Wild About Wildlife: Life by the edge of the river

I WAS waiting to go into a school. I arrived early to settle into the environment before meeting the students and staff. I have done my research and there is a beautiful nature park that has been developed by the local river. This was only five minutes from the school and the perfect place to immerse myself in nature.

There is a small car park by the nature park but fortunately it was quiet as the kids were in school. As I stepped out of the car I could hear a robin singing from one of the tall trees that bordered the park.

This is one of the distinctive songs of the autumn and its subdued tones blend in perfectly with the cold and damp weather. While most birds stop singing at the end of summer to conserve energy, robins with their typical independent streak keep on singing throughout the autumn and winter.

I could also hear the calls of a flock of goldfinches. These were moving through the branches of the Alder trees. At this time of the year the alders have lots of ripe cones and these are packed full of high energy seeds. If you look really close you will also see green cones that are not yet ripe and also lots of catkins and these are the flowers of the trees. The seeds from native and exotic trees are a vital source of food for birds during the winter.

As I listened I could hear the calls of a chaffinch. While these birds are not agile enough to prise out the seeds from the alder cones they will eat any seeds that fall to the ground. During the winter chaffinches go around in nearly all male or female groups.

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The river had a big curve by the side of the park and this created a safe and natural quiet water for ducks. I saw a mallard but he had a big touch of farmyard in him. Wild and domestic ducks will often interbreed and their offspring like this mallard are larger and their plumage is more mixed.

As soon as they saw me the resident mute swan swim across for food and despite their name were quiet vocal when they realized I had no food for them. I did not worry too much as I am sure they will get a lot of snacks throughout the day.

One of the banks of the river was covered in willow and where their branches touched the ground I could see a few ducks resting there as they were out of the flow of the water. There was also lots of wildflowers like nettles and willow herbs that had been left uncut and were now full of seeds for birds.

I moved away and heard a wren singing. These little birds have a very powerful song and also a loud warning call. When danger is spotted these calls echoes along the hedgerow with other wrens joining in and this warns other birds that a predator like a cat is around.

High over the river black headed gulls were circling and keeping a watch out for an easy meal. These gulls had dramatically changed their feeding habitats as they continue to adapt to urban living and our throwaway society.

By the playground the low stone wall was covered in maidenhair spleenwort and polyploidy ferns.

I walked along the path and a wide box hedge was the green boundary to a large garden. This had a mature sycamore and oak tree. There were thousands of acrons littering the ground and I instinctively picked up a few and put them in my pocket. A few had marks from animals and birds and mast years where trees produce and abundant crop are a precious time for wild creatures.

Beneath my feet there were countless beech nuts and I could hear the calls of a woodpigeon and great tit calling. With the school bell just about to ring I reluctantly had to turn back.

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