A series of articles on the Finningham

 countryside throughout the year

Unfortunately, our contributor for this section of our website has now moved away from the village.  Until we can find someone to take his place, we shall leave these previous articles on our site, so that you can continue to enjoy what he had to say (even if they are a little out of date).

We wish Trevor and Olive all health and happiness in their new home. 

Spring 2009

This year, these comments are rather later than usual.  Here in Finninham and the surrounds, the spring seems to have been on and off for some time.  The Daffodils have lasted well because some of the nights have remained cold.  In fact, now that spring really does seem to have arrived, we can see the results of the exceptionally cold, frosty and snowy weather of late winter.   It will be interesting to watch the development and blossoming of the local horse-chestnut trees.  Following last year's very serious attack by the leaf mining moth (Cameraria ohridella); will the size of this year's leaves and blossoms be reduced?  The leaves and blossoms are too newly formed for this question to be answered yet.  The very hard frosty weather experienced in late winter may have reduced the overwintering stages of the moth.  Late summer should reveal whether this is the case or not.

Oilseed rape crops are beginning to flower but there is clear evidence of the massive amount of earlier pigeon damage during the hard weather.  What is very interesting are the huge numbers of wood pigeons.  In fact, I gain the the distinct impression that their population has greatly increased during the last two or three decades.  Is my memory deceiving me when I recall that pigeon numbers causing crop dmamge used to consist mainly of feral pigeons?  Is it not also strange that wood pigeons seem much commoner in our garden trees and hedges?  Where are the feral pigeons these days?  Surely not all in Trafalgar Square!

Last year's dreadful summer must have been detrimental to garden birds.  Here in Finningham there seem to be far fewer blue tits, great tits, gold finches chaffinches and long-tailed tits.  The difficulty rearing youngsters and their poor survival after leaving the nest during 2008 may both be responsible.

 Although the mid April weather has been dry and sunny here, there are only small numbers of bumble bees about though, of course, if the weather remains open, colonies will soon develop and then we shall hear their buzzing around the flower beds.  The seems to be a scare story about the decreases in the numbers of honey bees.  Some are already saying that it is a result of modern farming techniques and especially the use of certain insecticides.  It is always easy to blame the poor farmer and the chemical industry.  The story is probably more complex and some experts are talking of viruses and other diseases of bees , which may underly the problem.

I have already noticed that hedgehogs are becoming more active in the garden.  This is especially good news because their winter hibernation was interrupted by the early winter weather, which meant that some were moving about looking for food, when there was none to be found.  Hedgehog rescuers were busy because many of them would have died of starvation when they should have been fast asleep, with their metabolism barely "ticking over".  One local rescuer had over ninety in his care.

In the recent dry period, a good deal of field work has been obvious on the farms.  Planting of such crops as potatoes, onions and sugar beet is well ahead.

Who has been watching the Oak and Ash buds?  Remember - "Oak before the Ash, we'll have a splash; Ash before Oak, we'll get a soak".  Which will it be this summer?