Environment

Please visit the PECT website or contact mike.horne@pect.org.uk or johnclarecountrysdie@pect.org.uk to find out more information or get involved.

Saturday 1 January Seasonal Walk. New Year’s Day walk slow walk from Torpel cabin around Bainton and Ashton. A slow and enjoyable three-mile walk, starting at 1pm and aiming to finish at 3pm. Sunday 2 January Tree planting. Events at Etton pony paddocks, 10am – 2pm. Saturday 15 January Helpston hedge planting work on Heath Row, 10am-2pm Sunday 16 January ‘Walk your winter blues away’ Seasonal walk event in Helpston Saturday 29 January Peakirk work event. Building a Dead Hedge boundary, 10am-2pm Sunday 30 January Tree planting work event at Etton pony paddocks, 10am-2pm Saturday 12 February ‘Walk your winter blues away.’ Location TBC Sunday 13 February Work party tree planting Etton pony paddocks, 10am-2pm Saturday 26 February Work party Barnack Hills and Holes scrub clearance 10am-2pm Sunday 27 February Work party tree planting at Etton pony paddocks, 10am-2pm

ENVIRONMENT | FROM TRIBLAND LAD TO KEEN ENVIRONMENTALIST Observation - key to our understanding

Building and erecting a variety of various owl and bird boxes, partaking in country pursuits (shooting), my love of all things countryside and my passion for wildlife photography coupled with my work being predominantly in and around the local area, means I’m always observing my immediate environment.

John Parsonage

Much as an athlete will observe where they position themselves, or a psychologist look for a trait or mannerism, a

photographer for a certain light, or a pilot a certain weather window, a keen country person / naturalist will consider all of the above. An experienced person will already know their subject and its characteristics. They will have an idea of where and when to observe it and where they might need to be positioned. This type of observation allows me to look for opportunities: for a good photograph, to plainly and simply observe wildlife, to locate another nest box, the chance of a morning's shooting, or to adjust or

tweak the environment so that it has that little bit more diversity. Some will ask ‘how can you square the corners between shooting and conservation, given that they are so far apart’? I would ask ‘what inspired the great wildfowler and naturalist Sir Peter Scott to start up The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust?' Or ‘why did HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh become the first royal patron of the Wildfowlers of Great Britain and Ireland (WAGBI) later to become the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and also the President of the World Wildlife Fund? Of course, I don’t know the answers but if I were

FROM TRIBLAND LAD TO KEEN ENVIRONMENTALIST | ENVIRONMENT Observation - key to our understanding

FROM TRIBLAND LAD TO KEEN ENVIRONMENTALIST

to hazard a guess it would be that they could both see the increasing damage and destruction being done to the environment by way of their close observation of wildlife emanating from their passion for shooting and the wider countryside. I am nothing but a simple country lad, no title of Sir or Highness but the destruction is all too apparent to me. This is especially evident when you observe all the different species you see killed at the roadside (not accounting for the ones which are maimed and disappear). This destruction was first brought home to me after I had taken a photo of a family of Roe Deer in a standing field of Wheat (one of the last outlying fields to be harvested for this particular farmer after a very intermittent harvest). It took me 4-5 attempts at getting up at silly o’clock in the morning, a drive, a walk, a ditch crossing and then a crawl through the bottom of a hedgerow thick in nettles and brambles to get said photo. My perseverance and elation were short lived though as once the field was harvested and the animals displaced, they were systematically eradicated one by one, as road kill on the Glinton bypass. This destruction isn’t just reserved for Deer, there are many other bird and mammal species which suffer the same fate.

The vast majority of motorists who see something dead at the roadside (if they see it at all!) probably never give it a second thought. This is probably where I differ to most people! There are a number of reasons I pay particular attention to what I see.

Initially, and still one of the main reasons, is that I’m always on the lookout for ethically sourced taxidermy specimens. Now, I fully understand this isn’t to everyone’s tastes but, to me, if an animal or bird has been killed and it is in a salvageable condition then I think its beauty should be preserved for others to admire and learn from. The first bird I ever picked up was a waxwing (a migratory bird from Scandinavia) which I found on the roadside in Werrington. It had obviously been eating cotoneaster berries at the roadside where it had been clipped by a car (as soon as I saw the glimpse of yellow and red on its coffee-coloured wing, I knew what it was). They are predominantly berry eaters and in large migratory years several have been reported around the Werrington area. Upon taking this to the taxidermist he asked me where I had got it from as it was only the second such specimen he had taken in, in 25 years of doing taxidermy! This was the bird which heightened my interest in this field.

