April 2015

April has been fairly benign, with mild days, some frosty nights, but nothing too severe. Walking is now a pleasure as tracks and footpaths are now dry and firm underfoot. Fortunately, the damage caused by joyriders has to a certain extent been naturally repaired, as walkers and riders have blurred and smoothed the ruts, although the most severe damage remains.

The emergence of the young leaves of trees has been rapid and provided an amazing pallet of all shades of green. First to appear were the leaves of Silver Birch, soon followed by Hawthorn,  and Beech. Even Oak leaves have emerged, ahead of Ash! A local Aspen tree seems reluctant to come into leaf, although this provides an opportunity to distinguish the catkins, which are pinkie red.

Spring flowers have particularly enjoyed the benign weather. Primrose leaves have been developing all winter, and have been in flower since early February in some sheltered spots. Wood Anemone   are very shy, and are reluctant to emerge, when suddenly a delicate tracery of bronze foliage appears, and the white bell shaped hanging flowers show. In full sun the flowers fully open and lift their heads and become star shaped. The Cuckoo Flower or Ladies Smock are frothy pink in ditches and dikes; and of course the very special vivid blue of Bluebells provide so much pleasure, and on warm sunny days release an amazing perfume. Violets also have responded to the gentle weather, and are quite profuse in particularly protected spots. Ground Ivy is in flower, along with Cowslips and Bugle.

Birds have also been enjoying the mild weather. The Chiffchaff is amongst the earliest migratory visitors, its distinctive call was heard in a clearing in the forest in early April. Willow Warblers are common in the hedgerows, along with the Song Thrush which has been heard singing throughout the winter from the same tree. Wrens are not so shy at this busy time, as they sing their lovely sweet song. Siskins can also be seen amongst the conifers along with Long Tailed Tits. A flash of vivid green gives away the presence of the Green Woodpecker.

A  copse of mixed coniferous and deciduous trees which has been left undisturbed, has attracted two types of raptors. A pair of Kestrels have been spotted amongst the trees, as has a pair of Buzzards. Two jays have also settled on nesting in the copse.

Unfortunately during our walks with Jack, we have sadly  not yet heard the Cuckoo, although it has been heard in Rolvenden.

The Dawn Chorus with Cuckoo

Other signs of Spring include the busy activity of wood ants on their mountainous heap, and the sighting of Brimstone and Orange Tip butterflies.

Aspen

Cowslip

Violet

Bluebell

Wood Anemone

Lesser Celandine

Spring at last?

This winter has been fairly benign in the S.East, with no extremes of weather. In fact February was dry and quite mild. However temperatures in March remain obstinately cold, with several frosty mornings, and chilly easterly winds.
Walking in the woods should be pleasurable as paths and tracks have dried, and are less muddy. Unfortunately many paths have become difficult to walk, as "off roaders" have been joyriding through the forest, and have churned the tracks, leaving deep ruts. This forces walkers to walk on the side of tracks, where wild flower habitats are. Steps have been taken to deter the drivers, and hopefully this will be sufficient to stop any further damage.
There are signs of Spring in the woods. Hazel (Corylus) male catkins have been flowering since early February, although their pollen would have been effected by frosts. Pussy Willow (Salix) is also in flower, again the male flower is the most prominent; Pussy Willow is an extremely valuable source of pollen to both honey bees and bumble bees. Blackthorn (Prunus Spinosa) has also come into flower, and will later form sloes as fruit.
Primroses (Primula Vulgaris) in protected areas have been flowering since February, and are now becoming more widespread. Lesser celandine (Rununculus Ficaria) leaves are developing, and are flowering in very protected spots. The spear type leaves of the Bluebell, (Hyacinthoides Umbellatum) are shooting up, and will probably be in flower in a months time.
Rabbits are busy reorganising their burrows, and piles of newly dug soil is evidence of expanding families. Badgers are in evidence where they have scratched the soil looking for worms; and squirrels can be seen rummidging for buried pine cones and nuts.
Birds are becoming more vocal and active. A pair of Jays were spotted in the beechwood; a Song Thrush has been heard singing from the same tree throughout March, Green Woodpeckers have been seen feeding on the ground, and Long tailed, Blue and Great Tits are extremely busy in the woods.
So maybe Spring has arrived!

Pussy Willow - Salix

Hazel Catkin

Hellebore 

Primrose

Sparrow Hawks meal?

