Of birds and bees

The Greening.........suddenly the woods are going green as buds begin to burst and ground flora start to carpet the woodland floor again. Its a great time of the year to be out and about as every visit to the wood brings something new to look at. Even though temperatures are still quite low, the lengthening days are what drive this incredible natural resurgence. Over the last few days I have seen a Red Admiral butterfly, fresh out of hibernation and looking very smart, and the first flushes of Wood Anemone; the first Slow Worm of the season was under one of my tin sheets and our bee-keeper's bees are really getting busy.
                            
                            The wood is still very wet after all the recent rain so today was spent trying to dig out some blocked ditches in the hope that the water will drain away more quickly. I made the mistake of driving my truck into the centre of the wood and have made the situation much worse as the wheels have churned the soil into a very sticky mud. There is still a lot of standing water but it will dry as soon as the water table drops a bit. Repairing the track and ditches is a regular activity for this woodland owner - its all in the cause of keeping good access so I can enjoy being there and watching everything that happens as the season moves on........

The first Slow Worm of the season. I leave out a couple of old tin sheets for them and they are attracted by the warmth and shelter. Grass Snakes use the same refuges.

Red Admiral butterfly, this one has been hibernating through the winter in the wood. It is not unusual to see them out and about this early in the year on any warm day.

The bees are finding lots of pollen somewhere, but where ? The bees belong to a local bee-keeper, who drops in every now and then to check up on them. We are hoping this summer they will actually produce some honey for us for the first time after a run of poor seasons.

Wood Anenome - the classic flower of Spring