Driving to Middleton

My most recent 'Nature Notes' essay, as published locally . . .

If I needed any reminder as to how rich and lovely the countryside around us is in these parts, my Sunday morning journey a few weeks ago to attend church at Middleton-in-Chirbury certainly provided one.  It was a pleasant enough day at the end of September, with the leaves just beginning to catch fire at the tops of some of the overhanging trees.  Just past Marton I saw one red kite, then a second, lift from a tree near the road and then with a sort of lethargic aerial grace skirt the field border nearby.  I seldom fail to see a kite when I’m near Marton, and this beautiful bird is a welcome addition to our local avian fauna.

The rounder wings, stockier shape and wedge tail of a buzzard made a familiar sight over to the right of the lane.  Buzzards too are more common than they used to be, and have spread into many areas in which until recently they were rare - but there have always been plenty in these parts.  This one was hovering just short of some woodland.  Buzzards don’t hover with the ease and skill of a kestrel, but they can do it, though sometimes they have to work pretty hard.  Their keen vision will spot a vole or mouse that we would certainly miss.

There were plenty of pheasants along the lane, birds not known for their sharpness of wit.  They certainly don’t seem to have the nous to get out of the way of cars, and many are killed on our roads.  But then I came across a little group of partridges, two of which flew out of my way immediately, while a third ran along the road in front of me for a little way, before peeling off right and plunging into some bracken.  These were not the common or grey partridge which is our native species, but the red-legged or French partridge, introduced as a game bird and now quite widespread.  This is a neat and strongly marked bird, a sharper and more russet brown than the grey partridge (and, of course, it has red legs).  I’m very fond of them.

I’ve often seen hares along this road, and I did again on this occasion - just a glimpse, really, of this shy and rangy creature.  He dodged quickly into the hedgerow, but previously I’ve followed hares some distance along the lane here before they’ve turned aside.  They tend to follow established paths, and so will run in front of you until they reach one.  Finally, though, I came across a weasel, which quickly scampered across in front of me and into the bushes.  There are more weasels around than you would think, for they’re not too often seen, being quick and furtive.  This one, to my surprise, had been investigating some roadkill;  I had associated weasels entirely with live prey.  So much to see, in just a short journey - magic!