Despite the fact that I live as far from the Sea as is possible in the UK and there are no particularly notable habits around me, my local patch is surprisingly varied and interesting. RSPB Otmoor is my nearest nature reserve but as it’s around 40 miles away the walk from my house which encompasses water meadows, woodland and the slowly meandering Evenlode river is where I do much of my wildlife watching. One of my favourite memories is looking down on the flooded water meadows one crisp New Year morning to see eight species of duck on a single small expanse of water, a wonderful sight given that, other than the resident Mandarins, waterfowl is generally rare. During the same spell of flooding I discovered a Little Egret, almost certainly the only one ever recorded on the patch as they haven’t really spread to rural Oxfordshire yet!
Little egret by Graham Catley
What makes the area so special for me is its proximity to the house: from my window I can see the Barn Owl box in an adjacent field which I know this year has supported a pair of Owls and an ongoing breeding attempt. Aged five I can clearly remember going down to the meadows adjacent to the river before school on a clear Spring morning to witness a different Barn Owl rhythmically catching Voles and returning to the nest to feed its own young.
Though nothing exceptionally rare is likely to turn up in an area so far inland, it is the continual seasonal changes not only to bird life but also with regard to the emergence of hedgehogs and other hibernating animals, the barking of deer and the ongoing cycling of vegetation that make the patch so special. At no time of year is the area dull, though sometimes attention to the smaller details of the Wildlife around us is required to fully appreciate nature’s prowess. The continual birdsong and seasonal additions of grasshoppers, Roe Deer and young birds is something I will never take for granted and I feel very lucky to have such a diverse space so close to home which I can watch wildlife in regularly.
Though it may not be obvious at first, often the best places for learning about our environment occur close to home as we are able to gain a greater appreciation for how the different aspects of the ecosystem link together. Even urban areas can be good as they provide such a wide range of habitats and thus a large number of species can be supported, but in order to fully appreciate a local ‘patch’ it is important to observe the wildlife without disturbing it too much; I have found viewing spotted flycatchers from a distance intriguing as all behave slightly differently and it offers a good insight into each flycatchers’ individual preferences and bonds within my patch.
Oscar