I went for a walk through the main part of the wood yesterday, both to put some signs up and to get some pictures for a talk I am giving. It is really beautiful at the moment. Some of the leaves are coming out, the bluebells are at their best at the royal blue stage, there are lots of violets, the primroses are going over now but there are still a few wood anemones. Found some wild strawberry flowers, there are wood spurge, a few wild garlic flowers coming and a lot more. Saw quite a few butterflies including brimstone and peacock and possibly a female orange tip, and bumble bees around. On the way in we saw a roe doe and on the way out a hare. It didn't seem too bothered by us but loped off when son tried to get a picture.
the woodie might be a distant descendant of fat walter, not very pc but if you had/have seen him you would know how he got the name
looking back it was during a cake baking time and the blackbirds were known as the triangle family
ps jackdaws get very animated on coffee cake, best not to do it
Judging by the bites I have been getting, the insects are alive and well here. Have seen a good number of bumble bees and queen wasps. The brambles and grass are growing in the garden well, so the grass between the raised beds need cutting before the cabbage and pea seedling go in and the area de slugged and snailed as far as possible. Sadly we don't seem to have a hedgehog although we quite often hear thrushes.
The woodpecker was still drumming away in the woods yesterday, so must still be looking for a mate or perhaps marking out a territory. Also found some early purple orchids in flower and some sanicle in bud. Still haven't found moschatel, and is going to be more difficult with the wood anemones now seeding.
We helped put out some dormouse boxes in the wood yesterday. Put up on hazel where there is good connectivity between trees. Some in the bottom of the wood, some at the top and some across the top part of the bottom (the wood is L shaped). The bit between the cross and upright parts of the L has been fairly well investigated and found to be ideal for dormice when surveyed for the pylon work. Surveys will be carried out monthly during summer to see how things are, but the boxes are suitable for hibernation I think, so won't be disturbed then. Hoping son and I will be able to get training on dormouse surveying and may end up with a licence for handling them perhaps.
Think the Romans used the edible dormouse; ours are a bit small, and rather too lovely. There is plenty of room for expansion. Although the rest of the woodland isn't hazel, there are plenty of nuts, seeds and berries, and insects, so good food and good shelter. Hoping we find some as apart from anything else I rather like them. A bit twee, but they are rather sweet.
gz
Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 9092 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 25 7:39 am Post subject:
Just seen the goldfinches going for the dandelions ❤️
a quick reminder that even if you do not feed birds and other wildlife providing water will be a massive help to them.
it has been dry and warm, now it is getting hot and warm
the things here are making good use of the big flat dish
dirty feathers but a bit thirsty as well, the very local ones that are nest based at the mo do not have to go far to get wet here, elsewhere is fraught with dangers and extra effort
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