The woods in flower

            It has not been a good year for birds and insects. The cold and wet have not been conducive to a lot of activity and the woods have been unusually quiet.  Every year since buying Crow Wood we have had the privilege of hearing and seeing a Turtle Dove. Numbers nationally are in steep decline and this year is sadly the first that I have not spotted one. We are part of an RSPB project to try and support the species by putting out special seed for them but sadly we seem to be fattening pheasants and crows (and a fox) rather than the precious turtles. Storms in southern Europe at the start of April are known to have killed many migrating birds. The loss of birds is a very sad situation. The situation for butterflies is pretty grim too; wet springs are a disaster. I find it very easy to get depressed by the loss of biodiversity we are now witnessing. I have to make a conscious effort to find the positive things going on and of course the woods can provide these too. In spite of the weather the flowers are doing their thing, the squirrels are getting frisky and the Slow Worms are making the best of it...............come on Summer !!

Common Spotted Orchid, one of several spikes in flower

Foxgloves are often eaten by rabbits but not this one

Tormentil likes the edges of tracks

Heath Speedwell

A Slow Worm under one of the metal sheets, keeping warm

It shares the hiding place with a lot of ants and their cocoons.

This is Vipers Bugloss, a flower much loved by pollinators. It prefers the edges of the main track

brambles in flower: maybe it will be a good Blackberry year !

A fine Fox eating seed put out for the Turtle Doves - curious !

One of the frisky Squirrels - we have rather too many of these pesky mammals.