Oxhill News |
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www.oxhill.com / www.oxhill.org.uk |
South Warwickshire, England. |
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The Oxhill News January 2004 |
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This months News |
Contents
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Nature Notes The Midwinter month – named after the double-faced Roman god Janus who look back towards the old year and forward to the New Year. While walking down the side of the
brook at dawn last week I had a ‘first’ for Oxhill, although I have
seen many on the army camp at Kineton – a woodcock with the fabulous
Latin name of Scalloped rust cola (that’s a good one to amaze friends at
parties “I see that Scalloped rust cola is a bit thin on the ground this
year!”). The woodcock had
been probing the mud in the brook with its long beak for earthworks and
insects. It silently flew into
the air and dived rapidly through the trees and vanished off along the
brook within seconds. The
woodcock is technically a wading bird which has taken to the land,
especially to woodland areas that have opened up by clearings and rides
– hence its name. British
woodcock are mainly residents, although the numbers are often increased by
winter visitors that come in across the Sadly for the woodcock, it is a game bird (meaning it is legal to shoot them) and is judged by many to be the finest of all birds taken to the table. Traditionally woodcock and snipe are both cooked rare complete with head, feet and entrails and served on toast or fried bread. On presentation at the table the entrails are pulled and spread on to the toast (during cooking they completely dissolve into a paste reminiscent of liver pate). The woodcock does not have the normal intestines of other birds and on springing from the ground it excretes all waste from its small stomach. If you were to order Scotch woodcock you would receive a dish of egg yolks, cream and anchovies. The name is a play on the English belief that the Scots are cautious with their money and that this offers a substitute for the choice and costly woodcock. During the progressive supper (which I can’t recommend highly enough – do come to the next one if you haven’t yet tried it) someone enquired if I knew anything of the history of their breed of dog, so I though I might each month include a small piece on dogs, and as I’ve been talking about woodcock … A pair of red and white spaniels sent
to John Churchill, later Duke of Marlborough, as a present from A happy and prosperous new year to all readers, and remember that January 13th is St Hilary’s day and traditionally the coldest day of the year – wrap up well! Grenville Moore |
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Last modified: June 04, 2004 |