Friday, 22 March 2013

Logs, wild boar and a hint of Spring

I had today off work, and went to the wood to process some logs. It's still looking pretty winter-like there:

DSC_0172

But if you look a bit more closely there are bluebell shoots coming up!
DSC_0174 bluebell shoots

This was the job of the day, loading logs into racks and cutting them... Fairly repetitive, but very satisfying!
DSC_0177 logs

The highlight of the day, however, was not logs but wildlife! As I was driving in I saw some very fat-looking male Pheasants, and once I started work I saw two Greater Spotted Woodpeckers up in an oak tree. Not sure if they were arguing over territory or courting, but they were certainly making a lot of noise and not paying me much attention.

Better than that though was the wild boar! I had just walked from the wood out of our entrance into the wayleave, to take stuff to the car, and heard some noises behind me - I looked round and saw several wild boar running fast from the wayleave into the woods, just 20m away! I didn't have a camera in my hand, so no pictures, but I did see their tracks in our entrance:
DSC_0176 wild boar prints

DSC_0175 wild boar prints

Anyway, with the excitement over I covered up the log pile, which is looking much smaller now. I reckon what's left may well fit into our stores once cut up, and see us through next winter:
DSC_0178 logs

Compare it to what was there in October 2011!!!
DSC_8898

Anyway, I'm done with winter now (as is our gas supply...), I could do with Spring...

Mike

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