I’m unsure why Jane Condon (letters, May 8) is complaining about the lack of wildlife locally as I am seeing plenty. I agree the families of ducklings seem to appear then disappear as quickly, but look at the predators, the weather and the season for clues.

The river through Kennet Place has been home to five fast growing moorhen chicks this spring and a further family are around as well.

We had swifts (or were they swallows?) dipping over the water earlier this week, a lot of excitable wagtail activity, dabchicks occasionally appearing, while coots are further upstream.

There have been many reported sightings of water vole in Coopers Meadow, a kingfisher was visiting The Ropeworks daily a few weeks ago, a pair of young swans appear most mornings and the occasional heron, as well as egrets in the area.

The single swan is ‘Old Tom’ who disappeared for so long we thought he had died. He’s currently on his own, I suspect, because despite his great age, he has mated at least twice with Mrs Tom, who may well be sitting on a nest somewhere close by – very hopeful for cygnets.

The constant feeding of bread to the ducks is increasing the brown rat population once more and probably decreasing the health of the waterfowl, who have absolutely no need of it. Brown rats are, of course, wildlife but undesirable.

Within the river there have been increased trout sightings this year from Town Mill I gather and am assured the river fly larvae counts are good, which means the water quality is reasonably healthy. Under the stones lurk bullheads, which the children love to find when they paddle from the little beaches created by Action for the River Kennet. Conservation grazing has recommenced with sheep and lambs in Coopers Meadow and I hope they suit Mrs Condon’s taste, as I remember she complained the year before last that the cows looked bored.

Val Compton, Kennet Place, Marlborough.