Phil Pickin gives some seasonal pointers for the towpath naturalist.
LOOKING back at the previous wildlife column for February, I see that the previous year’s ‘Beast from the East’ was still at the forefront of many people’s minds. But so far winter 2019/20 could not be described as ‘harsh’. Having said this, you have to bear in mind that I’m writing this during the first few days of the new decade so this could have changed by the time this gets into print!
The previous column highlighted the struggle that wildlife has during harsh weather, but although the climate may have been kinder this winter, the milder weather does cause ‘timing issues’. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I’m not the only person who’s noticed an increase in birdsong since we passed the winter solstice. The first shoots of the spring are also appearing in the garden so it’s likely some birds may start nesting early. This is great if the relatively mild weather continues, but all too often there’s a cold snap, the results of which can be significant.
Despite this pessimistic theme, February is a good time to see wildfowl, with resident species being joined by visitors from further afield. Their numbers could increase if our winters continue to warm. But if the winters ‘back home’ are also mild they might opt to stay, which would be both risky and sad. It will be interesting to see what data comes from the likes of the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) on the impacts on the numbers of migrating geese.
Keep a lookout for waxwings, fieldfares and redwings who may still be making the most of the food available. These hardy and attractive thrushes are welcome visitors from the near continent but have sadly not been seen in my area this winter.
As mentioned earlier, bird song is already increasing, none more so than the mistle thrush. Let’s hope you do hear them as their numbers continue to decline. Being early breeders does make them vulnerable to those potential cold snaps.
Birds are often indicators of problems with food supply, loss of habitat or a changing climate, but larger animals can also be confused by our changing weather patterns. Hedgehogs’ hibernation is often disrupted, and this winter large numbers of young hogs have turned up in rescue centres. Thanks to the hard work of these volunteers, large numbers survive, but despite their best efforts, numbers are still falling.
Campaigners and scientists say that we have to make significant changes to the way we live our lives over the coming decade if we want to halt the extinction of many species. These are not just members of the animal kingdom who live in far-flung places, just as many live close to you and me. The State of Nature report, published last year, said that one in seven species were threatened with extinction.
So, maybe this coming spring we should not just enjoy the wildlife we see and hear but also make the most of it. Who knows, in the not-too-distant future it may well be gone! Better still, we should all do whatever we can in 2020 and beyond to stop this happening. We can do it and we must.