The Natural History of Wing Parish
(Notes from a WEA Course of lectures and fieldwork run by Victor Scott Apr 2000)
1.Bird Life
2.Local Wetlands, Rivers, Ponds,
etc
3.Farming and Local Wildlife
4.Insects, particularly Butterflies
and Moths
5.Burcott Hall Valley
1. Bird Life
Wing is a typical mid-Buckinghamshire farming area with no large areas of ancient woodland (as opposed to the 1000-year-old portions of the Forest of Barnwood that are found to the north around the Claydons and Grendon Underwood). However, unlike many other areas of Britain, the uniquely British patchwork of fields still exist, with most hedgerows only dating from the time of the Enclosure Acts. A few are 1000 years old, bordering the ancient bridal- and foot- paths that linked the old villages.
The Birds of Wing are typical of elsewhere in the area. Common birds found around gardens, such as Bluetits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Robins and Blackbirds, are woodland birds that adapted as their habitat was destroyed. Jackdaws are common, Yellowhammers can be found in open hedgerows, Bullfinches in the denser hedges and a wide range of the finches at woodland margins. Whilst linnets have suffered a decline, the other finches retain their numbers. Warblers and the Reed Bunting are found in the reed-beds invading the ponds in the Parish.
Over recent years many species have declined sharply. The 1960’s saw a sharp decline due to the build-up of pesticides, such ad DDT, in the food chain. Other factors have also had an impact. The proliferation of modern houses with sealed, felted roof voids, has reduced nesting sites for the House Sparrow, as has the decline of another favoured site, the hay and straw stacks in fields. Additionally, modern farming techniques have reduced the amount of spilt grain to be found in farmyards and elsewhere. Swallows also have suffered a decline due to the loss of nesting sites in old farm buildings and the reduction in food supply, such as that provided by the flies around typical old farmyard manure heaps. Whitethroats , which return to Wing to breed, were effected by climatic change in the Moroccan Sahel where they overwinter. Rooks, about 25 years ago, lost their favoured nesting sites in Elms, due to the Dutch Elm Disease, and have only recovered following adaptation to sites in trees such as Ash and Sycamore. The removal of controls, including an annual Rook Shoot (was Rook Pie the source of Four and Twenty Blackbirds baked in a Pie?) has also aided the recovery of numbers.
On the other hand other species have been on the increase. Magpies, a destructive pest that feeds on eggs and young birds, have been favoured by the ready supply of carrion found on our roads and their numbers have proliferated along the corridors provided thereby. Again the lack of control by farmers protecting free-range hens has also helped numbers to grow. The Collared Dove is a recent arrival in Britain after an unexplained spread in a 150-mile wide corridor up from Iran, where it originated in the 1920’s.
A range of migrants passes through Wing. March sees Wheatears on the plough on the hill down towards Mentmore. The Golden Plover passes through on its way to breed in the North. Grey Wagtail is seen in brooks in the winter and May sees the Redstart pass through. September/October will see the Osprey in transit. The Siskin winters in Wing.
A number of rarities also exist in Wing. Birds such as the Hobby, the Short-Eared Owl, the Barn Owl (White owl), the Buzzard and the Sparrowhawk can be seen. All three Woodpeckers exist in the Parish and the Kingfisher is found on the streams.
There is much to interest the bird-lover in Wing and more details can be found in the other sections of these notes.
2 - LOCAL WETLANDS RIVERS & PONDS, etc.
The whole of Wing Parish lies within the watershed of the Upper River Ouse basin. Many small streams flowing towards Stewkley Road, Cublington Road, Upper Wingbury, Wing, Ledburn and Linslade and then to the River Ousel in Linslade and on to the River Ouse at Newport Pagnell.
Wing Parish lies in a relatively high area, hence there are no natural lakes. There are some ponds in the corners of fields due to field drainage. Much of the soil is thick clay where water lies all the time during the wet season but bakes hard in prolonged dry weather. All the ponds within the parish are man made, probably dug before World War Two as a water supply for cattle as there was no piped water before the war. Large holes were dug in the clay and a straw and clay mixture was used to line the pond. This mixture held the water for cattle and other livestock. Every few years farmers and labourers would clean the ponds. This was done during the winter when debris would be removed.
