes as well as changing land use have significantly altered the numbers and proportions of our commonest birds in gardens and countryside over the last 10 years. Greenfinches and chaffinches, blue and great tits, collared doves and woodpigeons have increased steadily. Meanwhile the losers have been the insect eaters such as the starlings, blackbirds, thrushes and robins. To do your bit, try to leave at least part of your garden unkempt. Leave the leaves on the ground to provide ideal habitats for insects on which those birds 'at risk' typically forage. Having an over-tidy garden means you are relying on your neighbours' generosity to provide your quota of diverse bird-life to rid your roses and vegetables of pests! There are many examples of mutual dependence to be observed amongst our local wildlife. A typical example of how this interaction can work is the goldfinch which is almost alone in feeding on teasels as well as other seed-heads. By resisting the urge to dead-head the seed-capsules of garden flowers you will guarantee visits of this most colourful bird to your garden. You will be amazed also by the increased occurrence of teasel the following year!   
And finally, my recommendation for an interesting outing this month is a visit to one or other of our churchyards which are special nature reserves in their own right and are excellent places to see lichens. Lichens comprise a unique association or symbiosis between a fungus and usually an alga and also offer us one of the most characteristic examples around here of inter-dependence between species in nature. Lichens are also barometers of air quality. We are blessed with some relatively clean air, being high up and away from conurbations that have much higher levels of sulphur dioxide. This in turn provides us with a wide variety of lichens on trees, roofs and gravestones. Look out particularly for three distinctive ones present in these parts - the Cup Lichen, blue-green with its trumpet-shaped structures found on older fence posts and tree branches; Crottle, grey, often circular encrustations on trees, gravestones and roofs; and lastly Xanthoria, with its bright orange patches on gravestones and roof slates and like crottle this one was previously used for dyeing wool. As always let me hear about any interesting sightings or questions you have via chrisbrown@rayshill.com. Chris Brown |