August days

        We know we have deer in Crow wood as we see their droppings and the young leaves they have chewed but only rarely are they actually seen or heard.  Using a camera "trap" is the only way to get concrete evidence and so it has proved. I have twice now set the camera up for a week in an area where I have repeatedly seen their droppings and know them to be active. The first time I drew a complete blank but on the second, two weeks ago, the camera caught did what I was hoping it would do. It was quite a surprise to see how active they were and equally a surprise to see both Roe and Fallow deer, and two bucks no less, using  the wood. Fallow deer are now very common across the South-east and although fine beasts to spot, in numbers they can be a real nuisance by browsing off new shoots and eating new growth on the woodland floor. In some woods they can have a devastating impact on biodiversity although our wood is used often enough by people to deter them from forming bigger herds. Introduced by the Normans they have a perfect claim to be one of the woodland's oldest residents: indeed records from the 15th Century show that Old Park Wood was once managed as a deer park.

      Crow Wood played host recently to another kind of trap - a Malaise Trap. It was set up by researchers to trap flying insects and investigate the difference in species found in traditional and regenerating woodland. The trap stayed up for a week and the results are currently being analysed so it is too early to get any clear results. The woodland trap was installed under the Sweet Chestnut, where the dense canopy allows little light onto the forest floor so it would not be surprising if less insects were found there. On the invertebrate front it has been an exceptional year for the little Holly Blue butterfly and I have seen more in the wood this year than ever.....in the sunny areas of course !

The Malaise trap set up, insects fly in and fall into the preserving fluid at the top

A Holly Blue, one of many, feeding on Heather

A buck Fallow Deer with a fine set of antlers

A more timid Roe Deer buck - they have small prong like antlers

This is also a Fallow Deer but a dark coated male, in days gone by these would have been culled as the spotted ones, as in the first photo, were most favoured. White versions also appear, but rarely.

A Fox caught on camera, dazzled by the flash