Bankside plants and marginal plants would grow around and in the ponds. Yellow Iris, Reed and Bulrush have their roots in the pond thus creating a wetland emergent vegetation. Some plants float on or above the surface – these plants have fixed roots whilst others are free floating. (The familiar, Water Lily with fixed roots and Duck- weed, found in all ponds is a free floating aquatic plant, with no fixed anchorage, consisting of small floating roots which nourish the plant).
On many of the ponds Moorhens, Coots, and Mallard ducks can be found.
Also around the ponds a vast array of insects live out their lives. Dragonfly larvae live for up to two years underwater and then in just a few weeks the beautiful adults emerge to spend the rest of their days around the water. The Damselfly has wings that fold and the Dragonfly has wings like an aeroplane.
As the area has no large lakes or ponds Otters no longer live here but Water Vole and Water Rats are abundant. Many small fish inhabit the streams:- Minnow, Gudgeon, Three Spined Stickleback, Roach, Pike (only when the water level is high). Most of the water in the streams is slightly acid which therefore precludes natural Trout, but there are some native Crayfish.
There are numerous Frogs around the pond areas. These creatures stay all the winter hibernating at the bottom of the pond and in the spring lay their spawn about four inches below the water level. Frogs have a slimy skin and need to be near a pond at all times as they soon die if their skins dry out. Toads, on the other hand, have rough dry skins and are happy as long as they can be somewhere cool. Toads are sociable, communal, breeders, often returning to the pond where they were bred. This instinct to return to their native pond can sometimes mean a very long walk!
Newts can also be found in local ponds. The Smooth or Common Newt can be found in most of the ponds within the parish, whereas the Great Crested Newt is quite a rarity locally.
The plants in wetland areas around Wing have become rarer, due in the most part to drier summers. This is true of Ragged Robin, Cuckoo Flower (related to the water cress) and Marsh Marigold or Kingcup.
Along the streams around Wing Burr Reed is very common as is Fools Water cress. Yellow Water Lily requires static deeper water often near ditches. On the pond in the field below the recreation ground, near the medieval settlement, Carp were probably bred for the table. Until a few years ago boys used to fish the pond but it is now full of reeds. Within 100 years this area could become a swampy woodland with willows and other swamp plants.
By the brooks Teasel grows in abundance, the seeds being a source of food for Gold Finches in winter. Great Reed Mace (often mistakenly called Bulrush because a mid Victorian artist painted a baby in the bulrush) grow abundantly by the ponds. Also Marshland Birdsfoot Trefoil grows to a height of 2 – 3 feet by the pond in the park. Water Crowfoot can also be seen in May. The rare Butterburr, usually submerged in water but with its flowers above the waterline can be found in the brook as can Arrowhead be found in the ditch between Mentmore cross roads and Ledburn.
Other water plants such as Great Horse Tail is prolific in Burcott wetlands. Bog Bean can be found on the pond on the way to Soulbury.
Ragged Robin, Winter Cress, Sallow, Water Mint with its pink flowers in the autumn, Lady’s Smock or Cuckoo Flower and Water Forget-me-not can all be found by the edge of the streams.
Coots, Moorhens, Reed Buntings, Reed Warblers (Sedge Warblers, a migrant to this country) occasional Herons, and Kingfishers can be seen by the larger streams. Most of the Herons come from Marsworth, just ten minutes flight away, where there is a breeding colony. Mallards which breed around the parish often nest in the tops of pollarded willows – a mighty leap for the young ducklings!
Along the stream, near the sewage treatment works, can be seen Wagtails and Female Toads giving lifts to the males! On any stretch of stream or garden pond small blue (m) yellow (f) Damselflies (especially in the Burcott Nature Reserve) and large red bodied, gossamer winged Dragonflies can be found in abundance during the summer (from mid June to August).
The diverse animal, bird and insect life of Wing Parish all combine together to make an interesting habitat.
There has probably been more change in agriculture in this country during the 20th Century than in any other industry. Hitherto 60 – 7O per cent of the male population would have been employed on the land. Ascott, the largest estate in Wing, now only employs three full time men and this is reflected as the general pattern over rural Britain, especially in mixed farming. Dairy farming has also declined, as has general livestock farming. Nowadays outside contractors do most of the hedgecutting, ploughing and harvesting etc., and all this has had a great bearing on our wildlife habitat.
After the days of strip farming Enclosures Acts were introduced (from the mid 18th Century) and England became the area of patchwork fields and hedges that we know today. On the other hand Continental Europe had large areas of open farmland interspersed with large wooded areas.
