Tony Brown gave us a pictorial view of the living woodland starting with the Spring when we have a sudden burst of lovely spring flowers . Starting with the snowdrops beautiful when viewed up close, followed by wild daffodils, primroses and bluebells, not forgetting the lovely sight of wood anemones carpeting the woodland floor and we are lucky enough to have all these flowers in woodland nearby. Tony reminded us not to dig up wild plants as it not only depletes the woodland but they do not survive for long out of their habitat. Butterflies also emerge, Brimstone, orange tip, comma and peacock. Migratory birds arrive firstly the chiff chaff followed by the black cap, white throat, cuckoo and night jar. Possibly a turtle dove can be heard but they are a declining species. Summer is a time of plenty and the woodland abounds with insects, and the trees are in full leaf and flowers. Plenty of food for the birds and their fledglings, tawny owls busy hunting all the small mammals such as voles and shrews. More butterflies some such as the purple emperor living at the top of the trees. Autumn when the weather gets cooler and the trees shed there seeds providing food for birds and mammals and also the time for fungi, the lifeblood of the woodland, and all different colours, shapes and sizes. As the days get shorter and cooler the leaves change colour, from green to reds and orange and yellow, an annual spectacle, these fall to the ground and some animals prepare to hibernate. Winter though if we have snow can be very beautiful is also a very hard time for the birds and Tony said how important it is that we feed our birds in the winter time. Beautiful photographs taken by Tony and such a fascinating subject.
