Page 100 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #06

YOUR FEEDBACK Want to get something off

your chest? This is the place.

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LETTER Flufy curlew chicks Sparing time for nature
OF THE generally feed My husband and I recently
MONTH on surface insects volunteered as “toad patrollers”
and spiders.
for the annual spring migration.
We both work indoors, but
love nature and try to make a
difference. Our team rescued
over 1,000 toads from crossing
a very busy road.
Lots of people of all ages
were taking an interest in what
we were doing, and many
were unaware of the decline
of toads across the UK. It was
an amazing experience and we
are now committed to it every
spring. I would encourage
anyone who has a little time to
do some voluntary work – it was
wonderful to feel like we had
helped our local wildlife and
to see the toads safe.
Claire Abbott, Chesterfield
Sheena Harvey replies: It’s great
to hear from people like you and
your husband who are actively
doing something to help our
native wildlife. From next month
Curlew code: stop, look and listen we hope to feature in every issue
the stories of volunteers who are
working for nature.
Reading Mary Colwell’s article (The second chick across. Only then did I
Curlew’s Cry, Spring 2018) reminded hear the very quiet bubbling sound of Caught in the act
me of an experience I had a couple of the parent bird in the heather calling The amazing image of the red
years ago in early summer. I was driving the chicks to it. The second chick squirrel on the front cover of the
along a quiet road in the Cairngorms, crossed safely without my help. It February 2018 issue reminded
Scotland, when I saw something crossing was an unforgettable encounter! May me of a photo that I took near my
ahead of me. I stopped and watched two the Curlews in Crisis initiative raise home in Belgium (below right).
Here I don’t see red squirrels
tiny bundles of fluff with very long legs awareness and be a great success.
every day, but because people
and huge feet picking their way carefully Primrose Brown, via email put out food for them, such
Sandra Standbr dge/Getty curlew chicks. One youngster crossed chicks are adorable, with their comically outsized as walnuts and seeds, they do
across the road – they were very young
Features editor Ben Hoare replies: Fluffy wader
appear quite often. I thoroughly
safely, the other turned back. Worried
feet! The Highlands still have plenty of curlews
enjoyed the beautiful ‘Seeing
that another vehicle might appear, I got
but, as Mary’s feature revealed, encounters like
Reds’ photo story in February.
out of the car intending to shepherd the
Louis Schoeters, via email
yours are becoming rare further south.
BLOGGER OF THE MONTH
BE A WINNING WRITER This month’s winner is Kate Long, who
writes about her local water vole colony
The Letter of the Month wins a pair of HI-TEC Altitude Lite II
in Shropshire. Read her blog at
waterproof boots, worth £60.00, and perfect for hiking. http://staggsbrook.blogspot.co.uk.
They are available in sizes 7–12 for men and 4–8 for women. Visit www.discoverwildlife.com to find
For more information, visit www.hi-tec.co.uk out how you can join our Local Patch
Reporters Project.
100 BBC Wildlife June 2018