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What to Look Out For - January

Fri 9th Jan, 2015

As part of a new Yorkshire Coast Nature series, we look at wildlife you might spot in the month ahead around the Yorkshire coast, moors, forests and wolds.  

January

Although wildlife may seem a bit scarce on the Yorkshire coast in the first month of the year, in fact there is much to be found if you look closely enough.

 

January can be an excellent time to see mammals. The Red Fox mating season, typically ranging from December to February, peaks in this month. Foxes may be seen ranging around in daylight in search of mates, while the juvenile dispersal period, in which last year’s young leave their parents to form their own territories, is coming to an end. Subsequently this is a great time to look for Fox prints and scats, hear the eerie scream of a vixen in the night, or catch the characteristic musky smell where a Fox has passed by. Deep underground the very first Badger cubs are born from mid-January onwards; you may even hear them if you are near a sett. Two slightly more obvious mammals you could  encounter this month are Brown Hares sitting out in arable fields, perhaps even beginning to box and chase one another, and Roe Deer which are often still in winter groups in January.    

 

Much of the January landscape remains full of migrant winter birds which have flown here from the continent to enjoy Britain’s mild maritime climate. Look out for Redwings, Fieldfares, continental Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Siskins and Redpolls, even sporadic Waxwings. One of the region's more interesting wintering species is the Great Grey Shrike. This small predatory bird winters each year in the same coniferous clear-fell habitats used by Nightjars in summer. The abundant perches used by singing Nightjars are utilised as vantage points for shrikes hunting in winter. Much of the Great Grey Shrike’s winter diet comprises Field Voles, with small birds such as Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks also predated, although later in the year large invertebrates such as bumblebees and reptiles like Common Lizards are also taken. Great Grey Shrikes cache their prey by impaling it on the spikes of thorny shrubs, feeding on it later when food may be scarce.

 

Grey Herons become conspicuous in January as they begin building large platform nests of sticks high in trees. Tawny Owls can breed incredibly early and some may even have eggs by the end of the month. With no leaves on the trees, now is a good time to look for Tawny Owls, although their amazing cryptic camouflage makes then a challenge to find. They often bask in the sun on Ivy-clad trees or near Holly, which gives them some cover. The various harbours and bays of the Yorkshire coast are also worth keeping an eye on as divers, sea ducks, grebes and Little Auks frequently turn up in them, especially when sheltering from rough seas.

While invertebrates are not at the forefront of any naturalist’s mind in January, searching the right places can reveal a completely hidden world. All resident invertebrates survive the winter in one form or another, whether as an egg, larva, chrysalis or adult. Looking in garages, sheds and hollow trees may reveal a butterfly or two, with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and increasingly Red Admiral overwintering in such habitats as adults. The Brimstone prefers a thick shrub away from the frost in which to overwinter. Searching under logs will reveal a whole host of creepy crawlies including ground beetles, spiders, woodlice, slugs, caterpillars and even Glow-worms if you are really lucky. Springtails can be particularly abundant during January and it’s worth sifting through leaf litter to see how many you can spot.

 

Unlike insects, which are mostly inactive or hidden away during January, the first plants are breaking through the soil. Search sheltered environments like woodlands and hedgerows for early-flowering species like Lesser Celandine, Winter Heliotrope, Winter Aconite and Snowdrop, and the leaves of Cuckoo Pint and Cow Parsley. Some of the previous season’s species may even persist into January in mild winters, including Hogweed, Ragwort, Common Knapweed, Daisy and Dandelion.