New hedges of Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Hazel were planted. Traditional dense, layered hedges were as good as a fence for keeping livestock secure. The hedges also acted as good and secure nesting sites for farmland and hedgerow birds. All types of Finches, Yellowhammers and Corn Buntings were able to feed on the weeds which grew under the hedges, mainly Chickweed. Goldfinches fed on Teasels whilst Blackbirds, Mistle and Song Thrushes dug for earthworms.
In modern Britain, laws protect our wild birds, although some people challenge authority. In parts of Western Europe wild birds do not have the protection of laws and are often shot for game and fun.
In general the bird life here in Wing is good due in most part to the non-intensive farming methods used. Fifty years ago the stubble left after harvesting would feed many birds during the winter. These included Finches, Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings and Skylarks. Then came winter Wheat planting (Wheat, Barley and Rape Seed) and within ten years virtually no spring planting was taking place – hence depriving the birds of winter feed.
In a 20 acre field of wheat where the weeds have been destroyed, thus producing a monoculture, breeding pairs of birds are often in single figures. The numbers of Grey Partridges have been in rapid decline due to monoculture and the destruction of weed seeds, (and Aphids – the food of baby Partridges) and changes in agricultural practice.
Rooks have not been affected by changes because they are varied feeders. The same applies to the Wood Pigeon which feed on any type of vegetable matter.
Owls have suffered greatly, although there are quite a number of Tawny Owls. Barn Owls have declined dramatically due to a number of reasons.
3. In the 1960’s CHC’s (agricultural pesticides) were used on fields and as a result the vegetation was highly toxic. If the Owls took lots of Mice it was enough to kill them. This applied also to other Raptores such as Peregrines, Buzzards and Hawks.
Nowadays more young Barn Owls die by the roadside looking for food. In 20 years the Barn Owl may be extinct in many parts of Britain but Barn Owls do breed in a protected area on the Ascott Estate.
Lapwings (Peewits) used to breed in Wing in substantial numbers but because of the lack of winter feed no longer do so. Ground nesting birds use distracting tactics to protect their young from Foxes and other predators. Song Thrushes and Skylarks are also in decline but can still be found in Wing in gardens and over the farmland.
Rabbits need to be kept under control as they can do enormous damage to crops and vegetables. The Harvest Mouse is now a rarity due to large combine harvesters. Any that are about are to be found in the fluffy balls of Willow herb. Hares do not like monoculture as they prefer a variety of food. Foxes are as common as ever and have adapted well to semi-urban living. Badgers are common in Wing, living in social communities and the setts are used time and again. American Mink, which have been released in this country, are a pest to all types of ducks. There is no natural predator to keep numbers under control and they can be found along the brook on the outskirts of Wing.
Grey Squirrels, very common in Wing, do great damage to trees. Chinese Water Deer can be found on the Ascott Estate while Muntjack, which have probably wandered from the Bedford Estates and now inhabit an area from the Chilterns to the New Forest, can be found around Wing. (In the New Forest area steps are being taken to exterminate Muntjack because they damage young trees by stripping the bark). Hedgehogs feed on Slugs, Snails and Earthworms.
In intensely farmed areas and crops of Brassicas poisons are put down to control Slugs and when the Hedgehogs eat the Slugs, they die.
Quails are in Wing but are rarely seen. They can be heard calling to one another on a Summer evening.
Turtle Doves are now rare in this country. As this bird is a migrant, the sole blame for this sad state of virtual extinction is that it flies through France where it is shot!!
One only has to walk anywhere in Wing to see the healthy state of numbers of Moles. The Little Owl is common in Wing and is found by the brooks and streams.
Of all the farmland plants, Cow Parsley is the most common and can be found in abundance along every hedgerow. Corn Mint can be found in most corn fields and as it is only 6 inches high most combine harvesters miss it when reaping. Large white flowered Bindweed and its smaller pink partner are familiar in all hedges. Also present in farmland is the Gallant Soldier, a small weed resistant to most garden and farm weedkillers.
Yellow Toad Flax is a constant concern to farmers as it is very poisonous to livestock. Opium Poppies are now very rare in corn fields as is the Corn Marigold. Grass Vetchling is also a rarity but can be seen on the A418 on the hill out of Wing.
The Seed Act of 1920, which stipulated that the purity of seed had to be 98% pure, is one of the main reasons that farmland flowers and their seed harvest for animals, birds and insects are now in decline. Other factors are the great changes in agricultural practices and the consequent effect of loss of habitat.