Several other species have followed; another sad but memorable one was a perfectly intact Barn Owl off the side of the Crowland bypass blowing like a piece of paper with each passing lorry. Since then, I’ve picked up several more (dead and injured). If they are injured, I take them to Unity Wildlife Rescue over at Whittlesey if they are dead, they can

still offer up information. If they have been ringed (metal identification rings placed on legs by qualified ringers when the birds are young) these rings can be sent to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) at the British Museum. This will let you know where the bird was born, the age of the bird, who ringed it etc. If you can identify the female to the male and they are not ringed this can still be useful.

Last year, I found a dead, un ringed female but I also

knew the location of a nearby nestbox on a local farm. As it was in the height of breeding season, I feared the worst for any youngsters. On knocking on the farmer’s door, I explained the situation and they confirmed there were three youngsters on the verge of fledging any day (you could see them standing on the ledge of the box and swaying their heads side to side as they observed you). Knowing the adult female had probably been killed allowed them to monitor the box more closely and supplementary food items could then be left out to help sustain the brood along with prey brought in by the adult male.

Knowledge of your subject also comes in useful for other species too. If a lactating vixen, sow badger or otter is killed then it means there are cubs which are in danger of starving and which will need either finding / helping or additional feeding. Two years ago, I came across such a vixen and although I

searched for the cubs, I couldn’t locate them (although I had observed cubs at a nearby earth the year before). Not liking the thought of them starving I duly set about collecting up any fresh road kill I encountered and then each evening I would go and place this under a row of nearby hawthorn bushes. Evenings are best as it gives the other adult time to locate it, plus, if it’s under the bushes, it means the buzzards don’t get to see it when they fly at first light. Early the next morning I observed another adult fox in the vicinity so I hoped the offerings found their way to the cubs. This status quo continued for several weeks, I often wondered what the police might say if they stopped me driving around with a rabbit / pheasant / duck in the boot!? In addition to this, I also report all the different species I see on an App on my I phone, aptly named Project Splatter! This App allows those involved in running it, to map the spread /

reintroduction of a species across the country. It builds a national picture of the types and numbers of species which are getting killed on our roads on a weekly basis. Due to Covid travelling restrictions, numbers have fallen dramatically over the last 12 months or so.

This identification of species and locality also helps to identify animal accident blackspots so hopefully mitigation measures can be put in place (warning signs, tunnels, fencing etc). This is quite pertinent when it comes to deer and badgers but otters are another species whose numbers are increasing and benefitting from this but I’ll cover them as an individual species in my next article. Returning to the subject of ethically sourced taxidermy, I use my specimens to help educate others (children and adults alike). To date, I’ve done a presentation to a class at Northborough Primary School (where my interest in wildlife was first encouraged), a joint display at Market Deeping Primary School in conjunction with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, a presentation to a class at Monkhouse Primary School in Spalding and a talk to Crowland Wildlife Club. Obviously when time and restrictions allow, I will continue to do others. I get a great sense of satisfaction out of seeing children and adults alike take a keen interest in each of the different species. Hopefully by getting up close and personal to the different animals and birds they will gain a greater appreciation and understanding of the size of various species, the differences between male / female, the adaptations and requirements that each species need. In doing so I hope their appreciation of wildlife continues into later life and helps to justify my efforts but more importantly the sad loss of life of some of our iconic wildlife. As a matter on interest, professionally prepared taxidermy will last around 25-30 years if uncased (depending on how much dust is in the immediate environment) as it is dust mites which do the damage and 100+ years if sealed within a glass display case. In the meantime, I shall continue about my business so if you happen to see some dodgy looking guy peering intently at some ball of fur or feathers at the roadside, don’t despair, give me a beep and a passing wave. Next time you see said fur or feathers they might be completely lifelike and staring back at you …

The beauty of nature is reflected in these monthly images from 2021 across Langdyke Countryside Trust reserves. Trust members are regularly out and about across the reserves which Langdyke either owns or helps to manage - at Etton, Maxey, Helpston, Bainton, Barnack and Castor Hanglands. Their photographs illustrate the changing seasons month by month and the challenges nature has to deal with from day to day.

The year started with extensive flooding and the Etton Maxey Reserve found itself awash with even more water than usual as the image by Brian Lawrence shows. The reserve contains a large flooded area which is home to various wildlife. Water levels on the site are controlled by pumping excess water into the nearby Maxey Cut. February

Snow on the ground, freezing conditions - not the best welcome for Langdyke’s first lamb of the year, born at Etton’s High Meadow site. Despite the cold this hardy little lamb, protected by mum, thrived and she is now happily grazing the nearby Vergette Meadow with the other ewes. The Trust has a mix of mainly Jacob and Hebridean sheep which keep the grass under control at each of the reserves. Photo by David Rowell. March

Swaddywell Pit was the first reserve taken on by Langdyke and is an important site for flora and fauna and in the summer months hosts a wide selection of butterflies. Birds are important visitors as well and Steve Zealand captured this great shot of a song thrush.

