Page 104 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #05

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LETTER Urban delights
OF THE Mike Dilger’s urban wildlife
MONTH piece (Wildlife Watching, March
2018) was very timely and so
true! Early one evening I was
lucky enough to chance upon
a starling murmuration as I
travelled through Winchester
in Hampshire, which left
me standing on the
pavement in
complete awe.
The noise,
the dramatic
swirling,
mesmerising
mass of
thousands
of starlings
performing their
Starlings
aerial dance literally flying over
just above my head Winchester.
Jenny and her
boyfriend spotted was incredible and
this adder on the Isle something I won’t forget!
of Arran in April 2017. I am fortunate enough to
work within the ecological and
Diamond in the rough land management sector which
puts me in direct contact with
the countryside, but nature
I was intrigued to see that in your especially as it looked like it had recently
never ceases to amaze me!
article on adders (Conservation Insight, shed its skin. I have recorded this Megan Lock, Andover
February 2018), all Scottish islands were sighting on the Amphibian and Reptile
shown to have no adders present. Conservation Trust website. Do no harm
Last April, my boyfriend and I were on Jenny Comont, Godmanchester Seeing the photo of a man
holiday on the Isle of Arran, and as we posing with a dead giraffe
were walking along by Iorsa water near James Fair replies: Thanks for your letter. You (Beyond the Headlines, April
Dougarie on the west coast of the island, are certainly right about adders being found 2018) I cannot understand
we came across this adder on the path. on Scottish islands – my (then) three-year-old the motivation for killing
son nearly stepped on one when we were on such a magnificent and gentle
It think it was as surprised to see us as
Mull about three years ago. It was an exciting creature! Does the ‘hunter’
we were to see it! It started behaving
moment, though he was unaware of it! feel proud, brave, or more of
defensively, clearing warning us to keep
The Amphibian and Reptile Trust map of a man? Perhaps a ‘sportsman’
our distance so we crossed behind it and the adder’s UK range confirms its presence reading this could explain? I
it shot off into the bracken. on Arran (and Mull and Skye), but not the would suggest trophy hunters
We were very lucky to have spotted it Outer Hebrides, Orkney or Shetland, so you’re hang up their guns and take a
just at the moment it was in the open, absolutely correct! camera on safari.
John B Wadsworth, via email

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH
BE A WINNING WRITER This month’s winner is Emma Magee,
who explores the countryside in south
The Letter of the Month wins a pair of HI-TEC Altitude Lite II
Devon. Read her blog at https://
waterproof boots, worth £60.00, and perfect for hiking. ithinkisawanotter.wordpress.com.Visit
They are available in sizes 7–12 for men and 4–8 for women. www.discoverwildlife.com to find out
For more information, visit www.hi-tec.co.uk how you can join our Local Patch
Reporters Project.
104 BBC Wildlife Spring 2018