I’m very late writing this. Very, very late. Inexcusably late. So late that I wondered whether I should even go ahead. But then the year wouldn’t be complete and I wouldn’t be able to deal with that – it isn’t neat!
So here’s the final round-up from 2022. A round-up of the final month. A month that feels like a lifetime ago already!
Foxy
Although most of the memories of December are no longer fresh. Withered in the sands of time. There is a particular encounter that I remember vividly. A fox encounter!
It was my partner’s birthday (Christmas Eve – a bad date for my December bank account!) and we went for a frosty walk around a village called Long Compton. It isn’t far from Shipston and, like most of the villages around here, you can walk straight out into the fields pretty much from the main road.
As we headed up one of the surrounding hills, my partner spotted something in a field. The field was slightly up the slope and was covered in shadow from the low sunlight. There was something moving around between the withered crops and the binoculars revealed a beautiful red fox in its fluffy winter coat. It stuck around until it caught sight (or scent!) of us and then swiftly bounded away, its tail bouncing along behind it. It was a wonderful encounter!
Wildlife Spots
One new, final spot for the year – a goldeneye duck at Draycote Water near Rugby. Otherwise, December has become a traditional month to do an ‘audit’ of the wildlife encounters for the year. Looking at our list, my partner and I saw 133 bird species between us. About 20 more than last year.
Some of these spots were extremely lucky (like the glossy ibises I saw at Brandon Marsh with a friend) and others were more routine. Like all of the starlings, blackbirds and wood pigeons that I’m lucky to see pretty much every day.
Community action
I’ve been known to take some old salad tongs out on walks in case I come across any litter (I really am a mad old lady before my time!) but I joined a more communal litter picking activity at the start of December.
I recently found out that there is a community litter pick once a month and I’m trying to make a real effort – where I can – to take part in this. It’s opened up some lovely additional opportunities, such as supporting the development of a local nature reserve and writing about some of my favourite species in the local town newsletter.
Wycoller
I think I’ve written about Wycoller before, but I have to talk about it again. Wycoller is a tiny hamlet on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border. It’s a secluded spot with some old ruins, amazing cottages and a lovely beck running through the centre. It used to sport a cafe (now takeaway) where I worked as a waitress when I was a teen.
It’s fair to say that I never really appreciate the setting – and all of the wildlife! – when I worked there fifteen years ago. But on a pre-Christmas visit to my parents’, I didn’t make that mistake again.
On a walk from a local park to Wycoller, my partner and I saw absolutely all sorts: a dipper, mandarin duck, a goosander, nuthatches, grey herons and a sparrow hawk. And, nearby, on our way out of the hamlet towards the moors, we even saw a tawny owl!
Wonderland
And I’ll end with a book that I think will be my companion throughout 2023. It was from the work secret santa and it’s just perfect. The book is called Wonderland: A Year of Britain’s Wildlife Day by Day by Brett Westwood & Stephen Moss. The authors have noted down something wild for every day of the year – and I can’t wait to read every single one of them!
I hope you had a good December – here’s my full wild list. Happy New Year!
Week 48 cont.
Thurs 1st Dec: I was stunned today by the bright red hawthorn berries on the gate by the meadow. Such beautiful colours.
Fri 2nd Dec: Had an afternoon walk to Barcheston through the fields while it was still light.
Sat 3rd Dec: Took part in a local litter pick in Shipston. I recently found out about the monthly litter pick and hope to do it more often.
Sun 4th Dec: Had a walk around Woodstock and saw a PARROT of all things!
Week 49
Mon 5th Dec: Saw so many buzzards on the way to the office – perching on street lights, fence posts and trees.
Tues 6th Dec: Some beautiful flowers were blooming in the car park at work today: Alpine roses and wood cranesbill.
Weds 7th Dec: Beautiful crisp morning walk to Honington – the ice cracked and the light was pink. Lots of fieldfares on the ground and 2 great spotted woodpeckers in the trees.
Thurs 8th Dec: Saw some bats as the sun went down on a walk along the coast to Valletta in Malta. Enjoying some December sunshine!
Fri 9th Dec: Admired the ivy and other greenery at St Paul’s Catacombs on the outskirts of Mdina.
Sat 10th Dec: Walked through an olive orchard in southern Malta. There were lots of birds but they were all hidden.
Sun 11th Dec: Saw a black redstart (black bird with a red tail when it flies) in Sliema, Malta.
Week 50
Mon 12th Dec: Saw a really big grasshopper on Gozo and drove past a nature reserve on the bus. There aren’t a lot of nature-friendly spaces on Malta, but it was good to see the reserve.
Tues 13th Dec: Read the rest of BBC Wildlife Magazine on the flight home – the flying squirrels on Hokkaido in the main feature were absolutely adorable and there was an interesting story about orcas attacking great white sharks.
Weds 14th Dec: Crisp walk through snow and ice into town. It snowed and froze over while we were on holiday! The trees looked beautiful.
Thurs 15th Dec: Amazing photos in my magazine of Indian paradise flycatcher chicks in their nest.
Fri 16th Dec: Spied on the blackbirds at my mum and dad’s house. The leucistic blackbird called ‘Snowflake’ made an appearance!
Sat 17th Dec: Walked to Wycoller from Ball Grove park – saw so many different birds! And also saw a tawny owl nearby.
Sun 18th Dec: My friend sent me some more comedy wildlife photos. I loved the owls and the penguins!
Week 51
Mon 19th Dec: Grey, wild walk through the local meadow and around. It was good to get some steps in before work.
Tues 20th Dec: Continued a painting for Stefan for his birthday – it’s of a really magical bird. The hen harrier.
Weds 21st Dec: I was over the moon to receive an amazing book from my ‘secret santa’ at work. It’s called Wonderland: A Year of Britain’s Wildlife Day by Day (Brett Westwood & Stephen Moss). It was a perfect present!
Thurs 22nd Dec: Recently subscribed to a charity called Plantlife and I started having a read through their e-bulletin and magazine.
Fri 23rd Dec: Very excited to say that I booked a holiday to Shetland today. We’ll be going in May and I think this is the most excited I’ve ever been about a trip!
Sat 24th Dec: Had a beautiful encounter with a fox on a walk for Stefan’s birthday. We were at a nearby village called Long Compton and had headed into the fields.
Sun 25th Dec: Lovely Christmas morning walk up the Hanson Track. It was grey and gloomy, but it was a wonderful way to start the day.
Week 52
Mon 26th Dec: 10 mile boxing day walk to Stretton and back. Saw quite a few buzzards on the way and a kestrel. It was lovely and sunny.
Tues 27th Dec: Visited Draycote Water near Rugby on the way to Leicestershire. There were lots of birds on the water but the big spot was a goldeneye!
Weds 28th Dec: Very wet and muddy walk near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. It was SO slippy and the waterproofs were ESSENTIAL. I loved it!
Thurs 29th Dec: Beautiful, sunny walk through Melton Mowbray Country Park.
Fri 30th Dec: Walk to Burmington and around. Started thinking about where I could have a good night walk in the future (I got a book about night walking for Christmas!)
Sat 31st Dec: Stefan and I did our bird round up and ‘audit’. Reckon we saw 133 species this year!
Ramblings of a (very!) amateur artist 
old salad tongs are a great idea x
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