One of the most important attractions at Barnack Hills and Holes are the rare Pasque flowers. They flower in spring, usually around April, the plant’s petals sitting cushioned on feathery leaves. It can be found on a small number of chalk and limestone grasslands meaning the ground conditions at the Barnack site are ideal. Martin Browne took this picture. May

A common tern at the Etton Maxey site where special rafts are floated out annually to encourage the birds to breed away from

If you would like more information about Langdyke you can visit langdyke.org.uk And if you are not a member already why not consider joining. It is not expensive and you will be doing a little bit to help the fragile world we live in close to home.

predators. Steve Zealand took the photo of this bird. June

One of highlights of summer for many people is to go hunting for Pyramidal Orchids. These beautiful plants can be found on many of the Langdyke reserves - specially Swaddywell and the Etton sites. Sarah Lambert captured this one at Swaddywell. July

One of Langdyke’s newest reserves is the Vergette Meadow at Etton. It has gone through a lot of change in recent years, farmed for many and then the site of gravel extraction. It has been left as grazing land for the last few years and has produced a spectacular array of wildflowers in the last couple of years. In 2021 special paths were cut and the site was opened up to visitors over several weekends. This photo by David Cowcill demonstrates the wide array of flowers on view. August

The flowering season for the Autumn Lady’s-tresses - a rather dainty and beautiful plant that is classed by the experts as ‘near threatened’. Photographer Paul Young found this specimen at Swaddywell September

Here’s a relative newcomer to the nature scene. Ivy mining bees were first spotted in the UK in 2001. They are seen in autumn - coinciding with the flowering of Ivy. This bee was part of a colony seen by Duncan Kirkwood.

The beauty of nature captured here by Kathryn Parson’s - one of Langdyke’s artists in residence - during a visit to the Torpel site. November

The Bittern - a secretive bird which is very difficult to see as it moves through reeds at water’s edge looking for fish. It makes a loud booming sound. Photographer Dave Roberts took this great shot of a bird in flight from the south observation hide at Etton Maxey. December

A month of cold, dark nights - but the hunt for food still goes on. Sarah Lambert took this magnificent shot of a barn owl out looking for dinner at Etton.

A lot of the natural world has gone into hibernation and, like us, the landscape is wearing its winter apparel, patiently waiting for warmer weather to reappear. But just a couple of months ago, the Amblers were relishing the glorious, riotous colours of autumn – which seemed to last for much longer than we hoped – and we enjoyed several satisfying walks through woodland: as well as impressive foliage, there was a range of fungus to be found if you were attentive. The traditional, red-topped, fairytale toadstools with white spots – Fly Agaric – were what we really hoped to see, and we were not disappointed when we found some in Southey Woods. The bright sunlight certainly highlighted their eyecatching colour and stopped us in our tracks. Once you start noticing it, you realise that fungus comes in an assortment of shapes, sizes, and colours, and grows in a variety of habitats: sometimes on the woodland floor amongst leaf litter; sometimes on rotting branches or tree stumps lying on the ground; sometimes in grassy areas and sometimes on tree trunks still rooted in the soil. Some are tiny and carefully hidden but, once found, reward closer inspection. Some are quite large and easily spotted from some distance

If you would like to join us, text ‘Amblers’ with your message to 07714021131, or PM me on Village Tribune’s Facebook page. We look forward to meeting you.

away. Some are plain brown, whilst others are peachcoloured, orange, lilac, or black. Some are fairly chunky, but some have such delicate, slender stalks that you wonder how they stay upright. All are delightful! (Apart from the Stinkhorn fungus, which smells of rotting flesh but – fortunately – we didn’t find any of those.) In the woods, fields and along river banks in winter, devoid of leaves, the trees reveal their structural beauty. Long, spidery arms reach up into the air, often supporting several silhouetted birds. We are regularly struck by their graceful forms and by the wonderful mirror images they create when reflected in water. There are many local waterways where reflections can regularly be seen but some of the photos shown here were taken during the floods a year ago, when the Amblers were occasionally unable to follow our planned route due to unexpected large areas of water. However, there can be unexpected beauty in the chaos of nature. It is always magical to see the first snowfall of the winter, but it is also thrilling to observe the water rushing under bridges after heavy rain or when the snow melts: the noise is amazing and the swirling torrent mesmerising. At times like this, we come to appreciate the network of dykes, drains and cuts that help stop the local landscape becoming waterlogged even further. A wild wind can be invigorating too (unless it is driving rain in our faces), whipping our words away and making us breathless, and we are impressed by the ability of birds to take flight in it at times. Maybe they are having fun, as we are. This time last year we were enduring another lockdown and wondering when it would all end. Now we are thankful to be feeling optimistic about the future once more and looking forward to the exciting discoveries that await us in 2022. The Amblers began nearly three years ago with a handful of members; now we have over twenty! Not all come along every week (there is no obligation – where’s the fun in that?) but all are welcome. 