It has been nearly three months now since I just went for a wander in the woods without there being some purpose or destination so I thought I would explore and see what was out there.
Even walking across the muddy field, and the pools of water before entering the woods, Chaffinch and Brambling raise from the sea of dried grasses that blanket the field. They are obviously finding good feeding on the grass seed that remains. While the recent snow has melted, there are still patches of the snow where trees and bushes have cast shadows preventing the warmth of the low winter sun from melting these isolated areas of snow. The day is clear and bright, nor any movement of air to stir the crisp brown leaves that carpet the forest.
Even though a few isolated patches of snow cling desperately to existence, the day is warm and peaceful. I am not the only person out enjoying this gentle day; horse riders are out walking at a leisurely pace. The Low winter sun, striking at the acute angle this latitude creates, is highlighting the under storey of the woodland casting pools of light to contrast with the normally dark and dense wood of the plantation.
On the path off to my left a pair of Rooks rise to the tops of the bare Larch. They are obviously feeding off of fallen nuts, the odd beetle or other carrion they are finding here. Going deeper into wood the pools of golden light in contrast to the newly unfurled fronds of bracken that provides the only greenery in what would otherwise be a brown landscape.
On one of the more isolated paths and one that I haven’t visited since late autumn, a conifer lays fallen, the dramatic changes that winter weather can bring is all part of the cycle of life, this fallen tree will now become home to a myriad of insect lave going on to feed the birds and mammals in coming seasons. Also with the recent rains and snow, the streams are swollen. Not as deep or fast as they could be, but enough water is passing through to flush the streams, brooks and burns clean of leaves and needles that could otherwise create pollution from their decay.
With the lack of leaf cover, the normally obscured dark depths of the wood are revealed. A wood ants nest or formicary, while all around are patches of mosses seemingly the only life in the wood. Yet there are also places where fungi is still growing, the fruiting bodies using the abnormally warm weather to release there millions of spores. Parallel to the path I am walking sunlight is illuminating the wood to my right, painting pictures of light and dark, revealing and hiding some of the secrets of the forest. In the summer the density of the leaf cover combined with the undergrowth hides much of a woods secrets.
As can happen as I walked quietly out of one of the dense areas of cover, I was surprised by a pair of Collard Doves that I must have disturbed, their sudden ascent into the air startled me too. Often we can be so close to birds in the woods but not realise they are there at all. While not many birds sing in the winter, it is by no means the orchestra of sound you get in spring, you do have the Robin who seems to sing all year round, as well an occasional Great Tit. Frequently though it is only when there is some disturbance that the birds start calling. Not always human disturbance, but another bird can trigger the calling. Or as I observed today a cat was trying to stalk a flock of Long Tailed Tits as they were feeding together, but with safety in numbers they flew overhead as the called to each other. It is worth noting that these flocks of Long tailed tits that can be seen at this time of year will all be related and will be the offspring that hatched last year from the two or three broods that the year brought.
When I last walked this part of the wood, the Holly witch is abundant here was covered with berries. Now most of them have been striped, not by humans I must add, but by birds. By looking carefully I can see two berries here and three berries there, but the fieldfares and the redwings, both of them I can hear, have and are feasting on the larder nature has provided. This is why it can be so rewarding to venture into the less visited areas of my local wood, as the birds are not constantly being disturbed by people, thus enabling me to see and hear the birds as they forage and feed.
While at this time of year there the wildlife is less active and abundant, they are still active. It is worth commenting on that while normally in winter I will see less people about, this is the one time, the two weeks after Christmas that the woods are more frequently visited, as people get rid of that Christmas pudding.
The image is of a Fieldfare
Even walking across the muddy field, and the pools of water before entering the woods, Chaffinch and Brambling raise from the sea of dried grasses that blanket the field. They are obviously finding good feeding on the grass seed that remains. While the recent snow has melted, there are still patches of the snow where trees and bushes have cast shadows preventing the warmth of the low winter sun from melting these isolated areas of snow. The day is clear and bright, nor any movement of air to stir the crisp brown leaves that carpet the forest.
Even though a few isolated patches of snow cling desperately to existence, the day is warm and peaceful. I am not the only person out enjoying this gentle day; horse riders are out walking at a leisurely pace. The Low winter sun, striking at the acute angle this latitude creates, is highlighting the under storey of the woodland casting pools of light to contrast with the normally dark and dense wood of the plantation.
On the path off to my left a pair of Rooks rise to the tops of the bare Larch. They are obviously feeding off of fallen nuts, the odd beetle or other carrion they are finding here. Going deeper into wood the pools of golden light in contrast to the newly unfurled fronds of bracken that provides the only greenery in what would otherwise be a brown landscape.
On one of the more isolated paths and one that I haven’t visited since late autumn, a conifer lays fallen, the dramatic changes that winter weather can bring is all part of the cycle of life, this fallen tree will now become home to a myriad of insect lave going on to feed the birds and mammals in coming seasons. Also with the recent rains and snow, the streams are swollen. Not as deep or fast as they could be, but enough water is passing through to flush the streams, brooks and burns clean of leaves and needles that could otherwise create pollution from their decay.
With the lack of leaf cover, the normally obscured dark depths of the wood are revealed. A wood ants nest or formicary, while all around are patches of mosses seemingly the only life in the wood. Yet there are also places where fungi is still growing, the fruiting bodies using the abnormally warm weather to release there millions of spores. Parallel to the path I am walking sunlight is illuminating the wood to my right, painting pictures of light and dark, revealing and hiding some of the secrets of the forest. In the summer the density of the leaf cover combined with the undergrowth hides much of a woods secrets.
As can happen as I walked quietly out of one of the dense areas of cover, I was surprised by a pair of Collard Doves that I must have disturbed, their sudden ascent into the air startled me too. Often we can be so close to birds in the woods but not realise they are there at all. While not many birds sing in the winter, it is by no means the orchestra of sound you get in spring, you do have the Robin who seems to sing all year round, as well an occasional Great Tit. Frequently though it is only when there is some disturbance that the birds start calling. Not always human disturbance, but another bird can trigger the calling. Or as I observed today a cat was trying to stalk a flock of Long Tailed Tits as they were feeding together, but with safety in numbers they flew overhead as the called to each other. It is worth noting that these flocks of Long tailed tits that can be seen at this time of year will all be related and will be the offspring that hatched last year from the two or three broods that the year brought.
When I last walked this part of the wood, the Holly witch is abundant here was covered with berries. Now most of them have been striped, not by humans I must add, but by birds. By looking carefully I can see two berries here and three berries there, but the fieldfares and the redwings, both of them I can hear, have and are feasting on the larder nature has provided. This is why it can be so rewarding to venture into the less visited areas of my local wood, as the birds are not constantly being disturbed by people, thus enabling me to see and hear the birds as they forage and feed.
While at this time of year there the wildlife is less active and abundant, they are still active. It is worth commenting on that while normally in winter I will see less people about, this is the one time, the two weeks after Christmas that the woods are more frequently visited, as people get rid of that Christmas pudding.
The image is of a Fieldfare
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