A regular article written by Julie Cuthbert for The Brickhills Parish News 

I usually never find the perpetrators of the scuffling noises in the undergrowth but on this occasion I got lucky. I was walking down the path into Rushmere Park, off Cuff Lane, when I first heard the rustling sounds amongst the fallen leaves and nettles. As I crouched down I instantly saw, by the side of the run-off stream, a Bank Vole Myodes glareolus.  My collie and I remained unnoticed by the vole because it was so engrossed in devouring a freshly caught slug. It clutched the slug in its delicate hands and rolled it around whilst munching intently, like a leg of lamb in the hands of Henry VIII at a banquet. I could hear the slurping sounds from its tiny jaws as it chewed. Then, after having its fill, I watched it return to hunting for a while before disappearing down a hole.

On another of our autumnal walks through the wood, I found this beautiful caterpillar coyly curled up round a twig. It was out looking amongst the leaf litter for somewhere to pupate. When I researched it later I found it to be a Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda caterpillar which would transform into a subtle brown moth with a really woolly body, head and legs.

As always, Rob has been very busy recording the birds on Autumn migration. He reports to me each morning the highlights of his count from the early morning dog walk. Bramblings, Siskins, Linnets and Redwings often get a mention but this year’s star in the UK has been the Hawfinch numbers. So far Rob has seen 12 flying over Great Brickhill, which is a fantastic count for North Bucks.

Julie Cuthbert
November 2024