DURING the summer months, following on from the spring breeding season, there are a lot of young and inexperienced creatures abroad in our countryside. One cause of many deaths among young birds and animals in those first few months is the volume of traffic on our roads. Fur and feather offer no protection against vehicles travelling at what must seem, to them, to be incredible speeds through our countryside and an ever-increasing number of victims appear on our roads. But, where there is one sad side to the tale, there is always someone or something ready to take advantage of the situation. I remember the television programme about the man who gets all his protein from road kills. I wasn't really thinking of him, but of the many other creatures that make a living from the unfortunate demise of others and, at the same time, perform an invaluable clearing-up service - the scavengers. It is all too common to drive around a bend in the road and come upon a magpie, crow or even a buzzard feasting upon the remains of a victim. I have even seen birds attempting to carry off carcases far bigger than themselves to a place where they won't be so rudely interrupted. It has been suggested that many bird victims alight on roads as the tarred surfaces tend to hold the warmth and it is also a marvellous place to find the essential grit that they need to aid their digestion. Mammals meanwhile just seem to be caught out as they try to get to the other side. Badgers, foxes, rabbits and squirrels can all be seen on the roads, a good supply of food for those birds that can take advantage with it. Town centre gulls are creating mayhem once more. Last year I wrote a piece about a friend who took his life into his hands every time he ventured out into the garden.

Herring gulls had nested on his roof and once the young were hatched the parents became so protective that they would dive-bomb anyone who they saw as a threat. Last week a newspaper related the story of a clergyman who could not leave the safety of his church without wearing a hard hat unless he wanted to suffer at the hands of the gulls that had chosen to nest on the steeple. The phenomenon came much closer to home this week when my son told me that while walking across the Canon Street car park he received a hefty clout on the back of the head. He was really surprised to see that the assailant was a gull that seemed to have youngsters on the toilet block in the centre of the car park. He told me that, to make matters worse, the birds only seemed to be interested in him, taking no notice of anyone else there. He made a bee-line for the gateway that leads to St Mary's Church, hotly pursued by a persistent parent and finally managed to get away by hugging the high wall. Perhaps it may only be a small crumb of comfort to him, but it could have been much worse, for there are some species of birds that try to ward off intruders by defecating on them! Diary date: Saturday, July 26. Chetsford Water. Meet at map ref SS848419, 10am. Led by Colin Sampson (Taunton 330447).