4 -INSECTS ESPECIALLY BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
Of all the orders within the animal kingdom the classification of insects is the most profuse. There are 4000 kinds of Beetle, 3.500 Flies and 3.500 species of Wasp (many of whom lead very solitary lives).
In Britain there are 65 species of Butterfly and we probably have half that number that can be found in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. In Wing the total number of species is probably no more than twenty. We do not have any rare Butterflies or Moths because we are not near the coast and therefore do not pick up any that might have lost their way or been blown off course.
The insect world is vast and can be identified by having six legs and two pairs of wings. Some jump, some bite and some sting (Fleas, Bees, Wasps, Hornets and Ants).
Butterflies and Moths are of the order Lepidoptera (insects with scaled wings). The scales act as waterproofing and the two pairs of wings are joined together. In the Butterfly the wings are joined like a biological "tongue and groove" and in the Moth "a pin and staple" system. Butterflies have antennae ending with a pinhead.and Moths antennae are without the pinhead. The antennae act as balancing agents and if one is damaged they fly round in circles! Butterflies only fly by day whilst Moths do fly by day but are most prolific at night. They are attracted by short wave length light and most modern Moth traps consist of a box, some netting and an ultra violet light.
Of all the Butterflies that can be seen in Wing the Large Cabbage White is the most familiar. An immigrant from Europe (Spain, Portugal & France) the yellow, black and white larvae can be seen in swarms on brussel sprouts and cabbages during the summer months. Up to three generations can breed in one season. The male has a small black tip on the wing and the female has a much larger black tip.
The larvae of the Small White Butterfly burrow inside cabbages and cauliflowers and the adults have dots on the undersides of the wings.
The Green Veined White, as the name implies, have green veins on the wings. The larvae do no damage at all as the eggs are laid on Lady’s Smock and Jack-by-the- Hedge and so help to keep the weeds in check.
Only the male of the Orange Tip has the coloured wing tip whilst the female is white with yellowish green speckling. They can be seen from mid-April feeding on Watercress and Lady’s Smock.
Brimstone, the bright yellow Butterfly, has a much longer life span than many of the other Butterflies. (Most other Butterflies do not live beyond 3 weeks). The adult Brimstone emerges in September, hibernates in the winter and re-emerges in the spring. They wander many miles during their lifetime and can often be seen 50 miles away from where they hatched. The larvae are totally dependent on Purging Blackthorn, (not seen in Wing) and if the female Brimstone cannot find the right plant then she does not lay her eggs.
The beautiful Red Admiral with its black and white antennae with a red end often feed on rotting apples. They drink the juice and end up so drunk that they are unable to fly! Buddleia, with its strong scent and abundant nectar is a haven for Red Admirals and other species.
The very colourful Peacock Butterfly larvae feed on the abundant Stinging Nettles, also the food supply for the Small Tortoiseshell larvae.
The fairly common Holly Blue, with its scales like tiles, can be seen on the flowers of the Holly Bush. The second generation of larvae feed on the leaves of Ivy.
The Common Blue feeds on Tufted Vetch and other wild plants of the Pea Family.
The Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper larvae feed on grasses and the Meadow Brown Butterfly can be seen in great numbers in one field. With its bland roundels on the wings it is easily recognizable as it feeds on Sweet Rocket. Another grass feeder is the Marbled White which can be found near the pond in the park. The Gatekeeper adult Butterfly feeds on Bramble flowers. Also found on Bramble leaves is the Comma Butterfly. When it is at rest the wings are folded together and can be mistaken for a dead leaf. The pale Yellow Ringlet which has white dots on its wings can be found on Brambles and Hedgerows. The Speckled Wood is found in the local woodlands of Wing while the Painted Lady, a migrant from Portugal, Algeria and Morocco feeds on Thistles. Some years there are many and others none at all.
As soon as the sun fades and shadows disappear Moths come into their own. Attracted by the light around windows many can easily be seen. There are about 400 species of Moth and many are seen in Wing. Migrant Moths get caught in thermals and air streams so a long journey to England at 200 – 300 miles per hour may only take 2 days. The Silver Yire Moth from N. Africa is a migrant to this country. Some Moths fly across the Atlantic and some even across the Pacific. Most Moths fly north to south or south to north. This is due to Polar magnetism. The Monarch Moth usually travels to Mexico.
