Showing posts with label snow drops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow drops. Show all posts

Sunday, 20 February 2011

Spring is getting closer...

Although it was raining yesterday, we went briefly to the wood anyway, just to walk around and have a look at stuff. I took a few pics of the signs of spring approaching, though just with my mobile phone, so the quality isn't great. Here's the most obvious one: snowdrops, at the top of Sweep Wood

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As you can see, it was a pretty murky day:
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But I guess that's ideal for the plants - mild and wet. There's lots of thistles coming up where we coppiced a year ago, which will be good for the insects when they flower:
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and nettles are regrowing fast as well - must remember to take some to eat this time!
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Compared to two weeks ago, the Bluebells and Lords and Ladies where we've just been coppicing are also coming on well:
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and there's a carpet of greenery appearing - I think I could see the leaves of Wood Anemone here, and there was Dogs Mercury and possibly Lesser Celandine in other spots.
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Finally, over in Grist Wood, there's been some more coppicing going on. This is near the patch we've just done, so should create a really nice patchwork effect of older coppice and regrowth, so benefiting the wildlife. I'm looking forward to seeing it growing soon...
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Mike

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Saturday, 20 February 2010

Back to the woods again

We made it to the woods today for the first time in ages! We weren't working, but were meeting someone who wanted to buy some of the Hazel we'd felled in Sweep Wood over the winter. We're going up to work tomorrow, so will have some more pictures to come after that.

Spring is definitely in the air, but before we come to that, take a look at what this Great Tit found:
I'd noticed this hollow when I felled the tree, and though it would probably be a nice feature for the wildlife - I'm pleased to see that it is!

OK, signs of Spring (all photos from Sweep Wood, just up the hill from Chestnut Coppice)...

Hazel catkins:
Snowdrops (garden escapees?):
Elder leaves growing:
Bluebells pushing their way up:

I think the growth of the plants will start to accelerate soon, although there could be a bit more snow to come first...

Mike

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