3:56pm Thursday 21st January 2010
THE recent prolonged spell of severe weather makes us realise just how much we take our normal ordered lives for granted, and, for those of us living in the more rural areas of our county, the importance of being able to get out to attend to everyday business.
Driving to work, schools, medical appointments, and even shopping have proved difficult or impossible for some, and each foray onto the compacted ice and snow of our frozen lanes has required preparation and care.
Though main routes have been kept open, hundreds of miles of minor roads have had to manage without clearance or gritting, and compliments must be due to those who battled through, such as the emergency services, postal staff, delivery personnel and community volunteers.
We also tend to forget that some livestock, particularly sheep, are still out there in the snow, and they have needed regular checks and supplies.
Our wildlife, too, has suffered great hardship during this time, and many people have increased the frequency of their bird feeding and watering, ensuring the survival of residents and visitors through the freezing nights.
Bird numbers in our garden have grown significantly over the past few weeks, and we have enjoyed seeing even more long tailed tits than ever before. I am disappointed that we haven’t spotted any siskins so far this season, but delighted to see our first tree sparrow for at least four years.
Though the snow has brought its problems, it has also provided the opportunity to see just how much wildlife activity goes on around us even during the worst conditions, thanks to the numerous tracks left overnight.
A walk along the lane showed that fox, deer and rabbits had been out and about during the hours of darkness, and provided the impetus to refresh what I had learned about tracking in my younger days.
It wasn’t too difficult to separate the fox prints from those of our neighbour’s dog walking – similar, but the former are narrower and longer in proportion – or to follow deer or pheasant through breaks in the hedge.
It also appears that rabbits have very little sense of purpose in their wanderings, though in one spot, where they coincided with a set of fresh fox prints, there were definite signs of exit at high speed.
While informative, the lane doesn’t provide a full picture of the comings and goings, as footprints and vehicle tracks disturb most of the surface.
Well-wrapped and wellybooted walks in the adjoining fields, and particularly the woods, do, however, present an opportunity to see the activity in its proper context.
Though popularly perceived to spend much of the winter in their dreys, grey squirrels clearly do a great deal of local mooching.
The same applies to small mammals such as voles, which confine themselves to a quite limited area. Rabbits, likewise, mill around a recognised patch, whereas hares cover a large circuit, even in such adverse conditions.
Hare tracks have proved of special interest, as their gait gives a clear indication of behaviour.
Within the confines of the wood, spacing of up to a metre between sets of prints indicates leisurely progress, whereas marks across our field are spaced at more than two metres, suggesting much greater speed over the open ground.
Of the few deer tracks on our side of the wood, the distinctive hoof prints of the muntjac indicate the occasional passage of single animals.
Without doubt, the most common prints in our area are those of the fox, and they demonstrate what appear to be regular patrol patterns.
It has been curious to note, when provided with a nice clear set of prints, that foxes sometimes walk with a slight off-centre or sideways gait, though I have no idea why this should be.
After one overnight snowfall I was able to track a specific fox round much of its circuit and back to its den, where it had kindly left a small pile of feathers near the entrance to confirm my findings.
I greatly enjoyed these opportunities to hone my tracking skills, but would make it clear that I am in no immediate hurry to repeat the experience, and wouldn’t be at all disappointed if similar extreme conditions do not re-occur for several winters to come.
JOHN WESLEY
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