Many Moths have very descriptive names. The Puss Moth feeds on Willow and is so called because the caterpillar has small black pricked up ears and a curly tail. It is light emerald and pale green in colour. The Dog Tooth, the adult Moth has a mark on its wing like a dogs tooth. The Drinker Moth caterpillar drinks dew drops and likewise the Hebrew Character Moth has Hebrew letters on its wings. Yet another, the Gothic Moth has black marks on the wings which look like Gothic arches.
The large Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar eats Willow herb and Fuschia leaves. After pupation the adult emerges a beautiful pink and yellow colour.
The Garden Tiger Moth is now quite rare. The caterpillar is called the Woolly Bear. The Poplar Hawkmoth can be seen from June to August on Poplars, Aspens and Willows and has a wing span of 4 inches.
The Thorn Moth is a master of disguise – the caterpillar looks like a thorn and on a bramble bush the camouflage is complete. It can stay still for up to an hour. The Death Head Hawk Moth caterpillar is 4 – 5 inches long and as thick as your middle finger. It is yellow, green and cream and thrives on privet leaves, ash, potato, tomato and aubergine. When the adult Moth emerges the wing span is 5 inches. It is so called because of the skull and crossbone markings on the wings. It is also the only European Moth or Caterpillar that has a voice which we can hear – like crumpling newspaper!
Another Moth which can be seen in Wing is the Magpie Moth, so called because of its black and white appearance. It can be found on currant bushes. The Wood Leopard Moth lays its eggs on the trunk of a tree. The caterpillars burrow into the wood to the centre of the tree where they can stay for two to three years. They then pupate and the adult then eats its way out to the bark. When the female Emperor Moth hatches out from the pupa she is so heavy with eggs that she is unable to fly. She just sits and waits for the male. She sends out strong pheromones to any male who may be three quarters of a mile away.
The difference between ordinary Moths and the common Clothes Moth is that Clothes Moths eat animal wool and other Moths eat grain or flowers.
In a private wood, near Grendon Underwood, which has been under constant maintenance for 1000 years many rare Butterflies, Moths and flowers flourish undisturbed.
A very special Moth visited Wing one evening in late summer. A Sphinx Convulvulus Hawk, with a body of pink, black and white stripes and measuring five and a half inches from wing tip to wing tip. This Moth feeds on Bindweed and had come from the Algarve or southern Spain flying at 35 mph. This was a very rare visitor and it all happened in 1947!!
Burcott Hall Valley is a sheltered valley between Wing and the hamlet of Burcott to the north in which a woodland, pond and wetlands reserve has been established.
Various birdlife and plant species
can be seen including:
* Canada Geese and other wildfowl on the pond.
* Wren and other birds in the woodland.
* Various examples of Damsel and Dragon Fly.
* The Giant Horsetail - the largest of its family in Europe, rare
nationally and descended from species 25m years ago which grew to
100ft, these exist in the wetlands to the west of the wood and
also, particularly in the boggy area to the east. In May the
spore bearing heads can be seen (the plant does not spread by
seed) growing to about a foot high, before the main tall fronds
appear. The plant is a sign of underground water. The leaves are
actually small stems and the main hollow stems are jointed such
that they can be pulled apart and then be put back together. The
angular grains of silica present in the plant can cause bleeding
in the stomachs of cattle and sheep which therefore tend to avoid
the plant.
* The Pignut (or Earthnut), a small cow-parsley type plant with a
black tuber well liked by pigs.
* King Cup (or Marsh Marigold), common in wetter parts of the
country, but almost wiped out by recent droughts in much of
Southern England.
* Ladies Smock
* Cow Parsley, a biennial which likes the short turf of trimmed
verges and thus, whilst having success as a roadside weed has
otherwise made little penetration.
* Marsh Thistle which grows to 6ft.
In Long Spinney
* Trees include Ash, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Hawthorne, Silver
Birch, Oak, young Poplars and Crack Willow, the latter so named
because of its ready ability for live branches to break with a
loud snap (a dangerous tree to climb!).
* Flowers to be found include the Wood Anemone, Herb Robert (a
wild Geranium), Goose Grass, the biennial Jack-by-the Hedge
(Garlic Mustard), Bugle, Three-veined Sandwort (a member of the
Chickweed family), Wavy Bittercress.
* The Wild Arum (Parson in the Pulpit) has a scent like meat
going off thus attracting flies down to its core where
downward-pointing hairs then prevent their return. Their movement
transfers pollen from the ring of stamens to the stigmas
(ovaries).
* There is also Hogweed, so called because it smells like pig
manure!