Country Matters March 2007

A swallow returned on 8th March joined by a second five days later.  They were either partners or old friends as they chased each other around the farm yard apparently in great excitement for most of the day.  We tend to forget that other wildlife can exhibit emotions such as joy.  A Sparrow Hawk flew very close to our kitchen window and I immediately followed its path as I expected it was on a feeding sortie.  But it had obviously fed and lazily climbed into the sky.  It then found a thermal and on a hot, still and sunny day with wings set it circled higher and higher until it was a mere speck in the sky.  There was no obvious reason for this behaviour except sheer enjoyment of the day.  I would think it was probably more enjoyable than what many of us humans were doing on that weekend which was sitting in heavy traffic for a day out or sitting on a foreign beach roasting in the sun.

Last month I wrote about the Barn Owl I saw hunting along the A120 by the Canfield roundabouts and commented on the dangers of vehicles to this attractive bird.  Andy Goodey has unfortunately since seen a dead Barn Owl almost exactly at the same place as I spotted it.  However much we improve the habitat for this bird it will never become a common resident in most parts of Essex because of its hunting for voles along roadside verges.  We have to accept that with our present lifestyles many species will never be able to live successfully alongside us.

An example of this is the plans to introduce the White Tailed Eagle or Sea Eagle to East Anglia.  This is typical of many ideas that desk bound conservationists believe will benefit wildlife.  The two million pounds, the budgeted cost of the project, would be much better spent reintroducing this magnificent bird to its original haunts in Cumbria or on much more modest conservation projects in East Anglia to help other wildlife.  Even the RSPB and National Trust have misgivings because of the possible effect that its introduction could have on other wildlife along the East Anglican coast.  As it can easily take lambs perhaps they will take a few juvenile humans from the Norfolk beaches, I wonder how long the introduction would then last.  Our island is now so crowded with humans and wildlife the success of one particular species is often at the expense of another species.  The most obvious cure to this problem is for most of you to leave the country so a few people like me could remain and enjoy it.  But its unlikely many of you will take up this suggestion.

On 20th March the footprints of a badger and its small offspring appeared under our kitchen window, it also returned the following night.  It was probably attracted by food left out for the birds.  The young are usually born at the end of February or early March and spend about three weeks underground before appearing above ground.  This was probably one of its first forays with Mum away from the sett.  There was a pigeon carcase in the garden that I had meant to clear away but the Badger cleared it up and left just a few feathers and its prints as evidence.

I watched a Collared Dove try and drive a Jay and a Magpie away from its nest.  Jays and Magpies are territorial and will not normally tolerate each other in their territories but as a possible meal was at stake they were collaborating.  The Dove was successful in keeping them at bay but the next day I saw a Magpie with an egg in its beak, again still being mobbed by the Dove.  A short time later I saw the Dove carrying a stick to add to its nest, ever optimistic it was going to repeat the cycle of trying to reproduce.

Wildlife Reports for March 2007

At the beginning of the month reports of butterflies started arriving.  Andy Goodey was the first to list Brimstone, Small White, Peacock and Comma, Tortoiseshell's appeared later.  All these butterflies over-winter as adults and single sightings of most of them were reported most months throughout the 'winter'.  Andy also saw a Weasel by the rookery ponds off the Flitch Way.  This is the first sighting for many years within the Parish.  He also spotted a V-formation of seven Cormorants flying over Old Hall Farm.  Those with fishing waters in the area will be pleased that they were flying over.

David Hearn, Station Road had a first visit from a Great Spotted Woodpecker to his nuts in 32 years.  This is a regular visitor to garden nuts in the village but this year there have been many new garden sightings indicating its success and also the fact it is becoming dependant on humans as a main source of food through the year.
Elizabeth Miller, Duckend Green saw a bird of prey near her garden aviary.  It seemed unconcerned by her presence and she was able to walk up to it.  It then flew off through an open door and landed in part of the aviary.  Elizabeth then picked the bird up on a piece of wood and carried it out before it then flew slowly away.  The bird was probably a Sparrow Hawk that had stooped on the birds in the aviary and had stunned itself when it hit the cage netting.  I have had many instances of similar accidents by Sparrow Hawks in the past many ending in broken bones or death.  I imagine the sight of Elizabeth's Budgerigars and the thought of an easy meal caused it to miss other dangers.
Barry Mowser, saw a Buzzard soaring on a warm thermal when on a walk to Panfield.  Over the airstrip he also saw three singing Skylarks.  His most interesting observation was a Cetti's Warbler on the Shalford Road allotments.  The Cetti is a wren-like warbler with a distinctive song.  This is a first for Rayne and though the allotments are not Cetti habitat, which is usually dense vegetation near water, it is a bird that is spreading its range.

Fallow Deer sightings have come from many residents.  Roger Johnson counted a group of 25 in the Pods Brook valley.  Dennis Spurling driving a tractor along Shalford road had to slow down to allow a large herd to 'walk' along the road in front of him.
Mark Giles, saw two adult badgers outside our farm yard entrance at Duckend Green.  They have also been using the drainage pipe along Shalford Road that Mark has reported in the past.
Roger Martin heard his first Chiffchaff on the Flitch Way on 26th March, this was followed at the beginning of April by one at Duckend Green and another at the old water mill site by Pods Brook together with a Blackcap.
Allan Spooner has a pair of Coal Tits in his garden, this could be a pair that are going to nest nearby.
Phil Monk had Great, Blue and Coal Tits fighting over a nest box in his garden and much to his surprise the Blue Tits won.  He saw his first Swallow on 11th April five days later than last year.

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