News from the Hedgerow

by Crowlander Member "Pensioner"

We have had what the experts feel was the coldest December for a number of years, however this has not prevented the first signs of spring. In the garden the spring bulbs are already well advanced. Other signs such as a few of the collared doves have been showing signs of courtship. They seem to do their display on the shed roof for some reason lost on me.

While the season has slowed most of the wild life down I have enjoyed watching the rooks and jackdaws performing what can only be described as a ballet in the sky. I would suggest that everyone takes the time to watch them delighting in flight. I am positive that they all seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, with spirals, stall turns, side slips and dives. If they catch a thermal they seem to climb extremely high before a rapid descent to perch on any suitable spot. I watched well over five hundred flying around at one time, some clearly in family groups. It is fairly amusing hearing them first thing in the morning debating who is going where and when, (my imagination running wild), but certainly it seems that way. Finally there is one who seems to give the word to go and they take to the wing heading away for breakfast in some field or other. Some seem to go round in circles waiting for friends or relations to join them before joining the exodus. But for absolute grace in flight just watch the gulls when they are about as they glide around with ease using the wind to their advantage. My particular favourites are the black headed gulls their flight seems to be effortless, they just use a few flaps of their wings to make best use of the wind and any thermals they find. They have even landed on the back lawn to steal stale bread we throw out for the other birds.

Getting back to the garden we have recently been visited by a greater spotted woodpecker. He spent about fifteen minutes helping himself to peanuts from one of the bird feeders. Anything he dropped was grabbed by a male blackbird who stayed on the spot until the woodpecker flew away. Another regular visitor has been a female green woodpecker. She has patrolled the back lawn for up to half an hour at a time. Checking for danger every now and again. She seemed to be picking grubs out of the grass. It was difficult to tell exactly what she was eating but it goes down well.

It will soon be spring and the lighter nights giving a little more time to observe the life in the garden and hedgerow. Hopefully we will see the grass snake again with its lovely markings. That is if it hasn’t been frightened away by the new bungalow being built next door. What was a wilderness of shrubs, trees, weeds and grass is totally featureless soil and gravel, not the best environment for wildlife. In time that may change when the place is occupied, hopefully by someone who enjoys the wildlife of Crowland.