Buzzard above

Onset of winter!

December was quite benign, with no severe frosts or particularly strong winds; the woods gently settled down to face the winter. Dominant colours were browns and greys, with leaf litter gradually rotting to form the humous for next springs growth burst.
This is the time when conifers come into their own, their subdued greens standing out against the monotones of the deciduous trees. Holly bushes and the invasive rhododendron are also a source of colour. At ground level, the incredibly vivid emerald green of moss at the base of silver birches and some hazel trees helps to enliven the colour tone.
Very few mammals have been active; the occasional squirrel streaking across the track, having searched for the remnants of chestnuts or hazelnuts, or  a young rabbit scampering back to its burrow. There are signs of badger activity on the outskirts of the woods, where they have searched for worms and other food sources below the surface of soil.
Birdlife is also somewhat subdued. A solitary robin may hop through the bushes, hoping you may disturb the leaf litter and uncover a source of food. The occasional small flock of blue tits and long tailed tits sometimes chatter in the silver birch canopy. If you are very lucky it is possible to see a flock of fieldfares and red wings fly over the orchards skirting the woods; their main source of food is the windfall apples on the ground.
Unfortunately for Jack it is also the time when he regularly has to have a cold wash down when he gets home, as the footpaths are incredibly muddy and boggy! However he is soon snug and warm, in his favourite chair next to the wood burner.

Crab Apples

Palm 

Last years weather in Benenden

This Autumn has been the third mildest Autumn on record. The effect of warmer benign weather is most noticeable on trees and foliage. Having had no real frost or Autumn gales has allowed leaves to develop colour, and for them to stay attached to the trees. Hazel, Silver Birch, Beech and Maple in particular have been extremely colourful, showing strong yellows and russet brown, with the occasional red. When the leaves have fallen they have created amazing mosaics on the woodland floor.

As leaves fall, it allows light to penetrate into woodland, and on bright sunny days the bark of trees comes into focus. Silver Birch (Betulaceae) stands out, and has the brightest of barks. Birch was one of the earliest of trees to recolonise in Britain after the ice age. It is probably the most numerous of trees that has colonised the forest.

Although the most outstanding colour of Autumn is the different hues of brown, the occasional flash of the red of berries stands out. Bryony (Tamus Communis) and Holly (Aquifoliacea) berries provide the most bright red in Autumn. A particular fungi is also bright red, and is unmistakeable,  Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria) is the most easily recognised of fungi.

Another advantage of a mild Autumn has provided the perfect conditions for many types of fungi to grow. Whilst other forms of flora, ( particularly deciduous plants ) are preparing to go into rest mode, fungi are at their most active. Some fungi are still emerging as we go into Winter. Fungi are extremely difficult to identify, as their colour range is limited. Shades of white, brown or beige are the most common colour ranges. Also if you do not observe the fungi when it first emerges, it is even more difficult to identify, as the fungus will deteriorate and discolour.

Lumpy Bracket - Trametes Gibbosa

Truffel Hunting

Common Earthball - Scleroperma Citrinum - Puff Ball

Fly Agaric - Amanita Muscaria - Red Fungi

Bryony - Tamus Communis

A wet November morning

Following three days of rain, many of the tracks and pathways in the forest are extremely muddy, and the gullies and ditches are filling with water. Many leaves have fallen from the trees as a result of the wind and rain, allowing more light to penetrate through the trees. The bark of Silver Birches shone in the sunlight.


Very few birds were observed this morning, apart from a large flock of Wood Pigeons flying through the Beech wood. A few Great Tits and Blue Tits were twittering amongst the birches, and a Green Woodpecker made it's alarm call deep in the woods.

No shrubs or flowers were in bloom, but a few late fungi had survived the attention of collectors. Lumpy Bracket ( Trametes Gibbosa) was prolific on the stumps of beech trees. These are often found on dead wood in broad leaf woodland.                                                                                              Glutinous Waxcap
(Hygrocybe Glutinipes) which can be found amongst moss and grass, was possibly identified;  neither of these fungi are edible!

November 2014

Jack is of course a Jack Russell whose main domain is Hempsted Forest; he expects at least two walks each day in the forest. This gives us an opportunity to observe the wildlife and flora and fauna of the forest throughout the seasons. The purpose of this blog is to share these observations with you.