Winter Ecology of Arable Fields

This winter I have been fortunate to spend time back in East Anglia and surveyed some damp arable fields which held brown hares, grey partridges, golden plover and good numbers of wintering snipe (pictured) - many of these species have declined significantly in the UK in the last few decades, so it was great to see these species in some numbers. The snipe in particular seemed to make use of the damp, vegetated fields (and not only the pools in the tractor wheel ruts) - birds typically occurred in groups of 1-4 with the highest total of 26 recorded from one field. I am certainly more used to finding snipe along field drains in extensively arable areas in winter. The key I think to presence of reasonable numbers of these species is a lack of disturbance - walkers and their dogs generally keep well away from the centre of arable fields. Another highlight was the presence of primroses (pictured) along the field ditches - a very early flowerer. So onto Spring proper..........have a good Easter !