Wildlife - A personal view

We consider ourselves to be extremely fortunate and privileged to be living in such a beautiful area and it is difficult not to mention the beauty of the coastline within a short distance of Broadmayne. Skylarks still soar in the area and sing their rapturous song and stonechats are seen. Within a few minutes of home we often spot deer, usually three or four together, but sadly one has recently met with an untimely death. Normally, they favour areas of cover with thick undergrowth, venturing along the hedgerows to browse on tree shoots, brambles and low herbage.

Badger setts can be found, but so far we have not observed any of these powerfully built creatures (simply, no doubt, because we are not usually nocturnal!). They feed mainly on a diet of earthworms and have no enemies except man. Plenty of rabbits are encountered, fully recovered after the decimation of their population from myxomatosis disease.

There are no hares now, but foxes appear from time to time, leading their solitary way of life. Usually cattle and sheep graze the fields, though most of the fields are arable – this year mainly growing the golden coloured wheat, barley and blue flax. In a nearby ‘set-aside’ field, a pair of buzzards are seen quite often; these large majestic birds either circle lazily in the sky watching for signs of a meal below or fly low along the ground to pounce on their prey.

Ruth Small - Co-ordinator