THE hot summer of 2003 has led to more northern sightings of Britain's smallest rodent.

The harvest mouse has the scientific name of Micromys minutus and has a body length of six centimetres (2.5 inches). In addition the tail measures four centimetres (1.5 inches).

There are fossil records of the harvest mouse dating back some three million years!

These creatures are wonderful acrobats and use their tails (which is called prehensile) as an extra limb.

As its name implies the harvest mouse lives along the stems of cereal plants.

The species is more common in the south of England than it is here in the north.

The summer of 2003 was hot and there have been more records in the north.

If global warming does continue then the harvest mouse and also bats and butterflies all look likely to increase.

Sparrow sightings just tree-mendous

I DON'T know if I have just been looking in seeing more tree sparrows this year or whether it is making a comeback. The species has certainly been in worrying decline in recent years.

Like the house sparrow, which has also declined recently, the tree sparrow prefers to breed in small colonies and often place their nests in trees.

Tree sparrows can easily be distinguished from the house sparrow. Look for the crown of the head. Female house sparrows do not have a coloured crown but that of the male is slate grey. Both male and female tree sparrows have brown crowns.

I am sure that tree sparrows are under recorded because most people do not look closely at flocks - they just assume that they are all sparrows.

Don't forget not only to feed your local birds but look closely at each and every individual especially if they are "only sparrows."

Lake's an ideal spot to watch birds in winter

THE circular walk around Lake Burwains is one of the best places in Lancashire to watch birds in winter.

This "lake" is not a drinking water reservoir but as a compensation supply for the locks of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal.

The canal is at its highest level here and the water from the locks flows down into Yorkshire in one direction whilst others drain into Lancashire and the Mersey.

Burwains is good for anglers, popular with boaters and never fails to provide interest to naturalists.

On a recent walk I saw a kingfisher skim across the surface and a number of mute swans. Some birds were already paired up but there were lots of adolescent cygnets which were still in brown plumage.

Other species found included goosander, pochard, tufted duck and teal on the water. On nearby fields I watched flocks of lapwing, golden plover and Canada geese.