`The faintest sign of frost this morning soon gave way to a sunny dry day, so I left home for the woods about 10.30. I am fortunate that I live where locking house doors is not necessary, although I do have a private security patrol who frequents my back garden. When I asked him what sort of wage he expected for keeping an eye on the cottage he replied, " Cheep for crummy wages"
![](https://i.ibb.co/5FPfprR/DSC00880.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/1qvFjsF/DSC00879.jpg)
So, with today's wages handed out, it was off to the woods...
Quite warm and sunny, a small breeze from the South West and the sunlight sparkles off the lake through the trees.
![](https://i.ibb.co/q9FczY9/DSCF8126.jpg)
When I camped in the wood overnight at New Year I spotted some King Alfred's Cakes on a fallen dying Ash, so today's mission was to collect some for drying and adding to my Tinder collection. There is also a quite dense area of wood nearby that I wanted to investigate properly.
![](https://i.ibb.co/9vfn4vb/DSCF8150.jpg)
Nearby is what must surely be the Mac D's or Kentucky Fried for the local Wood Peckers.
![](https://i.ibb.co/1T0gtGq/DSCF8127.jpg)
How quickly Nature re asserts Herself. Just 5 nights ago my Bivvy Bag was covering this spot..
![](https://i.ibb.co/17Cm0Ys/DSCF8128.jpg)
The wood here is quite open in Winter, so the sunlight reaches into the depths, in Summer when the trees are in full leaf this area can be quite dark.
![](https://i.ibb.co/2vjzBcZ/DSCF8151.jpg)
Brew time and I have Lords and Ladies ( wild Arum), Scarlet Elf Cups and one of Mother Nature's lovely living ropes for company.
![](https://i.ibb.co/8KLTVD9/DSCF8142.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/1Jn7gJ7/DSCF8135.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/SXSKJCy/DSCF8137.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/cghjtPp/DSCF8141.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/SNWBWcD/DSCF8139.jpg)
Steam up..
![](https://i.ibb.co/KbzTdxj/DSCF8145.jpg)
And then off to a small clear area that I wanted to investigate...Do you see what I see?.........
![](https://i.ibb.co/0BxLbQq/DSCF8133.jpg)
8 out of 10 for effort, but you can't fool me in the woods..![Laugh :laugh: :laugh:](/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/laugh.png)
![](https://i.ibb.co/tJJq2FQ/DSCF8134.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/0YXgkqv/DSCF8132.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/vwDhCD3/DSCF8131.jpg)
A Trail Camera secured with heavy duty Bicycle type locking cable. Of course I left it undisturbed, I know little about such Cameras but I felt it had been there some time. Cobweb and leaf litter on the artificial Camo on the Camera, perhaps it is fitted with very long lasting batteries? I will return in a week or so just to satisfy my curiosity.
Home by 4.30pm, the lake looking like a mirror and the late sun lighting up the tree lined far bank as I neared home.
![](https://i.ibb.co/YLM839r/DSCF8152.jpg)
Best to get home before dusk as I will probably be expected to pay more crummy wages...![Laugh :laugh: :laugh:](/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/laugh.png)
![](https://i.ibb.co/5FPfprR/DSC00880.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/1qvFjsF/DSC00879.jpg)
So, with today's wages handed out, it was off to the woods...
Quite warm and sunny, a small breeze from the South West and the sunlight sparkles off the lake through the trees.
![](https://i.ibb.co/q9FczY9/DSCF8126.jpg)
When I camped in the wood overnight at New Year I spotted some King Alfred's Cakes on a fallen dying Ash, so today's mission was to collect some for drying and adding to my Tinder collection. There is also a quite dense area of wood nearby that I wanted to investigate properly.
![](https://i.ibb.co/9vfn4vb/DSCF8150.jpg)
Nearby is what must surely be the Mac D's or Kentucky Fried for the local Wood Peckers.
![](https://i.ibb.co/1T0gtGq/DSCF8127.jpg)
How quickly Nature re asserts Herself. Just 5 nights ago my Bivvy Bag was covering this spot..
![](https://i.ibb.co/17Cm0Ys/DSCF8128.jpg)
The wood here is quite open in Winter, so the sunlight reaches into the depths, in Summer when the trees are in full leaf this area can be quite dark.
![](https://i.ibb.co/2vjzBcZ/DSCF8151.jpg)
Brew time and I have Lords and Ladies ( wild Arum), Scarlet Elf Cups and one of Mother Nature's lovely living ropes for company.
![](https://i.ibb.co/8KLTVD9/DSCF8142.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/1Jn7gJ7/DSCF8135.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/SXSKJCy/DSCF8137.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/cghjtPp/DSCF8141.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/SNWBWcD/DSCF8139.jpg)
Steam up..
![](https://i.ibb.co/KbzTdxj/DSCF8145.jpg)
And then off to a small clear area that I wanted to investigate...Do you see what I see?.........
![](https://i.ibb.co/0BxLbQq/DSCF8133.jpg)
8 out of 10 for effort, but you can't fool me in the woods..
![Laugh :laugh: :laugh:](/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/laugh.png)
![](https://i.ibb.co/tJJq2FQ/DSCF8134.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/0YXgkqv/DSCF8132.jpg)
![](https://i.ibb.co/vwDhCD3/DSCF8131.jpg)
A Trail Camera secured with heavy duty Bicycle type locking cable. Of course I left it undisturbed, I know little about such Cameras but I felt it had been there some time. Cobweb and leaf litter on the artificial Camo on the Camera, perhaps it is fitted with very long lasting batteries? I will return in a week or so just to satisfy my curiosity.
Home by 4.30pm, the lake looking like a mirror and the late sun lighting up the tree lined far bank as I neared home.
![](https://i.ibb.co/YLM839r/DSCF8152.jpg)
Best to get home before dusk as I will probably be expected to pay more crummy wages...
![Laugh :laugh: :laugh:](/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/laugh.png)