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
