Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust writes about winter wildlife ahead of 12 Days Wild challenge
As long as you keep an eye out for the weather and wrap up warm when you decide to head out, winter can be a truly wonderful time to watch wildlife, writes Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
A particular highlight are the large numbers of ducks, geese and swans which gather at various sites throughout the Trent Valley — and if you’re planning a visit, look out for flocks of migratory geese or less common ducks such as goldeneye, goosander, and pintail.
In addition to the spectacle of sheer numbers, male ducks, known as drakes, are resplendent in their brightest plumage and there are also opportunities to see non-resident species such as whooper and Bewick’s swans that migrate here from Scandinavia and Russia to take advantage of our relatively mild winters.
Heading out for a walk after a dusting of snow can present opportunities to spot the tracks of mammals such as fox, deer, badger, and even otter.
A heavy frost can also transform ordinary and familiar sites into winter wonderlands – with grasses, hedgerows and even leaves on the ground bedecked with dazzling crystalline structures which magically reflect the light on bright, crisp winter mornings — made even better if a thick hoar frost has formed.
Once you’ve exhausted the opportunities to connect with nature at ground level, winter is also a great time to take a look at the treetops and beyond. Many birds are now forming winter roosts.
Large gatherings high in the trees provide distinct benefits for birds, namely safety in numbers and much needed warmth. Birds to look out for include corvids such as rooks, crows, and jackdaws and the sight of a large corvid roost massing is a real natural gem.
When you add in the tremendous noise that these roosts generate, it becomes a wildlife experience not to be missed.
The best time to track down bird roosts is around an hour before sunset. Look out for small flocks of birds all heading in the same direction towards safe roosting spots.
A good place to head is our Besthorpe Nature Reserve west of Newark, between the villages of Collingham and Besthorpe – where the island in the main lake – Mons Pool, is home to a sizable roost.
Further details about Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves, events and campaigns, as well as information on a wide-range of native species and our annual festive wildlife challenge – 12 Days Wild, can be found at nottinghamshirewildlife.org
Across the Trent Valley, we are really spoilt for choice of sites and the Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers website – nottsbirders.net – is a wonderful local resource where you can check for local sightings to help plan a day’s wildlife watching.
Their sightings page provides details of particularly notable species and an indication of numbers of other interesting species – so you can gauge your chances of locating a large flock of lapwings or a spectacular number of starlings.
Don’t forget, there are plenty of natural treats to experience from the comfort of your garden or even, in the case of listening to tawny owls, from inside your house.
Tawnies are noisiest in December – so be sure to listen out for their familiar ‘twit twoo' call. Concentrate and you might distinguish between the sharp ‘ke-wick’ call of the female and wavering ‘hoohoo’ of the male.
Foxes are also very active through the winter – with the howls and screams associated with their mating season building to their peak in January. As well as taking in wildlife after dark, winter provides opportunities for a bit of stargazing on cold crisp nights – without the need to stay up late.
While you’ll need to wrap up warm, winter really can be a wonderful time for a spot of wildlife watching and although not everyone is lucky enough to have time off around Christmas, many do, providing an ideal opportunity to get out exploring.
A stroll to work off some calories after hearty Christmas lunch or a brisk Boxing Day walk to burn off an injudicious extra mince pie, are part of many people’s seasonal traditions – so why not head out to see what wildlife you can spot too?