Bel's Wood

Having done 4 blogs on different themes this month I thought I would do a generic one with some recent pics and video footage that I have captured later in the month. It has been hot and dry and the beck retained very little water. It is interesting to see the areas that remained boggy and these will be the best to convert into scrapes to try and have standing water all year round. There are flowers flourishing and insects buzzing. The aim will be to increase the range and quantity over time through planting a wider range of species and keeping rides open particularly in south facing areas.                 White tailed bumblebee                                    Green vein butterfly - female Red deer browsing Young red deer bouncing! (wait for it!)                Less stitchwort                                                             Vetch Common Burdock  Outside the wood on the verge for now, hopefully these will jump over the wall next year now that grazing has stopped Dog Daisy

Having just blogged on the emerging plan for the wood and the result of the camera traps and photos of wildlife I realise that doesn't convey the fun that Bel's Wood is giving me. So here are some of the lighter moments from the last months.                                       Sitting in Wilhamena (the willow) I've slept out quite a few nights in my hammock and enjoyed the dawn chorus, the super moon and some lovely toast made over my wood burning stove.  Hammock nicely hidden under a green tarp to the right of the yew tree low down     A friend's bivvy                                                           The breakfast of queen's! Supermoon 27th May 2021 The latest addition is a swing! With patient remote help from my brother in law I have managed to fix this swing to Cecil B (the sessile oak) and enjoy a swing on most visits up there. This 'shooting box' has proved a useful hide and this is where I sat when I spotted a badger one evening. S/he remain

All of a sudden the yellow from the gorse which has been constant all winter disappeared and the broom took over with yellow flares across the plot. You can see the dead looking gorse surrounding the gorse here.                                                     5th June 2021  08.12                        12th June 21.30            There are not a huge amount of butterflies yet this year with cold snaps and rain but I have captured these ones so far    Speckeld Wood 20th June 2021 Red admiral (27th June 2021)    It is another stunning year for foxgloves which are alive with bumblebees (17th June 2021) We found this common frog after a bit of bracken clearance and I have seen a dark brown one living in the woodstore. (27th June 2021).    On the left is probably a chimney sweep moth (19th June 2021) - not a great photo but they are found where there is pignut growing which I have on the right And this green cucumber spider joined me one day (5th June 2021)        The grasses look lovely