We seemed to have escaped the worst of the recent storms that have ravaged the U.K. this week. But a walk in Big Wood first thing this morning revealed that the Silver Birch hadn’t done that well in the gales….
Natural disaster happen but the loss of these trees is down to poor woodland management (or should I say neglect) over many years and a misguided conservation policy that Sycamore need extermination. The Birch needed thinning years ago so that they would spread and mature in to the usual sturdy trees rather than these leggy matchsticks reaching to a sky they never quite reach. It is a shame as these woods are about the only woods in Derbyshire where you can see Lesser, Greater and Green Woodpeckers all in the same location.
We also had the first frost of 2012 and like the only other frost we had this winter it was so light that if you blinked you missed it.
May be we are going to skip the worst of winter and slide slowly into spring….we will see.
6th January
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 
I,ve got a sneaking feeling our winter is going to catch us up soon 😉
LikeLike
I suspect you are right. After last years winter and those forecasters predicting that this was what the future held for our winters, this mild weather has come as a bit of a surprise. I know that here in the Midlands we have been very lucky this last year. A good spring and a summer that ran on and on to the extent that we never did get a true autumn….add to that the drought conditions and we most certainly cannot complain. I am also aware that many places have not enjoyed such a good year, I think Scotland has been the wettest. I just hope that if winter does come that spring cannot be far behind
LikeLike