Stop, look and listen is what we are taught as children as part of the Green Cross Code.

If you are watching wildlife you need to do something slightly different - stop, listen and look.

The first part of this code – to stop - was taught to me by a great wildlife mentor of mine, the late wolds farmer Jack Grice.

He taught me that you can see more in an hour sitting down than in a whole day of walking. For the most part, this has proved to be the case.

Although I am a keen walker myself, animals and birds tend to hear you coming. They take cover and freeze.

If you stop, even for a short while, much of the wildlife that is hidden from view will soon resumes its normal activity and you'll be there to see it when it does.

Once you've chosen your spot, you need to listen. How many times do you hear a bird or animal before you see it? For me, listening is the key to getting a close look at some of our most beautiful and secretive wildlife.

If you are by a river or stream, try and identify the sounds around you. A piping call is what you hear before a kingfisher flies past, whilst an unusual birdlike whistle alerts you to a female otter keeping in constant contact with her cubs.

Often, if an otter is nearby, you may also hear the call of a crow, seagull or magpie as they scavenge from the otter's fishy catch.

Grey wagtails are another vocal bird, listen out for their ‘chiswick' call above the sound of crashing water.

If I know the call I have a much greater chance of encountering the creature in question.

There are many ways to learn your wildlife calls. Some swear by identification CDs, but I am a bit of a technophobe so I prefer the old-fashioned way of learning in the field and gradually building up my knowledge.

If I hear a bird call or song that I don't know I will hang about keeping my eyes peeled, looking for where this new sound is coming from.

Although it does not happen that often, I still get caught out once or twice a year with a species I don't know so well and sometimes I get a surprise when one bird mimics another.

To make it more of a challenge each bird and animal has a repertoire of different calls and songs. One announces their territory, another raises the alarm, whilst others are contact calls from adult to adult and adult to young. So it can all get quite complicated.

Alarm calls can alert you to the presence of both predators and their prey. A rabbit thumping its back legs often lets other rabbits and, inadvertently, me, know that there is a fox or stoat on its way.

A bird's alarm call is a clear signal for all the other birds to take cover. You can generally make out what sort of predator is lurking by the position of the calling bird.

If the bird is visible at the top of a tree or bush, a ground predator such as a stoat, rat or fox is nearby.

But if it's well hidden in dense undergrowth, then an aerial attack is most likely - possibly from a sparrowhawk or other bird of prey.

In summer, a swallow will always be the first to spot and raise the alarm of a sparrowhawk on the prowl. Its call will set off a chain reaction from all the other birds in the area.

It is well worth learning as many calls as you can. Knowing the sounds can tell you so much about what is happening around you.

If you're a beginner, don't be put off by the immensity of the task. We all know the hoot of a tawny owl, the coo of a wood pigeon and the cuckoo's call.

Generally the larger birds are easier to tell apart, so those would be the next calls to learn. Once you've mastered them, move onto finches.

There, I've set you a challenge for the New Year!