THE foot and mouth epidemic will still not allow me to produce a comprehensive list of the wildlife around East Lancashire, but some records have been possible.

I am grateful to the following people for records: Muriel Park, Bernard Lee, John Milne, Chris Rogers, Edward Neild, Michael Ellis, Sheila Ward, Jenny Nicholson, Audrey Todd and Eddie Wilkinson.

BIRDS - in our area the following birds have bred successfully: peregrine, raven, buzzard, little owl, little ringed plover, wheatear, pied flycatcher, kingfisher, barn owl.

The following birds have been seen on passage: osprey, black tern, Arctic tern, grasshopper warbler, dunlin, greenshank, dotterel and redstart.

The following species are still very scarce but have been seen: snipe, cuckoo, tree pipit, redstart.

MAMMALS - Roe deer seen with twin fawns, otter, water vole.

BUTTERFLIES - Wall brown, orange tip, comma, green veined white, large white, small copper.

OTHER INSECTS - Blue damselflies, brown dragonflies, whirligig beetles.

PLANTS - King cup (marsh marigold) now at its best and so are flag iris, toothwort, germander speedwell, meadow cranesbill and herb robert also prominent.

The bluebells are almost gone now but a few ramson blooms are still around. The leaves of ramsons especially in wet weather have a strong smell.

Dog rose, elder and self heal are now becoming dominant. Oak and sycamore are in flower and conkers are already forming on the horsechestnut trees.

Nature is wonderful at this time of the year and I hope that we in East Lancashire will not have to wait too long before we can stroll in safety.

I'll bet each and every one of our farmers is praying for an end to the nightmare.