We may be latecomers and have not heard what others may have, but it was a delight to hear the wooden tones of a cuckoo calling from high up towards the Bonham’s patch. An especial treat as we have not heard a cuckoo within the M25, in Orpington where we live, for at least 8 years.
Just back from a trip and Win collected the wild life camera yesterday. It is a small miracle : the badgers have not only condescended to make an appearance but have made it an entertaining show too :
The video is on the animals page [select Great Knelle Wood Home in the header above then fauna and flora on the left pane then select animals unless you are already on the right page]. You will also find a shorter video of a fox there. He clearly doesn’t like the camera. In another video he flees from view in less than one second :
There was an Orange Tip flying around where the land has been cleared along Main Ride.
The last of March and the first of April. It looks as if the woods might be more of an anemone wood than a bluebell wood. Since finding the first wood anemone in early March until now, the woods have come alive with a carpet of green and white :
The recent rains have really brought the spring flowers on in Bellhurst Wood – dog’s mercury growing up, some already flowering; primroses including one in full flower; early purple orchids coming on well by the stream; and lots of wood anemone leaves appearing. Our 9 nestboxes are all ready, and today we put up a larger box for woodpeckers; meanwhile we continue to top up the seed and nut feeders which prove ever popular with our resident Great, Blue, Coal and Marsh Tits and Nuthatches. Winter bird highlight was a pair of diminutive Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers on 10th February, the male drumming with a long, even-toned rattle quite different from the short burst of its much commoner congener, the Great Spotted. Knelle continues to reveal its ancient secrets!
March 8 and the first wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa, in flower is spotted on the edge of the ride in Tania’s Bower.
The flowers are primitive, in that they have no petals, only the white sepals.
Late February and conditions are dry so the green staining of the green stain fungus, Chlorociboria aeruginascens or C. aeruginosa, stands out rather than just looking like a dark stain. It is also a chance to try out the new close-up lens.
This piece of wood, about 200 mm long, was on Central Ride towards its southern end near Big Pond.
Late February and the badgers have been expanding the sett in Tania’s Bower. A considerable amount of excavation has taken place but the badgers remain elusive – maybe we need to place wildcam lower down.
The frost had thawed so carting paving and rubble was a slippery job but much eased by using a cheap plastic sleigh.
Bluebell greenery still popping up, especially on the higher land. Likwise the Old Man’s Beard- the frosty few days before do not seem to have affected their enthusiasm. Some of the weedy saplings are budding. The Bonham’s ponds were frozen over at 10 am but thawing by 12.
Sunday was cold and crisp. The robin at Five Bar Gate was singing in the early morning sunshine and this time was much better lit, albeit further away :
The area around the gate is clearly his territory.
This picture was taken at the junction of Main Ride and Central ride, looking north. There are even the occasional pink ones to be seen :
The bluebells are coming on and a few are in flower but the density at this stage doesn’t justify waxing lyrical. Perhaps this is because it is so long since the wood was coppiced?