Last sunday started quite normal. We stayed at my father-in-laws house, as our vegetable garden is located here. I didn't feel like weeding the greenhouse, so I worked to finish my spoon.
After lunch there was no excuse not to do any garden work, but after the coffe break in the afternoon I decided that I take a walk in the nearby forest. It was weeks ago since I last went there, and there was still some snow left. I expected to see some changes now
I only took my small hipbag with my camera, a small knife and some safety items with me. On the way to the forest yellow was the dominant color.
There were some cute hairy pigs and some sheep, and a hare sitting close to the street and we watched each other before the hare decided to leave (no picture of that, sorry)
After a 20 minute walk I finally reached the forest.
I love these strange looking roots, looks like some phantasy creature!
There were small patches of violetts
And someone was feeding on spruce cones (I guess a mouse? Still waiting for my book on tracks and signs...)
Birch polypores on a dead birch
This is a huge douglas fir. I admire this old tree each time I come by, but I am afraid the picture doesn't show it's majesty...
Then I spotted this...
I was quite excited as I have never seen such clear signs of a fox (and only seen a fox once in the last 10 years in that area). And then I looked closer and got even more excited:
This was only a few metres away from the forest track, and it didn't look as if it was in use for the last few days. But finding a fox-hole was really special for me, I have never discovered one before! I will keep an eye on this one, maybe one day I will see the fox that made it. I doubt that this will be used for breeding as it is really close to a frequented forest track (lots of dogs, too), but it takes some efford to dig such a hole, and maybe I can find out what it is used for one day.
Lots of woodruff patches at this time of year
And dead trees for the woodpeckers
A lovely arrangement of ferns and mushrooms
And a still not identified seeding flower
Even more unnamed things on a wet, rotten log
Then I found some dead birch, and as always when I find dead birch I collect some bark. Here was an especially good looking piece lying on the ground, but when I picked it up this beautiful creature was sleeping underneath it! I took some pictures and then put the bark back.
I never have seen a fire salamander in the woods here, and I couldn't believe what a lucky day that was! First a fox-hole, and now a fire salamander!
To add to my excitement the clouds dissappeared and sunlight flooded the forest.
Home of a woodpecker
Beauty in small things
And beauty in huge things
On my way back "home" I cross a small valley. In the early evening sun a really beautiful place!
Behind this barn I have often see roe deer. Not today, but wonderful light instead.
Neighbour's cat enjoying the sun
Of course I found some birch bark with no salamander under it
Back home the day was finished with some meat on the grill
This was already a perfect and exciting day. But after dinner I decided if I could find the roe deer that are living in the small forest patches close to the house. It was around sunset, so I just took my binoculars and my little point-and-shoot camera with me. I found two of them on a meadow close to the forest, so I decided to try to get close to them from the forest. I came quite close and stood at a beech tree to watch them, but then a jaybird betrayed me. To my amazement the deer didn't run away, but the roebuck started to bark at me and strud while trying to find out what exactly was the cause of the alarming jaybird. What an experience! After a moment I wasn't sure what would happen next. Would he even attack me, thinking I was another roebuck?! So I decided to move a little bit to let him see me, and as expected they turned and ran away (but still barking). I have seen deer close up, and I have seen deer run away from me, but a deer barking at me was another new and exciting experience.
What an exciting and wonderful day! Sometimes all you have to do is go out for a walk, and of course open your eyes.
After lunch there was no excuse not to do any garden work, but after the coffe break in the afternoon I decided that I take a walk in the nearby forest. It was weeks ago since I last went there, and there was still some snow left. I expected to see some changes now
I only took my small hipbag with my camera, a small knife and some safety items with me. On the way to the forest yellow was the dominant color.
There were some cute hairy pigs and some sheep, and a hare sitting close to the street and we watched each other before the hare decided to leave (no picture of that, sorry)
After a 20 minute walk I finally reached the forest.
I love these strange looking roots, looks like some phantasy creature!
There were small patches of violetts
And someone was feeding on spruce cones (I guess a mouse? Still waiting for my book on tracks and signs...)
Birch polypores on a dead birch
This is a huge douglas fir. I admire this old tree each time I come by, but I am afraid the picture doesn't show it's majesty...
Then I spotted this...
I was quite excited as I have never seen such clear signs of a fox (and only seen a fox once in the last 10 years in that area). And then I looked closer and got even more excited:
This was only a few metres away from the forest track, and it didn't look as if it was in use for the last few days. But finding a fox-hole was really special for me, I have never discovered one before! I will keep an eye on this one, maybe one day I will see the fox that made it. I doubt that this will be used for breeding as it is really close to a frequented forest track (lots of dogs, too), but it takes some efford to dig such a hole, and maybe I can find out what it is used for one day.
Lots of woodruff patches at this time of year
And dead trees for the woodpeckers
A lovely arrangement of ferns and mushrooms
And a still not identified seeding flower
Even more unnamed things on a wet, rotten log
Then I found some dead birch, and as always when I find dead birch I collect some bark. Here was an especially good looking piece lying on the ground, but when I picked it up this beautiful creature was sleeping underneath it! I took some pictures and then put the bark back.
I never have seen a fire salamander in the woods here, and I couldn't believe what a lucky day that was! First a fox-hole, and now a fire salamander!
To add to my excitement the clouds dissappeared and sunlight flooded the forest.
Home of a woodpecker
Beauty in small things
And beauty in huge things
On my way back "home" I cross a small valley. In the early evening sun a really beautiful place!
Behind this barn I have often see roe deer. Not today, but wonderful light instead.
Neighbour's cat enjoying the sun
Of course I found some birch bark with no salamander under it
Back home the day was finished with some meat on the grill
This was already a perfect and exciting day. But after dinner I decided if I could find the roe deer that are living in the small forest patches close to the house. It was around sunset, so I just took my binoculars and my little point-and-shoot camera with me. I found two of them on a meadow close to the forest, so I decided to try to get close to them from the forest. I came quite close and stood at a beech tree to watch them, but then a jaybird betrayed me. To my amazement the deer didn't run away, but the roebuck started to bark at me and strud while trying to find out what exactly was the cause of the alarming jaybird. What an experience! After a moment I wasn't sure what would happen next. Would he even attack me, thinking I was another roebuck?! So I decided to move a little bit to let him see me, and as expected they turned and ran away (but still barking). I have seen deer close up, and I have seen deer run away from me, but a deer barking at me was another new and exciting experience.
What an exciting and wonderful day! Sometimes all you have to do is go out for a walk, and of course open your eyes.
