Early Winter

Birds

As Autumn eases night by night into the darker days of winter the last warm rays of sun tease with the memory of summer. The summer migrant birds are long gone to warmer southern climes and are replaced by other winter migrants seeking respite from the harsh winters further North and East, from Scandanavia and Siberia. Resident species flock up with large congregations of waterbirds on the Washes and other open water. In the woodlands, gardens there are roving flocks of small birds like tits and finches searching for food while farmland fields will support flocks of Larks, Buntings and Thrushes

Plants

The shorterning days provide less and less light for plants to use for making food and growing. Leaves wither and die, luscious growth receeds as plants and trees wait out the winter in relative dormancy. Bushes and trees may be laden in berries in the early winter. These are produced to lure birds and mammals to feed and spread the seeds hidden within far and wide

Insects

Many insects hibernate or lie dormant throughout the winter months. Some will have found a sheltered spot in bark, under leaves, rocks, in walls or inside our garges, sheds and homes Others will be snug within a cocoons or crysalis ready to emerge changed from larvae to adult as the days warm in spring. With less extremes of winter temperature there is still time to put out a pile of wood or bundle up some sticks in the garden to provide a place for the last insects of the summer to seek some shelter until the spring

Mammals

In the past Hedgehogs would curl up and hibernate for the winter in a sheltered wisp of leaves or beneath a tangled hedgerow, nowadays there is a trend for Hedgehogs to remain active for longer spells of the winter months but they do find it harder to find food and starvation is the biggest killer of young animals. If you want to help by feeding your local Hedgehogs they love dog and cat food and drink water, they are NOT designed to digest milk and it will make them very ill

You may be very lucky and see a Roe Deer, these are medium sized Deer and may be stood bold as brass out in a field. It is hard to predict exactly where you will find them but you an look for where they are eating the vegetation and bark of trees. Muntjac are the smaller deer which will eat up to 0.6 metres (2') and Roe Deer being bigger will easily reach vegetation at 1.1metres (3'6")

Winter Ramble

A classic Ely walk at anytime of the year starts in the town centre and incorporates City of Ely Cemetery, Roswell Pits, Kiln Lane Water Meadows, Waterside, Pocket Park and Cherry Hill Park. The beauty of this 4km (2.5mile) walk is that there is lots of diversity and you're never too far from a cup of hot chocolate or toasted teacake