Watch out — that furious Fox can bite!
THIS WEEK’S WILDLIFE WATCH...
TODAY
This time of year offers many opportunities for spotting different members of the Fox family. Over the past year or two, sightings of Liam Fox, once so frequent, have been few and far between. is he settling in for a long-term hibernation?
But Laurence Fox — easily identified by his furious bark and jabbing movements — can be spotted out and about, particularly in his preferred habitat of the TV or radio studio. But do approach him with caution: he can snap, and often appears uneasy in modern and progressive environments.
WEDNESDAY
One of our most ancient tree plantations, Ronnie Wood, still has much to offer the visitor, and continues to provide a natural habitat for some ancient species.
The first recorded mention of Ronnie Wood comes in the diary of the Rev Francis Kilvert on Monday, June 5, 1871: ‘After taking the morning service, i walked to the top of Benny hill, then stopped and turned to look at the view of Ronnie Wood — a sublime spectacle, thin and craggy, but bathed in glory.
‘Further on, i was tempted to take a dip in the brooding Roger Waters, but the whiff served as a warning that it could prove treacherous. On my way homeward, by the side of a muddy track, i spotted a Robert Plant, so fresh and youthful. But a century and a half from now, age may have overtaken him and none of us can guess how he will look.’
THURSDAY
The Taylor swift, with her distinctive warbling, is a rare winter visitor to these shores, but there have been some sightings over the past few months. her song and plumage can easily be mistaken for other birds, including sheryl Crow, but she is possibly the most highly prized of them all.
FRIDAY
AT This time of year, it’s worth keeping an eye open for the ancient unsung Jays, particularly if you happen to be in the area of Westminster. Margaret Jay is notable for her imperious air, and continues to feed off small fry.
sightings of Peter Jay are comparatively rare. Fifty years ago, he could be spotted everywhere, but there has been a marked decline in sightings over the past half century. in his last book, the award-winning nature writer Robert Macfarlane journeyed to slade, and, having climbed Dave hill, looked through his binoculars across the wonderful view.
‘in that glorious moment, i spotted Peter Jay, once such a common sight in europe in the evenings, with his endlessly repetitive chirrup, sounding like “mish-untwex-plain, mish-untwex-plain”. What was he trying to tell us? it was beyond human comprehension.
‘Old english folklore had it that, if you found yourself within 50 yards of the Peter Jay he would start enthusiastically delivering an economic forecast. experts now suspect that this was a way of scaring people off.’
SATURDAY
The rewilding of our ancient woodlands continues apace. imported from America, the indomitable naomi Wolf fast became part of the British environment a few years back. Feared by some, scorned by others, she makes an insistent sound — me-meme — that can be heard a long way off. Over the past decade, there have been regular sightings of naomi Wolf barking up the wrong tree.
Two eagles — Angela and Maria — can also sometimes be seen, though their appearances have grown more infrequent over the past decade, suggesting that they have not adapted well to the fast-changing environment.
SUNDAY
The sturgeon is a long-lived fish that inhabits freshwater environments north of the Border. Brightly coloured and smooth-skinned, she exists on a diet of other fish, small and large. she has even preyed successfuly upon the large and daunting Alex salmond.
Their long and painful tussle was caught on camera by scottish veteran wildlife commentator sarah smith: ‘Observe sturgeon
as she plays with salmond! You might have thought the smaller sturgeon would be no match for salmond, but after a long and bitter struggle, it is sturgeon who comes out on top.
‘Watch her as she leaps completely out of the water, in a show of triumph, and makes a loud splash which can be heard from miles away. And, as for the salmond, he is left flapping around, not knowing what hit him, and with little prospect of a return.’