It is not surprising with the colder weather and snow we have had this winter that the number of wildlife reports has increased.  This could be due to the extra time that the reporters have to observe but is more likely due to the fact that wildlife has become more dependant on the food we provide.

Andy Goodey just outside Rayne has seen up to two Red Kites and up to 4 Buzzards along Lubberhedges Lane and over the wood and a Little Egret over Blake End fishing lake.  Andy speculates that these may be the same Kites that have been reported in previous years within the Parish.
Andy and Rosemary Voden, Medley Road observed a Sparrow Hawk take a Collared dove in their garden but when taking off it collided with a house window.  It then regained its composure and flew off with its prey.  Andy while tending their horses at Broadfields Farm watched a mixed flock of over 100 Redwings and Fieldfares with a few Mistle Thrushes and Song Thrushes feeding on a wet part of the meadow.  He mentioned how tame they appeared, this is common in severe conditions when food is scarce as they cannot afford to lose time when foraging by flying away.

David Hearn, Station Road, now believes that the Swifts did nest in the boxes provided at Station Halt development and the one he erected on his own house.  Hopefully this will be confirmed this year.
Andrew Goldsmith, The Maltings, has had 2 Goldcrests feeding on peanuts 4ft from their window and also on a fat ball.  This is the first report I have had of this species eating peanuts and probably reflects the problem that Europe's smallest bird has in a severe winter of finding enough food.  Andrew like other residents has observed the apparent increase in visits by Long tailed Tits to the nut feeders and fat balls.  If the Goldcrests survive the winter they may nest in the mature Leylandii near his garden.

Phil and Judy Monk had a pair of Bullfinches eating Honeysuckle berries in their garden.  Two Goldcrests are also feeding on fat balls and Great Tits are roosting in the tit boxes.  Phil also puts out sultanas, crab apples, bird seed and kitchen scraps each night.  Next morning up to 20 Blackbirds are fighting over this spread before first light.  A solitary Song Thrush gets a hard time and has to sneak in when he can.  A Mistle Thrush has also visited on one occasion and the snow brought in Fieldfares, 25 Chaffinches, 25 Greenfinches and a Stock Dove.  At the same time 3 Reed Buntings visited one female and two males.

Barry Mouser also saw a Reed Bunting in the vegetation along Pods Brook by the foot bridge below the sewage works.  This is the first that Barry has encountered in the Parish for several years since the small flock that used to regularly frequent the hedgerows near Old Hall Farm.

Robert Bucknall reported a Barn Owl near Old Hall Farm and a Red Kite near Stebbing. He has also seen North American Mink on his reservoir.  I also know of a lake where 4 male mink have been trapped since Christmas.  At this time of the year the males are actively seeking females and they travel along all of our waterways and are often found on water considerable distances from any sizable river.  Unfortunately they are one of the most serious predators of our native wildlife and it is rare for any water bird to fledge young on lakes or rivers in this part of Essex.

Mrs Olley Dunmow Road had a very good view of a female or juvenile Muntjac eating the hedge.  I wish they would prune our hedges rather than the flower garden.  Next to Mrs Olley's garden is a field covered with scrub which is ideal Muntjac territory but in a winter like we are having deer have to continue foraging throughout the day hence the day time visit.

Trevor Rippingale who lives close to Mrs Olley has not seen any Muntjac recently but he did have a juvenile Fallow in the garden for a few days at harvest time.  He has also seen a Stoat hunting on the embankment of the foot bridge at Jones (Perkins) roundabout.  Trevor comments that he has only rarely heard a Tawny Owl calling this winter but a Green Woodpecker has been a regular garden visitor.

Geoff Stone, Braintree Green, watched a stoat with a mouse or vole in its mouth as it skidded down the bank of his pond and paddled in the slush along the bank.  Val his wife has watched it on two other occasions.  Geoff commented on how dark in colour the Stoat appeared.  In this part of the country the stoat rarely changes its fur colour to white as it does further north.  I have seen stoats with some blotches of white but never an all white one in this part of the country.  I imagine this year it probably wished it had changed colour.

A keen observer of wildlife in the village whose name I will not reveal has in past winters had 8 to 10 species of birds feeding in his garden in a 24 hour period, this year it is down to 4 to 6.  Last summer he had 2 nests which fledged young against 3 to 5 in previous years.  This decline he attributes to predators, there are 7 extra roaming cats from a nearby development, a Sparrow Hawk is now making regular kills in the garden, a pair of Magpies now nests nearby and like most gardens in the Parish Jays are now regular visitors.  Also our resident Jackdaws have increased in number in recent years and have been observed harassing nesting birds.  Certain conservation organisations still appear reluctant to accept the fact that all wildlife species cannot continue expanding in number without affecting other species.  This is a lesson that we humans will also have to accept in the future as our population continues to escalate.

At Goulds we had a Green Sandpiper on the farm lagoon; this is probably the same bird that I have seen regularly since 2003 though I missed it last year.  This year it was earlier than usual, it probably thought it would be warmer in Britain than other parts of its migration route.

I also watched a Sparrow Hawk chase a Fieldfare high above the field by the school.  I gave the victim no hope of escape but as the Hawk continued to make swoops on the luckless Fieldfare it was clear it was having problems.  At the time it was snowing and I think the Hawk was being blinded by the snowflakes as it was clearly missing the hapless Fieldfare that did not appear to be making much of an attempt to escape.  The Hawk eventually gave up and flew off to rest in one of the trees by the school.  The very lucky Fieldfare flew slowly over my head obviously finding the weather hard work.

Tracks of Muntjac, Fallow, Fox and Badger are everywhere in the garden, though on the snowy nights they are very selective where they visit as they seek out food.  Hares tracks appear most nights and though it was probably only loping along it was covering 9 feet between each set of footprints.  It is one way of keeping ones feet from touching the cold ground.

To finish on what may be a good omen Reg Salmon, Shalford Road, has just told me that a Robin in his garden has started carrying leaves and moss to build a nest on Friday 13th February.  Hopefully it is a better weather forecaster than the Met. Office and there is better weather on the way or perhaps it does not know the reputation of the date.

Roger Jiggins Tel. 01376 324 311, email mailto:r.jiggins@btconnect.com  (please put Wildlife as the subject)