Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy

AREAS of water provide lots of enjoyment for naturalists and, on the whole, the situation in Lancashire is healthy.

There is the odd problem but most of our rivers and streams are much cleaner than they once were, partly because of the closure of textile mills and heavy industry.

We should not, however, forget the important part played by the Environment Agency - formerly the National Rivers Authority - and industry, with North West Water taking a leading role. I recently enjoyed a stroll along Pendle Water near Barrowford and found dippers, grey wagtails and herons.

A roe deer came down to the brook to drink.

This is a good sign but more worrying has been the loss of so many ponds in recent years. At one time almost every village and farm had its own pond.

Although they made the area more beautiful, the main function of a pond was to provide drinking water for the domestic animals.

Of course, the wild species also took advantage of the water.

Once piped water arrived the ponds were not needed and almost all of them were filled in. Those which remain we have to retain.

In Lancashire these ponds have been replaced by park lakes, which are breeding grounds for frogs, toads and newts while the huge waxy leaves of water lilies make perfect landing areas for the amphibians and the insects.

People who are planning new nature reserves should always include a pond and schools should be encouraged to develop shallow ponds in their grounds.

Young birds help feed family

ONE of our regular correspondents is Vincent Taylor, of Burnley, who last week sighted a first brood of swallows helping to feed the young of the second brood.

Vincent managed to photograph this happening and this week around Foulridge I watched some young moorhens being fed by other youngsters which had obviously hatched earlier in the season.

Many readers have noticed a shortage of song thrushes and this is causing concern throughout Britain. The RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology have statistics to prove this. This common and familiar species has declined greatly in recent years and between 1969-1994 there was a 73 per cent decline on farmland and a 50 per cent decline in woodland. The population in 1988-91 was estimated at about 1.1 million pairs.

The causes for the decline are not clear and may be linked to agricultural changes, including pesticide use, loss of habitat and timing of crops. Steps being taken to reverse the decline include: analysing survey data, researching into the ecology of the song thrush and monitoring populations.

Action is also being taken through the Lowland Farmland Habitat Action Plan and progress has been satisfactory.

Results from the Breeding Bird Survey showed no significant change in 1994-95 or 1995-96.

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