Category: Birds

A dull, grey start to the day, but by noon the sun was cracking paving stones….is this really January?   A quick walk in this South Derbyshire wood was the answer when a break from the desk was indicated. This stand of young Beech were bright green on their trunks, the rain over the past week has regenerated the moss and algae whilst to-days sunshine has brought out the richness of the growth.  Add a soft glow filter to take out some of the starkness of the sun and presto………

The woodlands were very still, not a breath of wind to disturb the calm. But it was far from quiet.  The birds were in full song, Nut Hatch, Tree Creepers, Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Thrush, Gt. Spotted Woodpeckers and Green Woodpeckers all making their presence know. Robins, Blackbirds and Wood Pigeon scavenged the leaves on the woodland floor whilst a Buzzard could be heard mewing as it took broad circles above.

The rains had also refreshed the lichen and mosses on the Derbyshire ‘dry’ stonewalls…..

We last walked these woods in December and it is hard now to recall that even then many of the trees still retained a good coverage of leaves from the summer, for here the autumn never really arrived.  The gales of last week have swept them away.  Now the view is much more seasonal, bear but none the less still attractive for all that (one also recalls that this time last year snow was thick and all about for many weeks)…………

By the time we headed back the sun had dropped and the dark skies had started to make an appearance throwing the naked skeletons into relief. Most trees be it Beech, Oak, Chestnut, Birch or Hazel had buds that were showing early signs of spring growth. So unless winter turns very soar we may well soon have leaves on these trees once again.

11th January