Sunday Morning Hike

What better way is there to make the most of the last nice days of summer than to go for a hike? This morning we set off across the fields which have all been harvested or cut for straw and look ready for autumn. I have read about a "bumper" early crop of wild berries in the UK caused by the warm summer (http://ind.pn/1lEE0ZD) and this certainly seemed to be true of the blackberries, sloe berries and elderberries which had already started emerging in patches all along our route, many of which were already ripe.This is good news for the farmland bird species in the area.

We also passed this pond which got me wondering about great crested newts in the area. I'm not sure how many other bodies of water there are in the immediate area (certainly none big enough to appear on google maps), however I have seen from past surveys that even small bodies of water can support surprisingly large numbers of newts depending on other factors in the habitat.

After admiring the view across the fields and spotting a kestrel flying overhead, we treating ourselves to breakfast at a nearby cafe...its always nice to have something to look forward to at the end of a long walk!

A Surprising Visitor

Living in a rural area brings many rewards for a conservationist, until moving to South
Fambridge I had never heard the sound of a cuckoo in its natural habitat or questioned the 
ethics of development versus preservation of habitat. This is something now that is firmly in 
the forefront of my mind and thankfully something that I appreciate on a daily basis.

On a warm day sunny day in July I was fortunate to see this little creature basking in the 
warmth on the dark background of my mums washing bin sitting in the doorway. A fantastic 
example of where two worlds meet.

I have seen common lizards down by the river which is very close to my house and where 
there is an abundance of long vegetation and open patches in which they can bask but 
having one in my garden is a first for me! Of course the question I asked is which route did 
it travel to get there, along the short road leading from the river or across the arable fields?

For those who may be wondering why its tail seems too short and dark, common lizards 
(as well as many other species) have the amazing ability to drop their tails if trapped or 
startled by a potential threat such as a predator. They often grow back much shorter and 
sometimes darker than the original tail.

This is an interesting aspect of this lizard and I would be keen to see the condition of others as there has been a large area of scrubland cut recently for, which appears to be change of use to residential garden which may account for the migration into a domestic garden. There has also been some activity of a proposed car breakers yard in very close proximity to the river within a site which has been empty and unused for more than twenty years and of course this potential disturbance may have some bearing on this. This is one factor that has caused a great deal of concern to local residents and users of the river and has been well documented during the Planning process.

Trip to Wales

Wales is a beautiful country. Its not particularly exciting or tropical, the weather is usually miserable and driving up the very steep and narrow country lanes can be pretty dangerous at best, but it is beautiful. I was lucky enough to spend the last four days in the South of Wales, visiting a friend from university at his farm house situated one of the hillsides which forms the vast valley in which sits the little town of Ystradgynlais. 

Below is a picture of the view from the garden

   

I have visited both Wales and Scotland and I think they appeal to me because of the ruggedness and varied nature of the landscape. Its a stark contrast to the flat and comparatively built up location which I am used to at home and its a welcome change of scenery. Not that the Essex countryside doesn't have its own form of quaint beauty, especially in the summer when the crop fields are a patchwork of golds, yellows and purples. But he vast open areas and patches of forest in Wales give a small glimpse into what the rest of the English countryside may have looked like before the land was allocated for other uses and even within this landscape you can clearly see how farmland has fragmented a variety of habitats.

However even in developed areas its is possible to find unexpected wildlife. For example, another friend managed to find a fairly large, hairy caterpillar whilst queuing to buy donuts in Oakwood Theme Park. He returned, donuts in one hand and caterpillar in the other and placed it back in a tree where it would be safer.

I've returned home in time for the Welsh weather to follow me back, but I thoroughly enjoyed my long weekend in Wales and I hope to return in the near future.