The gentle ripple of leaves rustling above in the woodland canopy drew my attention skywards. At the top Ash keys were hanging in dense clumps, while the Elm branches and leaves hung like an umbrella over me. I wriggled my way along the new footpaths around the aviary glade listening to the distant song of Blue-tits and Great-tits.
As I approached the aviary glade where 4 Wood Pigeons took off noisily in flight into the nearby Sycamore trees. I was admiring the Hazel trees looking for remnants of the now long-gone Hazel nuts. The tiny female flowers on the Hazel tree are pollinated by the wind to develop into oval fruits which hang in little groups, they then mature into a nut with a woody shell surrounded by a cup of leafy bracts.
Daisies are scattered across the aviary glade, these are quite hardy little flowers. The tall slender stems of a dense clump of Bamboo was shining bright in the morning sunshine and above in the Sycamore a Magpie was making its presence known. White buds of the Bay trees and red berries of Bryony wrapped around a Holly bush contrasted in colour. The dry crisp leaves and bark make great weather for bark rubbing and flower pressing.
Sticky glossy buds of the Horse Chestnut were shining bright in the sunlight, while its leaves were brown and nearly all dropped to the ground, where not one conker was left in sight.
A dense area of Holm Oaks makes a great place for tree climbing, by Squirrel or human. After the recent rain and then warmer days the bare patches of ground are a good place to search for animal tracks, today I found a Dog, a child and a Deer print. Half eaten nuts show that Squirrels or small Mammals are nearby and earth holes from rummaging Badgers in search of bugs is a give away to their nocturnal activities.
This crisp Sunday morning with a warm sun is a fantastic day for exploring, why not hire our Explorer Bags from the Castle and go on an adventure through the Woodlands!