HAZEL CATKINS

This small hazel tree is already decorated for Christmas although the catkins will not open fully until the new year.

They will be twice or three times as long and covered in golden pollen.

 

'OUTSTANDING' AWARD

[Slightly belated announcement]

On 24th November our noble secretary Alan received this certificate from the RHS 'It's your Neighbourhood Award' in connection with the Thornbury in Bloom thingee in the summer. 

It was accompanied by the following assessment form

All our voluteers should be very proud that their efforts have been so recognised.  'Outstanding' is the top of 5 levels of achievement.

Onwards and upwards!

BLUSHING BRACKET

On Sunday the 'outstanding' volunteer team were clearing back encroaching vegetation and fallen branches from footpaths at Filnore Woods.  The path between posts 16 and 17, leading from the leaning tree to the sloping field, passes through an old plantation of willows.  The trees are shaded and in competition with each other, so that lots of them lean over and even uproot.

While clearing the path we came across these fungal brackets.

This fungus, the false maze-gill or blushing bracket (Daedaleopsis confragosa) is characterised by its concentric rings.  It specialises in dead willow stems. 

The brackets are pale at first but gradually darken to brown

The underside of a fresh bracket will stain red if you rub it (hence blushing bracket) and it is covered in tiny pores.

The pores are round at first and elongate as the bracket ages, so that it looks like a maze.

In Greek mythology Daedalus built a labyrinth for King Minos of Crete, where the minotaur was imprisoned.  This is the derivation of the scientific name of this fungus, Daedaleopsis.

 

TWO MEMORIALS TO ALLAN BURBERRY

On Saturday 27th November, Allan Burberry's family and friends gathered at the hilltop Viewpoint at Filnore Woods to plant a tree for Allan.  Here is Allan's daughter, Diana, holding the tree while a series of planters shovel the soil into the planting pit.  (The pit was dug the day before by volunteers Alan and Peter, lurking, hatless, in the background.  There was a lot of rock!)  

We don't usually plant trees for people at Filnore any more, but Allan was special, a founder of the Woods.

 

The tree is a fern-leaved beech a very attractive addition to Filnore Woods and very distinctive.

  

Allan's two daughters, Diana and Helen posed by the tree once it was planted and staked for stability,

followed by a family photo for relatives who had travelled from as far away as Watford, Leighton Buzzard and even THE USA !  

There were also representatives from South Glos Council and Thornbury Town Council, Sally Pattison and Guy Rawlinson.

Grand daughter Jane read a few moving words to conclude the tree planting.  

From Allan's tree the view is out across Thornbury with the industrial estate in the foreground and the tower of St Mary's Church beyond, where Allan was a sidesman for years.  To the left is the castle-like mass of Oldbury Nuclear Power Station and beyond the River Severn, the hills of Gloucestershire and the Forest of Dean.

After this, the more robust, warmly dressed and mud-proof of the party hiked or drove to climb up the hill behind the Mundy Playing Field.  Here a bench seat was installed a year ago in honour of Allan, but we haven't had a chance to dedicate it until now.

Guy Rawlinson said a few words of dedication and the three youngest members, Richard, Amy and Ben, each sowed some wildflower seeds, ready for the cattle to push them into the soil.

The view from here is really good, as you can see behind  Amy, who is intently reading the inscription  . . . .

  

. . . . which reads:

 "Allan Burberry loved Thornbury and the surrounding countryside.  This seat is to honour him for the huge contribution he made to wildlife conservation over many years."

 

ROOK, CROW AND JACKDAW

Who are all these black birds pecking at the soil on the playing field?  Rather scruffy with shaggy black trousers and a dirty white base to the bill,  these are the rooks.  They are noisy birds when they get together in their rookeries, where several pairs nest in the same group of trees.   The collective noun is a parliament of rooks.  They are always gossiping or insulting each other - a continual racket if you live near a rookery.

Photo: north-east wildlife

  Usually you notice rooks building their nests in the New Year but here in Thornbury they have started already.   Unfortunately the winter winds will undo a lot of their handiwork, or should I say beakywork.  

Rooks are more upright than crows but crows are a bit sleeker and tidier and their heavy beaks are all black.  When a crow calls it takes a high perch and utters about three loud 'kaa' sounds, bowing down with each one.

Photo: trotrog blog

You may find a few crows on the ground with the rooks, but it is mostly jackdaws that flock with the rooks.  Crows are not so gregarious.   Jackdaws are smaller, chunkier birds with a golden eye, black cap, grey neck and black wings and tail.   

Photo: ebird

Jackdaws are aerobatic fliers round the chimney pots.  When they and the rooks are flying in flocks or foraging on the ground, I have noticed recently that many of them stick together in pairs.  Rather sweet.

SARGENT STICKY

You may be familiar with the sticky buds of Horse Chestnut - sorry about the wizened hand but it's the only way I can get it in focus.

But there is another tree with sticky buds, which show once the leaves have dropped off.

This is Sargent's Rowan (Sorbus sargentiana) and the buds are crimson rather than chestnut brown.

And this is what it was like in late October with extra large leaves, for a rowan, and bright red, juicy berries.

This specimen is to be found near Tesco in Thornbury.  It was planted by Thornbury Lions Club in memory of those who died in the Twin Towers in September 2001.

 

PREPARING FOR HEDGE LAYING

In spring 2017 we coppiced the next section of hedge, 

cutting down the overgrown shrubs and trees.

As you can see, to protect the adjoining allotments from trespassers we erected a dead hedge of sticks and brash woven between hedging stakes.

It was a work of some grandeur

Built to last

Five years later the coppiced plants have grown up again and are ready for laying. The photo below was taken in September of this year.

So last Wednesday the volunteers set to and removed the remains of the dead hedge and all the brambles and nettles that had grown over it

There was plenty of room to put the dead material in the trenches alongside the hedge.

Viewed from the other end you can see how the hazel in particular has grown back vigorously.  It's the bushy shrub with the yellow leaves in the photo.

We hope to get laying the hedge in the new year.

 

THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS

Beneath the arching trees a carpet of leaves

TRAVELLER'S JOY

Wild clematis still in flower but aging rapidly to fluffy old man's beard.

The vines of this plant cling to trees and hedges and are a forester's nightmare because the weight of them deforms young trees.

But this wintery plumage is a true traveller's joy.

 

GREEN AND GOLD

Sycamore and beech leaves on the turn.

Even the common bramble has her autumn clothing on. 

Green and gold with sepia splashes

Bracken before it turns brown

'Hold out the feather you found last night

in the bracken. All it can offer is already

there in your hand.'

                                                                               From 'Bracken' by Kai Carlson-Wee

  

 

FEATHERS

These are probably pigeon feathers but they illustrate the basic differences of the two commonest of the seven types of feather: flight feathers and downy feathers.

The flight feathers are on a bird's wings.  They form a light but firm vane which can push air and propel the bird.  One side is wider than the other and there is a little bit of down near the base.

Underneath the smoothest feathers on the bird's body are fluffier feathers - down.  Birds have to keep all their feathers in good condition, especially the flight feathers and tail feathers, by preening.  They comb them with their bills.  

Eventually the feathers need to be discarded and replaced. If you find a feather on its own, it has probably been moulted.

If you find a whole lot of feathers in one place it usually indicates an attack by a predator.