Wildlife Trusts - Hereford Nature Trust: Winter Tree ID Day

[Elen Sentier]

I'm a member of Herefordshire Nature Trust, is anyone else a member of theirs? I went out with them today on a winter tree and twig ID and had a very enjoyable and educational day - and all for free. The man leading it, chap called Martin Hales, is extremely knowledgable and very good fun as well. We went to a local SSSI and spent the day pottering slowly from tree to tree, specialising in alternate, paired or spiral buds, scales, twig bark, bud scars, colour of bark - . He gave us a check list which I think most people would like but I'm really bad with things like that! Martin didn't mind at all but encouraged me to find my own way which i did with the help of a nice tree-surgeon man who also prefers "looking" and getting to know – can't explain it any better than that


It was doubly interesting as two of the local bat-experts were part of the group and the wood is one of our main bat checking places. As well as bat boxes there are some old lime kilns where the bats go - caving style stuff ... ugh! I'm claustrophobic. They asked me if I’d like to come along to the bat-days and, as I don’t have to go in caves or up ladders, I said yes. This entails me getting vaccinated for rabies so the bat-lady has just sent me details for that. Slightly unnerving in some ways but very necessary as I cannot touch/hold etc a bat unless I’m done as they do bite and may have rabies (poor bats!) so I’ll be calling the doc on Monday about that. I really do want to be able to work with them.

There are also lots of dormouse boxes in the wood and I’ve been invited to that too – and no! the boxes are NOT teapots , nor is there a treacle mine in the wood LOL. Like most people, I find dormice unutterable adorable and being actually able to touch one will be a super thrill.


I’ve also been invited to help with the annual deer-count in April. This entails getting up at sparrow-f---t in order to get to the stands on Woolhope Dome half an hour before dawn! But sooooo worth it . And I’ve been offered the opportunity buy the venison culled by the Trust’s stalker


Today has been such a good day and all for free as I’m a member of the Trust, which is also very cheap and so worthwhile. If you’re not part of one and have interests in nature, ecology, environment, local wildlife, all that stuff, I can thoroughly recommend it. You can find the one that covers your area at Wildlife Trusts.


Here's a couple of pix I took ...

This one is of holes, all in a row, that a Greater Spotted woodpecker made in a lime tree. There's a suspicion that the woodpecker may come back to suck the lime-juice but this could be apocryphal


I love this - the little red hairs coming out of the top of the bud - I was taught to call this "pinking up" when I was a child, Martin (who's a local man) said he does too.

 

[Mesquite]

Sounds like a good day out Elen and a nice pic of the hazel flower

 

[Harvestman]

All of the various Wildlife Trusts have a full events program, and there is often something there of a bushy nature as well as the wildlife and environmental angle. Their programmes are usually available online, and are definitely worth a look. Practical skills courses too, like hedgelaying or drystone walling. I recommend them to anyone.

Glad you had a good day Elen.

 

[Elen Sentier]

All of the various Wildlife Trusts have a full events program, and there is often something there of a bushy nature as well as the wildlife and environmental angle. Their programmes are usually available online, and are definitely worth a look. Practical skills courses too, like hedgelaying or drystone walling. I recommend them to anyone.

Glad you had a good day Elen.

I was gifted with some lovely sheets of birch bark from fallen trees there, loads of hanging wood to if there'd been time ... must go back. And there's at least 3 orchid species in that wood HM, will take there later in the year.

 

[Dreadhead]

nice one Elen sounds like it was good fun. I used to really enjoy the winter tree ID in uni, sadly it went in one ear and out the other