Winter Flooding

There was a cold spell at the beginning of last month and I saw some snow flurries on the Downs but nothing serious to talk about. Sadly the New Year has come in with a lot of flooding on the Downs and in the valleys. Temporary flooding will probably be unavoidable this month if the rain continues but with good ditch maintenance water-logging and run-off can be prevented. An advantage of ditch maintenance is that earthworms will not drown in the water-logged soil and can therefore continue to aerate the soil. If the weather turns cold again the farmers will be busy ensuring that their livestock in the fields are getting enough water and nutrients and so they will be breaking the ice on the water troughs and supplying salt licks near the feeding areas. Landowners and farmers can help wildlife by leaving the cutting of their hedgerows until the end of this month. This will allow berries and seeds to remain on the branches as long as possible and to also give them extra cover from predators and the harsh winter elements. This is a good month to sort out those gaps in the hedge and fix the fencing. However, it is always good to hold in mind to leave the odd old tree with ivy on it along the fence line if it is possible because they make wonderful niches for many species of insect and animal and by leaving the ivy provide a source of nectar.

House Mice

Look out for a number of species of bird, such as the Blackbird, foraging for food and taking advantage of what has been left on the bird table. Also look out for magpies feeding off carrion on the side roads and the over- wintering flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on apples in the orchards. A number of mammals have gone to ground like the female Badger who will be having cubs this month. Some animals have moved indoors like the House Mouse, while others can be seen looking for food when the weather is not too bad such as the Grey Squirrel. At this time of year many insects remain in hibernation like the ladybird beetle, but occasionally if the weather does brighten and remain warm the odd fly may buzz by. The insects that can be seen this month will be taking advantage of the milder weather we experienced at the beginning of this month. The warmer weather has also allowed a number of flowers to stay in bloom for example Yarrow, Hogweed and Cat’s-ear but has also brought out some of our early flowers just that little earlier like the Primrose. Already Snowdrop bulbs on road banks and in woods have shoots appearing.

Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

The Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) can be found out in a few places this month and can nearly always be found somewhere through out the year. The Dandelion is a complex plant in that there are numerous micro-species of them to be found in this country. Its name derives from the French name ‘Dent de lion’ which means teeth of the lion and this is referring to the shape of the toothed leaves resembling lions teeth. Dandelions can be found growing in most habitats on land. They are known to possess lots of vitamin A and C and so have been eaten in salads for years. The roots also can be collected, washed, roasted then ground to make coffee. I would recommend that you only collect the roots in the autumn when the sap is not rising. I say this because otherwise you may find out that this plant is a very powerful purgative. As a child I was told that in France it is known as ‘pissenlit’ which means ‘wet the bed’ and this is because if you swallow the rubbery white sap it acts as a powerful diuretic.

The Alder's male catkins Alnus glutinosa

Another flower that has just started to appear is the Alder’s (Alnus glutinosa) male catkins. Alder is found growing along river and pond edges. It not only has deep roots but also has the ability to fix nitrogen from the air to give it a good chance to survive in water-logged areas. Not too long from now the red-mauve female flowers will also appear on the twigs beside the male catkins and hopefully be fertilised and turn into cones that will drop later and then germinate and grow in other wet areas. The wood when cut does not rot if used under water and so it has been used for centuries for piling and to shore up canal edges. The wood was also used to make clogs and the charcoal from it was used in gunpowder. It has also long been associated with evil spirits because when cut the sap appears like orange-red blood and the more superstitious people refused to cut it in case it brought harm on them and their family.

Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima

Not all plants have to be in flower to be noticed this month and one that looks as equally impressive in berry as in flower is the Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima). This plant goes by a number of names like Gladdon, Bloody Bones and Roast-beef Plant. The Stinking Iris name comes from the fact that the leaves when rubbed give a strong smell, however, it is not that unpleasant. It can often be found in woods and hedge-banks on the downs and in the weald and has quite often been introduced to churchyards because of its colourful orange berries.

Next month, February, I will tell you about some other plants, birds and mammals to look out for.