What is in the Countryside ?

When walking through the countryside, especially in the summer it’s not hard to appreciate all that is there. Apart from frequently enjoying the freedom and remoteness, it is the feeling that you actually belong to part of nature that is the most pleasurable. In fact many words can sum up this feeling….enjoyable, satisfying, delightful, good fun, fulfilling, rewarding and so on.In spring and in summer the countryside is normally a tranquil and peaceful place,also it is a hive of activity which is not always obvious to the naked eye.

With the crops already planted by March, the warmer weather and the April showers then aid rapid plant growth. In Britain the types of crops grown has changed over the decades, where once the staples of wheat, barley, maize and oats were grown, we have seen a rapid increase of rapeseed (Brassica Napus). Production of Rape, as it is also known, increased sixfold worldwide between the years 1975 and 2007 and during that and earlier periods the UK’s own production went from  0.007 million tonnes in 1965 to 2.1 million tonnes in 2013.

While its colour a bright yellow definitely brighten up and gives colour to the countryside, its pungent odour can give hay fever sufferers a terrible time. Historically it was used as a lubricant for machinery, but more recently thanks to advances in science it is now more commonly used in the production of animal feeds and edible vegetable oils and also as biodiesel fuel.Many other typical British crops still get grown in the English countryside, with the like of Potatoes, Parsnips, Carrots and Turnips being amongst the most popular.

Moving through the fields we often hear the rustling of animals and birds amongst the crops and in the ditches, but very rarely do you see that many. When you do they tend to run out or fly off and startle us at the same time. The animals (mammals and birds) we tend to see regularly are grouse, pheasants and even the odd rabbit, while the birds tend to be either wood pigeons or doves.

All the time though you can see evidence of others such as Badgers or Foxes or hear the rustling of mice and voles. The Badger is a very shy mammal that can be found throughout the country on farmland, in meadows, on the edges of woodlands and on grassland that is regularly cut. It is very rarely seen because it is nocturnal which means it sleeps during the day and does most of its activity at night. Normally the sets of holes give the game away. When I got my new camera lens in September I was very fortunate to see and shoot some Roe Deer as the hurtled across a ploughed field.

In the UK we have twenty-four native land mammal species living in England today. We used to have more, but some mammals like the wolf, lynx, buffalo and wildcat have become extinct in this country. The natural environment of this country is actually well-suited to mammals and this is why so many other species of mammal that have been introduced to our country do rather well here. These introduced species include: house mice, black rats, brown rats, hares, common rabbits, fallow deer and more recently the Sica and Muntjack Deer, the American Grey Squirrel and the Mink.

 

Our native mammals form a group of varied creatures which provoke great affection in children and adults alike. As well as the Hazel Dormouse, we have three other mice. We also have three species of shrew, three species of vole and two native deer: the Roe Deer and the Red Deer. We have the Badger, the Red Fox, the Hedgehog, the Red Squirrel, the Weasel, the Stoat, the Polecat, the Pine Marten, the Mole and the Otter. Not forgetting of course our native Wild Boar and European Beavers which were both extinct in this country, but have now been reintroduced in the wild.

 

Whether trekking in Spring,Summer or Autumn through the countryside you cannot help but notice the insects, especially during the hot weather. Insects, to many humans can be a nuisance, either with their bites, stings, touch on the skin or even just by appearance. The truth is though they form an important part of the food chain and they should never be disregarded as unimportant. Insects are in abundance especially in the shady areas and also among the nettles around the rivers and lakes. These insects are mainly: Gnats, Midges, Various types of Fly, Wasps, Bees, Beetles, Grubs and Bugs. Also in attendance are many animals the resemble insects: Centipedes, Millipedes, Woodlice, Harvestmen and other forms of Spiders.

The favourite insect among children tends to be the Butterfly as they are seen in the summer in the countryside and in the garden and tend to range in size and colour too. Butterflies tend to get favouritism over the Moth as they come out at night and tend to be seen as a pest in bedrooms and around lights.

When walking around the countryside over many years I get to notice what things have disappeared and also how the countryside has been carved up by overzealous agricultural policies. Bee’s for example, tend to nest in trees. A tree is the natural nest site for the honey bee. A hollow tree provides a dry, dark, cavity with wood roof on which the bees can fix their combs. Protected from rain and wind and some insulation, although honey bees have such a good air conditioning system this need only be minimal.

A small entrance helps the bees that guard the entrance against wasps and alien honey bees that might want to steal the honey. Honey bees also need a supply of water in the spring for diluting honey stores and in the summer for cooling the nest. Overall I love the countryside mainly because its peaceful and as these photos show if you hang around you’re bound to see some of natures wonders.

(All photos in this post were taken by myself and are copyright of Our World Photographics)

The Essex Way

After having a few drinks last night,I woke up with that bloated feeling and having finished delivering leaflets I decided it was a good time to go out with my camera,get some fresh air and hopefully get some good shots.After heading out north of Chelmsford I decided to visit a nice spot south of Great Leighs. I’ve visited it before during the spring,probably around five years ago now so I know my way around.From the outset I knew I wasn’t going to be out for hours as my knee was a little bit tender so I parked,donned my wellies and headed off.

