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Hamstead Marshall
wildlife watch
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Hamstead Marshall is rich in
wildlife, thanks to the river Kennet, the canal,
the park, the relatively high proportion of
woodland and the 325-acre organic farm in the
centre of the village. Below are detailed some of
the less common species which can be seen locally.
Please send in your sightings and/or photos of
these and other species to the Hamstead Marshall Facebook page, saying when and where they were
spotted.
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The common buzzard has
long been a regular sight locally. They can often
be seen circling high in the sky; ground sightings
are more rare. Both adults and young make an
unlikely cat-like mewing sound.
In recent years the red kite has
also taken up residence, probably spreading from
its reintroduction site in the Chiltern Hills. It
can be distinguished from the buzzard by a
different flying patten, reddish plumage and, most
characteristically, its forked tail.
Barn owls used to be more numerous, and at one
time nested in the church tower. When they were
evicted several years ago nest boxes were set up in
surrounding fields and gardens, but sightings are
now very rare.
Other birds of prey include kestrel
and sparrowhawk.
Pheasant and partridge are reared for local shoots.
The former are ubiquitous, the latter mostly on
higher ground.
Herons inhabit the park and they also
frequent stocked garden ponds.
Kingfishers can be seen from the canal towpath,
and sometimes visit garden ponds.
Nightingales used to be heard near the canal, but
are now very rare.
Larks, lapwings and plovers
are sometimes to be
seen on higher ground.
Mallard ducks on the
river have for several years been accompanied by a
single white domestic duck. Swans also
patrol the canal, and a few years ago they raised
six cygnets in a nest visible from the bridge near
the mill. Canada geese are ubiquitous on the park ponds
and on the canal, as are coots and moorhens.
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© Jonathan Pointer
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Roe deer are numerous throughout the parish because
Hamstead Park was, in medieval times, a deer park.
Until the Second World War there was also a herd of
red deer in the park, but these did not survive the
troop encampments.
Muntjac deer arrived in the twentieth century.
They are smaller, and sometimes look like a small
dog because they run more often than they leap.
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Water vole and mink inhabit the canal banks, but
are rarely spotted, being very shy.
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Hares can be seen on the higher ground in the
village, such as the fields above Whitehill.
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Polecats, extinguished by dutiful Victorian
gamekeepers, have made a local comeback in recent
years.
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