Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2008/January 2009 | Page 68

COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING

countryside
news

life

Compiled by Tony Ridd

DO YOU HAVE A
COUNTRYSIDE STORY?

what to
look out
for...

Winter visiting birds
Each winter we play host for many ‘winter
migrating’ birds, coming to us to escape
the colder, harsher climate of their summer
homes. Look out for small flocks of Fieldfares
and Redwings, common around hedgerows
and gardens. I have already spotted a short
eared owl in the hedge by our home, a real
treat as there are only a handful of sightings
each year.

back to nature
A countrymans diary
Through-out the summer we get envious gazes and
comments from people who ‘wish’ they had our
job! It is pretty good, whizzing round woodlands
and the countryside on quad bikes, driving tractors
and generally jollying it up in the sun. Or that’s the
impression we like to give!
However these ‘envious’, people seem to disappear
when the winter months start
knocking. And, as I am always
saying, winter is our busiest time
of the year, daylight is in short
supply, but our days seem just
as long, often packing up and
walking back across muddy fields
in torchlight.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not
moaning – quite the reverse.
I love it, in fact, I can’t get
enough of it, if only it could rain
everyday…
I am embarrassed to say, that I
have already got the Landrover
stuck in mud, having to wander off to get a tractor
to pull it out. I normally save this time consuming
stunt for early in the new year. I’m not sure if this is
an omen for a wet winter or me thinking I can walk
on water?
Anyone believing our job was a piece of cake, seek
me out, and tell me ‘how lucky I am’ on a Friday
evening, when I’m searching through the mud in
the dark, looking for the wheel nuts from the quad
trailer because it has got yet another puncture!
I wouldn’t want to do anything else though…

CALL TONY ON 07966 292334

68

The Island's new funky radio station www.wightfm.com