Coppicing time

Late January and the days are getting longer. In Crow Wood the extra minutes of daylight and mild conditions are encouraging the first shoots of the spring to show themselves. Tree buds are beginning to swell and along the paths the Primroses and Early Purple Orchids are putting on new leaves. The catkins have been out for several days already.

It all feels a bit too early as yet and we might still get another "Beast from the East". Only time will tell. I do like to feel that we have had a winter and I love snow, so this year has seemed very odd.

Even the birds are getting a bit busier with Blue Tits starting to investigate my nest boxes. I try to clean out the boxes every year to prevent the growth of pests and parasites but this year I did not get around to it. One of the boxes had a surprise inside, a perfectly formed wasp nest. I must have missed this during the summer.

Early Purple Orchids living up to their name

fresh leaves of the Cuckoo Pint

...and of Primroses

                                                               
                                                               Hazel Catkins

                                                  The wasp nest in the bird box