The path heads off alongside the River Ter and into the trees it the branches off to the right,while the Essex Way heads up the hill and off towards Fuller Street,its a path we’ve been along a number of times in Spring and Summer this time it was devoid of all colour but not without subjects to photograph.

 

The Essex Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath 81 miles (130 km) long, along footpaths and roads in Essex, England.The Essex Way was conceived as a result of a competition organised by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England(CPRE) in 1972.The trail starts in Epping in the southwest, crosses Dedham Vale and Constable country to finish at the port of Harwich on the Stour estuary.It leads through ancient woodlands, open farmland, tree-lined river valleys and leafy green lanes, unveiling historic towns and villages along the way.

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The route is waymarked by Essex Way plaques and direction arrows. The original CPRE signs were dark green, but most of these have now been replaced with Essex County Council plaques depicting two poppies on a white background. These are attached to fingerposts, stiles, gates, footbridges and posts. The waymarks, together with the maps in the guidebook, make the walk easy to follow.

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Once off the Essex Way the footpath heads though a meadow before coming out to the road. I managed here to get a host of good river shots as well some good bird ones too as they flew amongst the trees. After an hour I was back at the car just in time as the heavens opened.

Into the Countryside

 

When you venture out into the countryside it is important to understand what is around you and how things in nature work. The food chain is vital in preserving species whether it comes from vegetation or from killing and eating other animal species. If you live near a town or city you are unlikely to see many large animals other than maybe horses, cattle and maybe a few sheep. But once in the countryside you can see all kinds of evidence of the activity that’s been going on.

The pleasant sound of birdsong is always the first thing you will hear all around, but even if you got your camera it is very difficult to get any good photo shots, as birds don’t like posing and never stand still for very long, to enable you to click the shutter. To get really good shots you first really need to find a good spot, where there is lots of birdsong, put down some bird seed ,stay very still and wait till some birds fly down to have a good feed on the food you’ve left nearby. Alternatively you could splash the cash and buy yourself a portable hide.

Do this and what you might see will probably differ from location to location but what you will see will be a delight to be hold. What you might see near rivers for instance could be Kingfishers Cormorants, Great Crested Grebes or even Moorhens. This is because waterways are full of small fish, tadpoles and water based insects which these birds feed on. Near Woodlands, you may see Woodpeckers, Treecreepers, Finches and Jays as they like feeding on bark insects and grubs which are around in abundance.

Other birds will be around however, although some are less likely to be seen during the day, Owls and the Nightjar for instance, as these tend to feed at night, when we humans are all tucked up in bed. Most commonly we will though get a glimpse of popular garden birds such as Blackbirds, Sparrows, Robins, Pigeons, Doves, Thrushes and the many varieties of the Tit family. Near rivers you may see various species of Ducks, Geese as well as Swans.

Away from birds there are other animals around, most you’re more lightly to hear rather than see as they take cover in the foliage of bushes and the refuge of ditches and riverbanks. These can vary from Mice, Voles, Shrews and man’s least favourite the Rat. Despite all the various stories and tales all of these are chiefly vegetarian.

Insects too are in abundance especially in the shady areas and also among the nettles around the rivers and lakes. These insects are mainly: Gnats, Midges, Various types of Fly, Wasps, Bees, Beetles, Grubs and Bugs. Also in attendance are many animals the resemble insects: Centipedes, Millipedes, Woodlice, Harvestmen and other forms of Spiders.

The favourite insect among children tends to be the Butterfly as they are seen in the summer in the countryside and in the garden and tend to range in size and colour too. Butterflies tend to get favouritism over the Moth as they come out at night and tend to be seen as a pest in bedrooms and around lights. You can always see evidence of other small animals in the countryside whether it be, a Foxes den and Badger set, but because these animals are mainly nocturnal they only come out of night. Other lesser spotted animals are Bats and Hedgehogs.

Other more noticed among small animals is the squirrel. Squirrels come in three types: tree squirrels, ground squirrels and flying squirrels. In temperate climates, squirrels often store or bury seeds and nuts for the winter. This makes them important seed dispersers, since not all of them survive to return to their cache.

Lastly for now anyway is the Rabbit.

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha. There are eight different genera in the family classified as rabbits, including the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cottontail rabbits (genus Sylvilagus; 13 species), and the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi, an endangered species on Amami Ōshima, Japan). There are many other species of rabbit, and these, along with pikas and hares, make up the order Lagomorpha. Rabbit habitats include meadows, woods, forests, grasslands and wetlands. Rabbits live in groups, and the best known species, the European rabbit, lives in underground burrows, or rabbit holes. A group of burrows is called a warren.

Sometime soon hopefully, I’ll be able to talk about the vegetation in the countryside and the flowers and how this affects the Eco structure of the landscape in the UK.