The half term holiday has been and gone – thank goodness -- and, in the aftermath, a definite sense of peace and quiet has settled over the Inclosure. During this break from school thousands of visitors must have flocked to the Forest; many of whom could be seen red-faced and flustered as they peddled (or more often pushed) their unfamiliar hire-bikes up the steep gravelled rides in the baking sunshine. Frequently, their shouts, shrieks and vociferous admonitions to both wayward off-spring and defiant dogs echoed through the trees. But now we have a little respite and the ensuing silence allows the distant mewing of a pair of buzzards, who are, as I write, wheeling on outstretched wings, high in a clear, blue sky, to penetrate the inner sanctum of my study.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the influx of our summer visitors causes considerable trauma to some of the inhabitants of the Forest and the absence of deer around the house and in the proximity of the cycle routes is indicative of this time of the year. Within the boundary of my lone property, however, the increased activity in the outside world is of little or no consequence to those who share my home with me. The ducks are not so frequent in their visits now although the mallard drake can be seen on most days. I guess that Mrs. Mallard and the tree-dwelling mandarins are either sitting on eggs or busy herding and protecting their ducklings; I often wonder if, in the fullness of time, we’ll see their offspring or at least those that manage to escape the many hazards that they’ll have to encounter before they are able to fly. Some birds have, once again, chosen to nest within the confines of the garden and paddocks and they include a pair of robins who have brazenly built in the bottom of the horses’ feed bin in one of the lose boxes; Great tits are in the nest box on the wall above my study window and just around the corner, in the ivy, a pair of pied wagtails have already successfully reared and said farewell to their first brood. Enterprising wrens are safely ensconced in the centre of a dense palm tree and have probably chosen the most predator-free nesting site on the property, provided, of course, that Jack the Jack Russell keeps the grey squirrels at bay!!
The swallows have, after much dithering, taken a long time to construct their nest in the stable and, whilst I’m delighted to see these new-comers, I’m not sure that they’re going to successfully produce a brood. They seem to be very erratic; they often disappear for two or three days and just when I give up all hope of their returning, they are suddenly there, swooping and twittering excitedly around the stable door and acting as though they had never been away. Whilst they were visiting the swallow equivalent of Tesco this morning I carried-out a little investigation and a mirror on a stick revealed two eggs in the cup-shaped nest which does make me more optimistic and I hope they continue to lay and hatch some chicks in the not too distant future. They don’t seem at all concerned by their room-mate Isaac the mule but are very unsure about a human presence and I must say that I don’t find this preference very flattering!
Sadly, there’s still no sign of the flycatchers nor have I seen the colourful grey wagtails that have nested here for years. I’m sure it’s too late now for either to make an appearance but I live in hope that next year might be different.
Once again the frogs have fooled me. My pond is not huge and despite close examination since early Spring I’ve seen no evidence of any frogspawn. Imagine my surprise and delight when, as I was feeding the ducks a few days ago, I noticed hundreds of wriggling ‘Taddies’ around the margins of the pond. I’ve no doubt that the ducks, grass snakes and others will account for many of them but some will survive to return in a few year time to lay their spawn.
Moving out of the Inclosure for a brief moment, I know that many of you will be interested to know, that whilst fishing in the Test valley recently with two like-minded colleagues, we observed, in less than two hours, a buzzard, a peregrine falcon, a sparrowhawk, a kestrel and last but by no means least an Osprey! What a privilege it was to see five of our native raptors in such a short time.
I must go now before I get in raptures over these raptors!!
Ian Thew
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