Читать книгу Bill Oddie’s How to Watch Wildlife - Stephen Moss - Страница 29

Pick a fine day and go on a woodland walk. Look out for the first wild flowers: usually snowdrops, which may appear early if it is a mild winter.

Listen for birdsong. Robins sing throughout the autumn and winter, but they may be joined by wrens, dunnocks, blackbirds and mistle and song thrushes if the weather is fine. Listen for high-pitched contact calls given by tit flocks, then try to track them down and check for unusual species such as coal or marsh tits, nuthatches or treecreepers. The highest-pitched call of all belongs to the tiny goldcrest, our smallest bird.

Look up as you walk: mistletoe is easy to see, high on its host trees.

Look for wintering birds in stubble fields. Flocks of finches, buntings and sparrows often gather to feed on leftover weed seeds; and may be joined by thrushes, crows and jackdaws.

Take a stroll down the tideline: you’ll be amazed at what the sea can wash up. As well as the usual junk from ships, you may find the corpse of a dolphin or porpoise, or dead seabirds washed ashore after winter storms: auks such as guillemots and razorbills are especially vulnerable as they spend the winter at sea.