Sir, – I want to say how much I appreciate Nick Morgan’s Birdwatch column.

I too saw a red-breasted merganser and a water rail (and a little egret) locally this springtime and watched a pair of grebes building their precarious nest.

Secreted in a hide, albeit suffering, in my case, from twinges of voyeurism, I could peacefully observe both magnificent geese and ducks with names to rival those with which Victorian naturalists christened the moth population – gadwall, garganey, wigeon, pochard, teal, tufted duck and goldeneye.

Especially today, when the natural world seems to be shrinking so fast, I count myself fortunate to live near a number of small nature reserves faithfully maintained by local conservation trusts. To observe the water birds on their ancient silt ponds – scuttling nervously on thin ice, peevish and restless on windy days, heart-touchingly beautiful when reflected in the water on calm, sunny days – is a great privilege and one we should encourage our children to enjoy.

AVERIL KING Bedale.