Hedge-banks, berries, and birds

Hedgebanks and the Year of the Devon Hedge

In contrast to hedgerows in other parts of Britain, the Devon hedge consists of an earth bank, faced with stone or turf, which usually has bushy shrubs growing along the top.  For the true Devonian, such structures are known as hedges even when there are no shrubs.  They are characteristically very old, and rich in wildlife, as well as being visually attractive.

The construction of hedge-banks was highly skilled, locally using 'pobbles' as facing, with an infilling of soil.  

Erosion of a hedgebank in Stony Lane reveals the characteristic
construction, with the largest 'pobbles' at the bottom.

Devon has more hedges remaining than any other county in the UK - reflecting not just its large size, but also its pastoral landscape and favourable management and agricultural systems adopted by local farmers.  Devon County Council estimates that there are 33,000 miles of hedges still in the county, which - incredibly - includes about 20% of all the species-rich hedges left in the UK.  In many areas, Devon hedgebanks are a main refuge for a wide range of plants and are essential wildlife corridors for animals, so their successful conservation is critical for wildlife.  The Western Morning News recently ran a very interesting story, for example, pointing out the significance of Devon hedges and copses as highways and larders for bats.

A great deal of really excellent information on Devon hedges is available here and here on the Devon County Council website, including a very good overview and history.

2014 has been declared in the County as the Year of the Devon Hedge, and there is a programme of events and trainings continuing right through till the end of the year - see here for information.

The banks and verges of lanes are increasingly essential for the survival of wild flowers excluded from fields by modern farming practices.  Countryside historian Oliver Rackham describes these verges as:

"... old grassland of a peculiar and often rather unstable kind, traditionally grazed and fertilised by the dung of passing beasts and by washings from the road surface.  They are not usually among the richest kinds of grassland, but they are important especially in those regions where old grassland of any kind is now rare.  In much of England, many ... verges are now the chief home of general grassland plants...  Few species are confined to verges, but many are commoner there than in other habitats."

The damp shady environment of hedges and banks also create their "own microclimate for plants, especially ferns, and eco-linked insects and small mammals.

Local verge-cutting routines in Devon are increasingly contributing to the conservation of wild plant species, but nationally there is concern about management of roadsides.  The wild flower charity Plantlife is running a campaign to encourage local councils to manage roadsides better for nature conservation. For more details, see here.

Many hedges are legally protected from damage or destruction (see government environmental guidance here).  However, with changing styles and sizes of wheeled traffic, together with altered weather patterns, banks and verges are at increasing risk of erosion unless they are maintained.  Exposure of the underlying construction of banks leads to degradation of the soil, and to stones and soil being washed out, further compromising the integrity of the bank.

Erosion of a bank in Stony Lane causing degradation 
of the structure.

Further examples of erosion in Stony Lane (above) 
and Dog Lane (below)

For those of us habituated to our lanes being so scoured, it is perhaps difficult to really understand the changes that have come in recent years.  For a step back in time, it is worth visiting the little-used lane that runs between White Cross Road at Higher Greendale, and Sanctuary Lane.  This passes Winkleigh Farm, which is of very ancient origin.  Here the carriageway is narrow, but the verges are wide with a rich diversity of plant-life.  It is hard to imagine that, within one lifetime, all the lanes around the village were like this.

Lane and ford near Winkleigh Farm - a step back in time.

Hedgerow harvest

On a brighter note, this year has been excellent for many characteristic hedgerow berrying plants.  Excellent guides to autumn berries, both edible and definitely not, are available here from the Wild Food School in Cornwall, and from the British Trust for Ornithology.

Blackberries

Rose-hips

Sloes (fruit of the black-thorn)

Immature ivy berries

Wild privet

Black bryony: the berries of this vine-like plant are superficially 
similar to rose hips, but are highly poisonous.  They are seen 
here together - the rose hips are the three at the bottom right.

At ground level, the berries of Lords-and-Ladies (or Cuckoo pint) 
are also highly toxic to humans.

These white berries in an otherwise native hedge in Stony Lane 
are the garden plant Snowberry.

Birds

Robins are very voluble at the moment - did you know that they are the only birds to sing in the autumn?  In fact, they sing throughout almost the whole year.  The renowned ornithologist, David Lack, tells us that the robin has a spring song that starts near the end of December and continues to about the middle of June.  Its autumn song - which is poorer and less innovative in its range of notes and phrases - is first heard in late July from some of the young birds, with adults starting about a fortnight later. It continues in this feeble form until the spring song starts again. Thus the robin sings throughout the year, except for a gap in the summer, though even this is often closed by a late adult or early juvenile.  The main purpose of its song is to define territory and warn off rivals, even at this time of year, long before the breeding season.  Robins are very territorial, and known to fight to the death over boundary disputes.

[Information from David Lack's book, Life of the Robin]

Another bird of note at the moment is the willow-warbler, still singing despite normally being only a summer visitor.  In fact both this and the black-cap warbler are known sometimes to over-winter in this area, due to the warmer climate.

In recent weeks, swallows have been gathering on telephone wires for migration, but there are still some about, possibly juveniles using the warm weather to build up and store insect food as fat for fuel for their long journey. 

On warm days, blackbirds can often be heard 'rehearsing' their spring songs, in which they adopt an almost inaudible mumble of the real thing.  But the beautiful tones cannot be disguised, despite their attempts to hide it!