Snow brings down trees

 Wet snow clings to tree branches and although it looks pretty the extra weight is just too much for many trees. We listened to the crashing noises on Sunday as tree after tree fell to the ground in the space of a few hours.
On the bright side the gaps opened up will allow new growth to replace the old trees.

Beech Woodland in Winter

Winter days can be dull and gloomy but when the sun shines a walk in the woods is beautiful.
The leaves are gone so the sun can penetrate the beech woods and you are able to appreciate the shapes of the trees and the delicate tracery of their branches.

Beech woodland in Autumn

 We have enjoyed some stunning rambles this week. This woodland at Owlpen was enhanced by the sunshine. Some of the leaves having fallen means that the light gets through showing off the dark Beech trunks

Fairy Rings

 Rings of Fungi often appear in the autumn and these are sometimes called fairy rings. They are the fruiting bodies of the fungus which lives underground feeding on decaying material.
We think this is the Trooping Funnel (Clitocybe geotropa) which commonly forms rings under beech trees but  are not confident enough in our identification to eat them!

Sloe berries

There seem to be many Sloe berries in the hedgerows this year. 

The berries resemble a small plum. They can be used for making jams and chutneys but are very sharp. Apparently they are less tart of picked after a frost but I usually find they have shrivelled by this time you can collect them now and freeze them.

Hornets

When sitting down for a picnic in the woods today we noticed some large insects flying around this tree stump. Looking more closely we saw that they were hornets flying in and out. Luckily they kept themselves to themselves although one seemed to be on guard and we noticed it attach another hornet who came too close.

Bat detecting

As the sun went down yesterday it was a perfect still evening for watching Bats flying around the local area.
We sat down at twilight and soon saw Common Pipistrelle bats flying overhead. Our bat detector helped us to identify them and later a Lesser Horseshoe Bat too.

Sweet Chestnut

Came across these lovely old Chestnut trees on an estate near Shipton Moyne whilst out walking last week. Must be hundreds of years old.

Sun and Showers

It is feeling like Autumn already as the rose bay willow herb starts to set seed beneath stormy looking skies.
We managed an early walk with some sunshine before the rain set in.

Crane Chicks

A pair of Cranes released in Somerset as part of the Crane Reintroduction Project have returned to Slimbridge WWT to breed and hatched two chicks this year. Lovely to see these birds living in the wild again.

Marbled White Butterfly

The uncut long grass of meadows near our home are alive with butterflies at the moment including the Marbled White pictured. We also saw large numbers of Meadow Brown, Ringlet and large Skipper although getting close enough for a good picture before they fly off is a challenge.

Bullfinch

Over the years the species of birds visiting our feeders have changed.
Sadly gone are the once common Greenfinch but Bullfinch are welcome new visitors and this lovely pair are becoming regulars.

Bee Orchid

Yesterday we spent a lovely morning on Rodborough Common with our local RSPB group looking for butterflies. At present the common is covered with many different species of Orchids and other wild flowers. We were delighted to spot this amazing Bee Orchid in the limestone grassland, many Common Fragrant both in pink and white as well as Pyramid and Twayblade Orchids.

Wood garlic

Spring colours have been at the best this week. The wood garlic flowers carpet the woodland floor as the beech trees come into leaf. All too soon the leaf canopy will blot out the light and the woodland floor will die back.

Roe deer in grassland

 Roe deer usually hide in the woodland but when grass is allowed to grow longer for hay or silage they are attracted into the fields. They like to graze in grass where other animals have not been and can often be seen in the early morning.

Beech woods in Spring

The delicate green of freshly emerged beech leaves, bluebells underneath and blue sky above. What a magnificent Springtime sight!

Bluebell Woods

 Happy Easter
Enjoy a walk in the beautiful bluebell woods of the Cotswolds

Easter Lambs

Lovely to see young lambs in the fields at this time of year.

Kingfisher

Breeding time is here for birds and we watched this male kingfisher excavating his nest hole at Slimbridge today.

Bluebells

Look out for bluebells which are just starting to flower in our local woodland. Soon we should have the great carpets of blue on the woodland floor which is one of the spectacular sights of springtime. Bluebells thrive in ancient woodland where they are left undisturbed.

Blackthorn

Spring is here as we pass the equinox and days are longer than the nights. The blackthorn blossom is turning the hedges white as the flowers emerge before the leaves.

Primrose in bloom

It really is feeling like Spring is here with banks of primroses in flower and the hawthorn bursting into leaf.

Limestone Grassland

 The National Trust's Belted Galloway cattle are doing a grand job clearing the grassland so we can enjoy orchids and other wildflowers this summer.

Spring migration approaches

 We enjoy the spectacle of overwintering birds taking advantage our relatively mild climate but it will soon be time for them to leave. Today we had fine views of 100 Bewick swans and 146 Whitefront Geese on the Dumbles at Slimbridge together with lapwing dunlin and golden plover.
There is much to enjoy in winter!

Winter flowers

 Winter aconites and snowdrops are flowering everywhere at the moment, with even a little snow to show them off this morning.

Misty Days

 

High pressure in winter brings misty dull days but lovely views when the mist clears.

Catkins and Snowdrops

Winter is not over yet but Spring is round the corner and the first signs are appearing with the early snowdrops flowering and hazel catkins emerging.