country life
Island Life - April/May 2010
St George's Mushroom Fox Cubs
Swallows
Most people expect to find mushrooms in
the autumn, but the St George’s Mushroom
tends to appear around 23 April, St George’s
Day! Frequently found growing in rings. The
larger rings can be several hundred years old.
Remember don’t eat mushrooms unless you
have taken advice from someone who knows.
Having departed our shores last autumn, the
swallow will arrive back mid April, having
flown 6000 miles from it’s winter vacation
in southern Africa. The journey takes about
four weeks with the males normally the first
to arrive. Many see their appearance as a
sign that summer is on its way.
After a gestation period of 53 days the vixen
will have her cubs in March or April. They
will stay underground for four to five weeks
before emerging from the den to play,
squabble and fight amongst themselves. Non
breeding vixens in the family may help the
mother to rear her cubs.
West Wight Landscape Partnership
Footpaths, forts and trees are the
winners in the latest round of
grants awarded by the West Wight
Landscape Partnership. They include
£7,000 for the IOW Ramblers
Association to improve access to the
Freshwater Way, one of the West
Wight’s most popular walking routes.
Hog Watch
When was the last time you saw
a hedgehog? Evidence suggests
that they are declining at a very
rapid rate! How serious is the
decline and what is causing
it? To try and find out The
People Trust for Endangered
Species (PTES) and the British
Tapnell Farm, Yarmouth will receive
£8,000 to help conserve the Island’s
only native stand of small-leaved
lime, plus a package of works to
strengthen the historic character of
the Grade II listed Fort Redoubt on
Freshwater Bay. www.wwlp.co.uk
Hedgehog Preservation Society
are carrying out a nationwide
public participation survey of
hedgehogs, called HogWatch. To
find out more or take part, go to
www.hogwatch.org.uk.
Bird Watch
2,216 people on the Island took
part in this years ‘RSPB Big Garden
Birdwatch’ during one of the
coldest winters for years. Blue tits
remain the most common bird on
the Island. Blackbirds stayed second
and house sparrows third. Sophie
McCallum, RSPB South East media
officer, said “We were particularly
concerned for small birds over
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the winter. These results highlight
the importance of feeding and
gardening for wildlife, especially
during prolonged cold periods.” To
find out how to make their gardens
more wildlife friendly, visit Homes
for Wildlife website at:
www.rspb.org.uk/hfw
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