On Thursday I decided to get out and spend the whole day exploring the local woods and fields - a fantastic experience. An absolute treasure trove of plants, animals and bushcraft resources. And despite this being the midst of semi-rural Oxfordshire, I only met two people in the six hours I was out.
I saw rabbits, squirrels (including two youngsters chasing each other round a tree trunk), two woodpeckers grubbing for food, half a dozen deer, including one male who saw me kneeling down looking at my map and kept coming closer, examining me, coming closer until he finally decided he didn't like me and bounded off. Amazing to interact directly with a 'wild' animal.
I found flints in the hardcore of a path, birch bark from fallen trees, cramp ball fungi, various other tinder-dry fungi, hardened resin and loads of plants to identify.
Pictures here if anyone wants to propose any IDs? I know I need to properly ID with my field guides but pointers would be helpful.
Geoff
Lots of blackthorn in flower.
Not sure - ground ivy?
Spring is definitely on its way.
A bit blurred, flowers look similar to stitchwort?
Alkanet is the closest match I can find in my books?
Ladybird on violets...
and a beautiful white violet.
A lovely primrose.
Celandines (yellow) but not sure about the white flower. Seems to be too many petals for wood anemone (I thought they only had six).
A couple of these alongside a field of rapeseed. Not sure if they are 'wild' or remnants of a previous crop? Plants stood about 1 foot tall.
A nice collection of firelighters!
And what appears to be a new one on the side of this tree.
Someone has been here before!
I saw rabbits, squirrels (including two youngsters chasing each other round a tree trunk), two woodpeckers grubbing for food, half a dozen deer, including one male who saw me kneeling down looking at my map and kept coming closer, examining me, coming closer until he finally decided he didn't like me and bounded off. Amazing to interact directly with a 'wild' animal.
I found flints in the hardcore of a path, birch bark from fallen trees, cramp ball fungi, various other tinder-dry fungi, hardened resin and loads of plants to identify.
Pictures here if anyone wants to propose any IDs? I know I need to properly ID with my field guides but pointers would be helpful.
Geoff
Lots of blackthorn in flower.
Not sure - ground ivy?
Spring is definitely on its way.
A bit blurred, flowers look similar to stitchwort?
Alkanet is the closest match I can find in my books?
Ladybird on violets...
and a beautiful white violet.
A lovely primrose.
Celandines (yellow) but not sure about the white flower. Seems to be too many petals for wood anemone (I thought they only had six).
A couple of these alongside a field of rapeseed. Not sure if they are 'wild' or remnants of a previous crop? Plants stood about 1 foot tall.
A nice collection of firelighters!
And what appears to be a new one on the side of this tree.
Someone has been here before!
